A movie filmed at a hospice that reflects on the experience of dying will be released nationwide next week.
Island, filmed at Mountbatten on the Isle of Wight, tells the story of four individuals experiencing the year in which their lives will end. Illness progresses, relationships gently shift, and the film shows rarely seen and intensely private moments. One person shares their acceptance of death, whilst another is surrounded by a community in shock. Bedside care and the rhythm of breathing are seen, and in a pathology lab, microscopic biopsies in close-up show the interior of the human body.
The film portrays the transition away from personhood, observing the last days and hours of life and the moment of death. Director Steven Eastwood explains:
“I wanted to be witness to the moment of death, because I felt that this was taboo in our society. I wanted to ask, why is that taboo, given that death happens every day and is as natural an event as birth?”
Island premiered at the 61st BFI London Film Festival last year, and will launch in UK cinemas nationwide from September 14. Ahead of the general release there will be special preview screenings including Q&As with the film’s director and CEO of Mountbatten Nigel Hartley on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9. For more information visit Mountbatten and Island
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