Defining Hope

DEFINING HOPE is a documentary that weaves the stories of patients with life-threatening illness, and the nurses who guide them as they make choices about how they want to live, how much medical technology they can accept, what they hope for and how that hope evolves. It is about optimism and helps us define what ‘quality of life’ really means. The film focuses on palliative care, end of life issues, and hospice care. It offers a hopeful message about bringing power back to the patient and helping people understand that they have choices when deciding on care when confronting life threatening illness. DEFINING HOPE explores what makes life worth living and what to do for ourselves and our loved ones as we get closer to the end of life. Through the stories of patients, families, nurses, and healthcare professionals, the conversation around quality end-of-life care is brought to the forefront.

DEFINING HOPE was released in November 2017, in honor of National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. It went on to screen over 150 times in both theatrical and community settings and in the Spring of 2018 it aired 1,000+ times on PBS stations nationwide. Described by the Hollywood Reporter as “A clear-eyed and compassionate conversation starter,” the film won Best Premiere – Documentary Feature at the Heartland Film Festival, and continues to be screened globally as part of the US Department of State’s cultural diplomacy program American Film Showcase.

DEFINING HOPE is available for licensing and purchase via our distributor Kino Lorber. For more information, please visit www.hope.film.