THE QUIET EPIDEMIC
Bay Area Premiere
ACTIVE CINEMA | MIND THE GAP | DOCS
US 2022, 101 min, Director: Lindsay Keys, Winslow Crane-Murdoch
While true to its title in tone, directors Lindsay Keys and Winslow Crane-Murdoch’s documentary probe into the medical establishment’s denial of chronic Lyme Disease is a declarative bombshell. Woven through with heart-rending stories of long-term sufferers, The Quiet Epidemic presents a history of the debilitating illness, along with a litany of its many easily misdiagnosed symptoms. The film’s main focus is the abrupt official about-face on the idea that chronic Lyme even exists, government agencies’ flat-out negation of the disease coinciding with explosive profits from federally funded research patents and the growth of managed care. The paper trails are impressive, but the heart of this investigation is the devastation that bureaucracy has wrought on the afflicted. Through interviews and archival footage, we are witness to the decades of frustration, demonization, and denial of care that patients continue to face. —Edward Dunn
Guests expected: directors Lindsay Keys, Winslow Crane-Murdoch
The Oct 8 screening will be followed by a filmmaker Talk Back at the Outdoor Art Club at 4:15pm. Join us to continue the conversation!
