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Deep Dive: Unrest (2017)

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Unrest
Unrest is a documentary directed by Jennifer Brea that chronicles her struggle with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) after falling ill just before her wedding. Initially dismissed by doctors, Brea begins filming herself to document her symptoms, which leads to a broader exploration of the illness and its impact on others who are also home- or bedbound. The film captures her journey to diagnosis and the experiences of other individuals affected by ME/CFS, including a woman in the US who is abandoned by her husband due to disbelief in the illness and a girl in Denmark taken into a psychiatric hospital against her will. Produced over four years while Brea was mostly bedbound, the film includes interviews with scientists discussing the lack of research funding for ME/CFS, attributed to the complex nature of symptoms and the demographic of predominantly female patients. The documentary culminates in the 2016 #MillionsMissing protests, which advocate for increased awareness and support for ME/CFS patients globally.

Why Watch

  • •Meet Jennifer Brea and her husband Omar Wasow.
  • •See the 2016 #MillionsMissing protests for ME/CFS awareness.
  • •Find out about the challenges faced by ME/CFS patients.

Did You Know

•Jennifer Brea was a PhD student at Harvard when she fell ill at age 28.
•The documentary was produced over a four-year period while Brea was mostly bedbound.
•Unrest was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film.
•A woman in the US was left by her husband because he believed her illness was psychological.

Perfect For

Chronic illness awarenessDocumentary enthusiastsMedical research advocates