Far from the Tree

Image of two film participants from the film Far From the Tree

Screenings

March 13, 2020
6:30 PM /
Curzon Soho
London
Q&A to follow with Andrew Solomon, film participant, Shantha Rau Barriga, Disability Rights Director, Human Rights Watch, moderated by Graeme Reid, Director, LGBT Rights Program, Human Rights Watch
QA Session with the Filmmaker
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This life-affirming documentary follows the lives of Jack, Jason, Loini, Trevor, Leah and Joe who challenge society's narrow definition of “normal”.  We meet them and their families and discuss how expectations placed on children, parents, and families have such power to turn “unconditional love” on its head by ways of extraordinary challenges. Fascinated with this idea, writer and film subject Andrew Solomon’s work on this issue stems from his own traumatic experience coming out as gay to his parents. Rejected and cast aside, he tried everything to regain his parents’ love and be “normal,” including conversion therapy. In a quest for understanding, this film encourages us to let go of our preconceptions – for example, about people with autism or dwarfism – and celebrate our loved ones for all that makes them uniquely themselves. 

“It wasn’t until I tried to change who I was, I tried as hard as I possibly could, that I realised that who I was wasn’t changeable. … How do we decide what to cure and what to celebrate?” - Andrew Solomon, Far From The Tree

UK Advisory (12A)

Filmmaker(s): 
Rachel Dretzin
Country of Production: 
United States
Year: 
2018
93m
Language(s): 
English
Genre: 
Documentary
Filmmaker Bio(s): 
Rachel Dretzin
Director

Rachel Dretzin is a co-founder of Ark Media and a principal producer, director, and writer with the company. Together with Ark Media producer/ director Phil Bertelsen, she directed the six-part Netflix original series "Who Killed Malcolm X" which will debut on Netflix in January 2020. 

Distributor: 
Park Circus
Film Website: 
Film website
To learn more on this topic visit HRW.org