Bearing Witness: Luke Melchior
2003
51 min
Coming soon
This feature documentary is a portrait of Luke Melchior (1973-2021) who, at 26, had already lived longer than most people with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a progressive wasting of the muscles. Knowing his life would be relatively short had made Luke feel an urgency about making a lasting contribution. Living independently, with the help of 3 homecare workers, he ran a web-based business selling outdoor gear, and chaired the board of the Disability Resource Centre in Victoria, BC, where he was a passionate advocate for the rights of the disabled. Bearing Witness consists of 3 films, each approximately one hour long, …
Details
This feature documentary is a portrait of Luke Melchior (1973-2021) who, at 26, had already lived longer than most people with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a progressive wasting of the muscles. Knowing his life would be relatively short had made Luke feel an urgency about making a lasting contribution. Living independently, with the help of 3 homecare workers, he ran a web-based business selling outdoor gear, and chaired the board of the Disability Resource Centre in Victoria, BC, where he was a passionate advocate for the rights of the disabled.
Bearing Witness consists of 3 films, each approximately one hour long, on people with life-threatening illnesses. The series also profiles Jocelyn Morton, who died of liver cancer at 44, and Robert Coley-Donohue, who died of ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) at age 74.
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directorDan Curtis
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writerJim Osborne
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cameraDan Curtis
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soundDan Curtis
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picture editingDan Curtis
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music composerTobin Stokes
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producerAdam SymanskyPierre Lapointe
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executive producerSally Bochner
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sound editorDon Ayer
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re-recordingSerge BoivinJean Paul VialardGeoffrey Mitchell
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on-line technicianDenis Gathelier
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digital editing technicianPhyllis Lewis
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title designGaspard Gaudreau
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post-production coordinatorLinda Payette
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program administratorMarie Tonto-DonatiNickie Merulla
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production clerkSia Koukoulas
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transcriptionSusan Panneton
Education
Ages 14 to 17
Health/Personal Development - Healthy Relationships
Health/Personal Development - Mental Health/Stress/Suicide
Media Education - Documentary Film
Social Studies - Social Policies and Programs
Ask students to investigate society's support of disability, and how family relationships are affected by disease. Initiate projects in which students evaluate the strengths and flaws in their local government support networks, and suggest changes. Filmmaking students can examine the film's strategies in representing an authentic, private experience without excessive sentiment. Ask Psychology students to research the treatment of an individual's loss of power and independence.
