Educational Media Reviews Online

Choosing to take control of your life, all the way through to the time and manner of your death, is a brave and sometimes controversial choice. Addicted to Life follows the story of Marieke Vervoot, a Belgian Paralympian with a degenerative illness who chooses to end her life through euthanasia at 40.

This documentary is raw and unflinching about her choice, and about what it’s like to live in a great deal of pain. We see Marieke struggling to breath, to sleep. She likes to drink cava with friends to help dull the pain. But pain is not everything she is – the title of this documentary truly describes how Marieke exists in the world. You can live your life to the fullest, accomplish your goals and your dreams, and still choose to die at an age that some might consider too early.

Vervoot is charismatic and likeable throughout, and her journey is a valuable one to witness. This film shows a very real human experience that would make for good class discussion and debate. This is also a film that needs to be presented to students who are fully aware of the content and the depth of emotion surrounding the issue of euthanasia; while there is humor and lightheartedness, it is a documentary full of sadness and acceptance around a difficult concept, and this may be hard for some viewers.

This documentary also offers insight into what it can be like to make a film focused on one person, surrounding a complex topic. Writer, director, and producer Pola Rapaport is occasionally seen on camera, or heard talking with Vervoot, clarifying when her presence and her cameras are welcome and when she should hold back. It feels unusual to hear the interviewer in this way, to bluntly talk about when to film and when not to, but in the case of this documentary, it is necessary for this respectful and careful telling of Vervoot’s story.

Awards:
Best Documentary, Chelsea Film Festival; Audience Award, Best Doc, Rome BIOPIC Festival; Best Feature Documentary, International Sport Film Festival Slovenia; Best Author, Millenium Film Festival; Best Docs, DOK.FEST Munich; Best of Women’s Voices, Portland Film Festival

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