Doc Soup: Award-winning documentary

AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY THE ENGLISH SURGEON LAUNCHES CALGARY'S DOC SOUP SERIES

RENOWNED BRAIN SURGEON AND FILM'S SUBJECT DR. HENRY MARSH IN ATTENDANCE

Calgary, October 15, 2008 ’Äì The Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) and Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival are pleased to announce THE ENGLISH SURGEON (D: Geoffrey Smith, UK) will launch Calgary's monthly Doc Soup screening series. Called "funny, frightening, and deeply moving" by the New York Times and "a gorgeous and utterly moving portrait" by Indiewire, THE ENGLISH SURGEON won Best International Feature Documentary awards at both the 2008 Hot Docs and Silver Docs festivals.

THE ENGLISH SURGEON screens on Wednesday, November 5, at 7:00 p.m. at the Cineplex Odeon Eau Claire Market, 200 Barclay Parade, S.W. Renowned brain surgeon and the subject of the film, Dr. Henry Marsh, will be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A.

About the Film

What is it like to have God like surgical powers, yet to struggle against your own humanity? What is it like to try and save a life, and yet to fail?

Driven by the need to help others where he can, Dr. Henry Marsh, one of London's foremost brain surgeons, has been going out to Kiev for over 15 years to help improve upon the medieval brain surgery he witnessed there during his first visit in 1992. Today, the patients see him as the great saviour from the West, desperate parents want him to save their child, and his Ukrainian colleague sees him as a guru and a benefactor. But for all this immediate satisfaction, Henry also sees grossly misdiagnosed patients, children who he can't save, and a lack of equipment and trained supporting staff. "It's like selling your soul to the devil, but what can you do? My son had a brain tumour as a baby and I was desperate for someone to help me. I simply can't walk away from that need in others".

It is this dilemma ’Äì one of his own making ’Äì that makes Henry so interesting. It lets his troubled and compassionate humanity through and reveals the universal theme at film's centre: the struggle to do good things in a selfish and flawed world.

With an original soundtrack by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, THE ENGLISH SURGEON openly confronts moral and ethical issues which touch every one of us. And all in a country called the Ukraine which is struggling to do the same thing’Ķ.

The Screenings

The Doc Soup monthly screening series brings the latest Canadian and international documentaries to the big screen in Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver. Subscription packages for Calgary's Doc Soup are currently available at www.docsoup.ca for $99 (save $45). Each subscription guarantees a ticket to every Doc Soup selection and comes with free bonus tickets to the Calgary International Film Festival. Single tickets for THE ENGLISH SURGEON are $12. Single tickets are not sold in advance and are only sold at the door, subject to availability.

Upcoming screening dates for Calgary's Doc Soup are January 7, February 4, March 4, April 1, and May 6. Doc Soup titles are announced at least one month prior to their screenings and, whenever possible, guest directors are in attendance.

Hot Docs is pleased to acknowledge Citytv as the Presenting Partner of the Doc Soup series.

Hot Docs

Hot Docs, North America's largest documentary festival, conference and market, will present its 16th annual edition from April 30 ’Äì May 10, 2009. An outstanding selection of 170+ documentaries from Canada and around the world will be presented to Toronto audiences and international delegates. Hot Docs will also mount a full roster of conference sessions and market events and services for documentary practitioners, including the renowned Toronto Documentary Forum, May 6 & 7, and The Doc Shop. For more information please visit www.hotdocs.ca.

About CIFF

Founded in 1998, the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) is a charitable, not-for-profit, cultural organization based in Alberta, Canada. Inspired by the pioneering spirit and maverick ideals of the community, CIFF showcases films that break traditional boundaries and forge new cinematic ground. CIFF celebrates an unparalleled breadth and depth of cultural diversity through the meaningful, accessible, and artistic medium of film and engages thousands of artists to showcase the best films from filmmakers in over 100 countries around the world. CIFF is held annually at the end of September, screening over 200 films and hosting several gala events, awards, and special presentations. For more information visit www.calgaryfilm.com.