Assassin’s Creed director Justin Kurzel is no stranger to confronting work. If you’ve seen his film Snowtown, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. His latest project is a short film and it’s so difficult to watch, there’s a big STOP button below the video.
It’s called Stop the Horror and it retells the true events of one man’s traumatic death, giving viewers a window into the unimaginable pain and suffering both he and his family endured during his final days.
Greg Sims‘ death from brain cancer wasn’t uncommon, and that reality hits like a bag of bricks, but it’s not meant to be an easy watch. The point Kurzel’s making is that no one should have to go through that kind of nightmare.
The Victorian Voluntary Assisted Dying bill is scheduled to be introduced to the VIC Parliament on the 19th of September. If passed, it would give those suffering from terminal illness the option for voluntary euthanasia.
When the “STOP THE HORROR” button at the bottom of the screen is clicked, users are redirected to a page that explains the cause and allows you to show your support by signing a petition.
“You have just watched a recreation of the last days of Greg Sims, as described by his daughter Nia,” the page says. “Despite the best available palliative care, there are terminally ill Australians, like Greg, who die every week in uncontrollable pain and suffering.”
“Right now, the Australian Christian Lobby and Right to Life movements are actively lobbying our MPs to vote no. Why should any church decide for all of us?”
Filmed over one day in Sydney, Kurzel used the vivid details of Nia’s accounts to recreate an accurate portrayal of the harrowing events, which he says hit him especially hard.
“I was deeply shocked and confronted by the level of suffering Greg Sims went through during the final stages of his life,” he told PEDESTRIAN.TV. “The film is intended to place you right in the middle of the war zone of his suffering. A place of unimaginable trauma.”
He hopes the piece will raise awareness for an important issue that is rarely talked about.
“This was a difficult piece to make and important that we be as truthful to the family’s recollections as much as possible,” he said. “I hope the film gives a human perspective to the unimaginable misery some people face when dying a bad death.”
You can watch the film here, or if you’d just like to show your support, here’s a direct link to the signup page.
