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Description
When video game developer Ryan Green’s very young son Joel is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, he turns to what he knows best to combat his family’s emotional upheaval—he creates a game. Calling it That Dragon, Cancer, Ryan builds an immersive world that simulates the daily realities of Joel’s treatment as well as more fanciful elements where the child’s knightly avatar battles the beast representing his illness. Tracking the Greens as they juggle hospital appointments, meetings with coders and dinner-table discussions involving the whole family (Joel has three older brothers), co-directors David Osit and Malika Zouhali-Worrall create an intimate space for their heart-rending documentary. As Ryan begins to take his project out into the world as a viable product for others to use and experience, the film powerfully demonstrates how art and technology can help process grief and combat the various dragons everyone must try to slay.
David Osit is a director of commercials and documentary films who received his MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York. His first documentary, Building Babel, screened on PBS in 2013. He also edited the recent SNL documentary Live From New York!
Malika Zouhali-Worrall is a New York–based director, producer and editor. Her first feature-length documentary, Call Me Kuchu, premiered at the Berlin Film Festival to much acclaim. In 2012, Filmmaker magazine named her as one of its 25 New Faces of Independent Film.
Trailer
//player.vimeo.com/video/88612383?autoplay=1Film Details
Language English
Year 2015
Runtime 82
Country USA
Director David Osit, Malika Zouhali-Worrall
Producer David Osit, Malika Zouhali-Worrall
Editor David Osit, Malika Zouhali-Worrall
Cinematographer David Osit
Music David Osit
Print Source Cinephil