Educational Media Reviews Online

This is the story of the last eighteen months of Lulu’s life. It is a story of cancer, treatment, hospice and Lulu’s dying. It is a story of the alienating family disease of alcoholism. It is a love story between two great friends, separation, and forgiveness told with stark honesty captured in raw footage.

Lulu, Louise M. Nutter, was a professor of pharmacology and an internationally known cancer researcher described as a “smoke stack with a throaty laugh.” Lulu was one of seven children who grew up poor, entered the University of Vermont at age 16 and finished her Ph.D. in biochemistry in three and a half years. At age 29 she met Casper Wong for the first time in Taiwan then again five years later they met again at a conference and found that they had an intense connection. Casper is the producer, director and videographer of this film. Their love relationship was unexpected by both Lulu and Casper and continued until Lulu’s drinking caused them to part. Casper returned after five years and was a support through Lulu’s illness and was inspired to make her first film, this tribute to Lulu. Over the course of Lulu’s illness and the making of the film Casper comes to terms with the relationship, with Lulu and with forgiveness.

Casper tells the tale through a series of filmed sessions with Lulu as Lulu lives her life out loud in front of the camera. She drinks beer out of the can and continues to smoke, even when dependent on oxygen, and talks to the camera and to Casper about whatever is current with her health, family, and their relationship. She is shown working in her lab and in the hospital during her first chemotherapy as she struggles to make a life for herself when her life has always been her work. She tries to make peace with her family but finds that her family is not available to her. She states with certainty, “I don’t want to live forever, I just want to live the way I want to live for whatever time I have” so Lulu plans her own life celebration, so she can attend, with music, dancing and a roast.

The story is told well, with sensitive issues handled with grace. The videography is purposefully home grown creating an intimate impression, though there are times when the camera is turned off for privacy and the audio is difficult to understand.

The Lulu Sessions will be a good addition to public library collections or academic library collections that support courses in death and dying, women’s studies or addiction studies. It could be a provocative conversation starter in each of these areas.

Awards

• Winner, Emerging Director Award, Asian American International Film Festival
• Winner, Best Documentary Award, DC Asian Pacific Film Festival
• Winner, Special Jury Award, San Diego Asian Film Festival
• Winner, Audience Award for Best Documentary, Chicago LGBT International Film Festival