(Graphic by Tatyana Ross)
Tatyana Ross
Editor-in-Chief
Movies have the ability to provide insight in many different situations. In many
ways movies provide a form of escape from what is happening in real life or provide educational opportunities to learn about different topics.
They also invoke the ability to feel various emotions without having to experience
any of the events that led to the emotions directly.
During the month of October, for obvious reasons, watching movies about breast cancer can do all these things and more.
For instance, “A Fault in our Stars”, an award-winning film released in 2014, heavily covered the love, life, and death of young teens who have been diagnosed with cancer. Instantly the audience is filled with empathy. The two main characters Hazel Grace Lancaster (real name) and Gus Waters (real name) met in a cancer support group. The two become friends and their romantic relationship grows as they discover the commonalities of their struggles. Ultimately, their goal is to live life the best they can until one or both of them is taken out by cancer.
However, this is not the only movie that covers such a sensitive topic in a positive way. Here is a list of movies on breast cancer to watch before October is over.
“Tig” – Directed by Kristina Goolsby and Ashley York
This documentary released in 2015, shows Tig Notaro, an American comedian, as she navigates the ups and downs of her life as she undergoes treatment for breast cancer. During this time she also grieves the recent loss of her mother, attempts to have a child with her fiancée, Stephanie Allynne, and sees her standup career skyrocket following a set about her diagnosis, all in one year.
“Decoding Annie Parker” – Directed by Steven Bernstein
Released in 2013, this film is based on a true story. The movies follow the life of main character Annie Parker, whose breast cancer diagnosis helps doctors discover the BRCA1 breast cancer gene that proved that breast cancer can be hereditary in women. With teary eyes, you’ll watch her fight the disease that took both her mother and sister.
“Ma Ma” – A spanish-speaking film
In this movie, the main character, Penélope Cruz, is diagnosed with breast cancer but also finds reasons to laugh with her family, particularly with her son. The theme of this film is about living life to the fullest with all of the time you have, holding on to loved ones and maintaining your humanity until your final day.
“Her Only Choice”
This film was released in 2018 about the main character Tasha, who faces the same breast cancer diagnosis that took her mother a few years earlier. Shortly after her diagnosis, she finds out she is pregnant and has to decide whether or not to start cancer treatments. Making her situation more challenging is that she is at odds with her family about her decision to save the life of her unborn child instead of her own.
“Miss You Already”
In this 2015 film, Jess and Milly, two life-long best friends, put their friendship to the test after Milly is diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer and
Jess starts a family. Milly is charming, raw, and doesn’t downplay her fatigue, jealousy, or her anger. Milly offers a balance between heartwarming and heartbreaking moments in the film but the bond between Jess and Milly gives the movie significant value. Ultimately, their friendship carries Milly through to the end.
Information about the movies featured in this article was gathered from IMDB.
