Bearing Witness: Luke Melchior 2003
Distributed by Fanlight Productions, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by Adam Symansky and Pierre Lapointe
Directed by Dan Curtis
VHS, color, 51 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Disability Studies, Death and Dying
Date Entered: 02/11/2005
Reviewed by Beth Traylor, University of Wisconsin Libraries, MilwaukeeAt 26, Luke Melchior has outlived most people with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a progressive wasting disease of the muscles. This program is an intimate portrait of this man. The camera follows him at work, in business meetings, through his daily routines, family visits and doctor’s appointments. Through a series of interviews with Luke, his caregivers, friends and family we learn a little about his life, his frustrations and the challenges he faces daily. Luke talks about his fears, the negative milestones he passes each year and his views on life. He frankly discusses his desire to have a wife and family and the misperception some people have that a person in a wheelchair is a non-sexual being. Luke explains that although he can’t control this disease he can control his reaction to it and try to prevent it from limiting what he does.
Bearing Witness: Luke Melchior would be a good addition to any public or academic library collection on disability studies. Recommended.