On January 22, 2012 the art and healthcare communities came together to celebrate neurosurgery and learn more about the brain. With more than 130 guests in attendance, the kick-off dinner for Neuro-Cinema & Beyond was a success.
For the first time, Saint John’s Health Center and the John Wayne Cancer Institute (JWCI) collaborated with the Topanga Film Institute (TFI), a division of the Topanga Film Festival, for Neuro-cinema & Beyond, a film series focused on the brain, cancer and the physicians involved in treating these conditions.
“This series allows us to not only bring attention to independent films that explore important issues, but also gives us the opportunity to educate the community about these conditions and get them thinking,†said Daniel F. Kelly, M.D., director of Saint John’s Brain Tumor Center and Pituitary Disorders Program and faculty member at John Wayne Cancer Institute, who will speak at several of the screenings.
“Programs like this help to educate the public on complex medical issues, such as the advances and limits of healthcare and the capabilities of both the brain and body to recover from illness.â€
The series kick off featured a screening of The English Surgeon, a film about the experiences of neurosurgeon Henry Marsh, MD, while working in poverty-stricken Ukraine, followed by a Q&A over Skype with Emmy-winning Filmmaker Geoffrey Smith. After the screening, Dr. Kelly discussed the past, present and future of neurosurgery along with his own experiences working in third-world countries as well as his work at Saint John’s and JWCI.
“Neuro-cinema & Beyond has provided a dynamic platform to shed light on the humanitarian efforts of neurosurgeons, such as Dr. Marsh,†Smith said. “I am thrilled to have been a part of it.â€
Saint John’s and TFI have two additional screenings set for February on the 19th and 25th. Both screenings will take place at the Martin Luther Jr. Auditorium at the Santa Monica Public Library (601 Santa Monica Blvd.) and are free and open to the public (RSVP required to 1-800 ST JOHNS).
On Sunday, February 19th at 2:30 p.m. Jonna’s Body, Please Hold, a dark comedy directed by Adam Bluming that explores the film’s producer, writer and actress Jonna Tamases’s own experiences with breast cancer will be screened.
Winner of Audience Award at the Ashville Film Festival and part of TFI’s Beyond series, the movie’s stunning visuals and hilarious characters take viewers on a wild and sometimes bizarre ride into the realm of health, illness, joy and the beauty of life. Following the film showing will be a Q&A with Tamases and Saint John’s surgical oncologist and breast specialist Maggie DiNome, MD. Dr. DiNome will be able to offer insight into breast cancer and the treatment options available to patients.
The third movie in the series which will screen on February 25th at 2:15pm, is Marwencol, a documentary by Jeff Malmberg, about Mark Hogancamp, a man who is left brain damaged and broke after a vicious attack. Hogancamp seeks recovery in “Marwencol,” a miniature World War II-era town he creates in his backyard. A Q&A with Malmberg and a discussion about brain injury and recovery with Dr. Kelly will immediately follow the screening.
The last movie will be Moving Forward by Conor and Danny Toumarkine (time, date and location still to be determined). This film follows Danny Toumarkine after he suffered from a traumatic brain injury on Jan. 3, 2011. For 15 years, Danny and his brother Conor had shared a dream of creating a season-long snowboarding video.
After starting a production company called Shreddy Times in 2007, together they documented Danny’s path to stardom within the snowboard industry. While filming in Montana, with a group of close friends, Danny fell on a routine jump and sustained a severe head injury. After nearly two weeks in a medically induced coma and four brain surgeries, Danny was discharged from the hospital thirty-three days after his fall. This film takes the audience through the ups and downs of his recovery process. The film will be followed by a Q&A with Conor, Danny and Dr. Kelly.
For more information on Neuro-cinema & Beyond: http://www.newstjohns.org/neurocinema.aspx
To RSVP for any of the screenings, please call 1-800 ST JOHNS.
For more on St. Johns: www.newstjohns.org
For more on John Wayne Cancer Institute: www.jwci.org
For more on the Topanga Film Festival: www.topangafilmfestival.com
