“Making the film saved my life in a thousand ways. I don't even mean that as metaphor—I mean, it literally saved my life.”
— Director Jennifer Brea,
“I want people to walk away with a sense that life is fragile, life is precious, and we are all temporary, but that when faced with unforeseen obstacles, we all have the potential to find resources within ourselves we didn’t know we had.”
— Director Jennifer Brea,
“I’m hoping that this film can end the stigma, and also massively grow the scientific field. It’s really through science that we’re going to be able to find out what causes this, and ultimately how to cure this.”
— Director Jennifer Brea,
“As the film evolved and as my journey evolved, it became about these deeper questions that we all grapple with. For me, it was if I never leave this bed, who can I be in this world, and what value does my life have?”
— Director Jennifer Brea,
“I wanted to distinguish this film from the typical disease doc by highlighting the humor, the love story, and the detective story of this woman trying to understand an illness that the medical community has ignored.”
— Editor Kim Roberts,
ABOUT THE FILM
LONG SYNOPSIS
Jennifer Brea is an active Harvard Ph.D. student about to marry the love of her life when suddenly her body starts failing her. Hoping to shed light on her strange symptoms, Jennifer grabs a camera and films the darkest moments unfolding before her eyes as she is derailed by M.E. (commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), a mysterious illness some still believe is “all in your head.”
In this story of love and loss, newlyweds Jennifer and Omar search for answers as they face unexpected obstacles with great heart. Often confined by her illness to the private space of her bed, Jen is moved to connect with others around the globe. Utilizing Skype, she unlocks a forgotten community with intimate portraits of four other families suffering similarly.
Jennifer Brea’s wonderfully honest portrayal asks us to rethink the stigma around an illness that affects millions of people. UNREST is a vulnerable and eloquent personal documentary that is sure to hit closer to home than many could imagine.sheffield17.svg
Producers Jennifer Brea, Lindsey Dryden, Patricia E. Gillespie, Alysa Nahmias
Executive Producers Deborah Hoffmann, Ruth Ann Harnisch, Regina Scully, Lisa Gunn, Donna Fairman Wilson, Dan Cogan, Ian Darling, Lynda Weinman
Co-Executive Producers Mitch and Debbie Menaged, Mona Eliassen, Jenny Raskin
Co-Producer Anne Troldtoft Hjorth
Editors Kim Roberts, Emiliano Battista
Cinematographers Christian Laursen, Sam Heesen
Sound Jim LeBrecht
Music Bear McCreary
FESTIVALS
2017: Sundance, SXSW, CHP:DOX
AWARDS
U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award: Editing (Sundance), Audience Award (RiverRun International), Grand Jury Prize (Nashville)
FESTIVAL TERRITORIES
The World
EXHIBITION FORMATS
DCP, Blu-Ray, DVD
PRESS KIT
Download Press Kit
AVAILABLE PRESS IMAGES (click to preview)
