Festival Focus - Euthimmersia
In the near future, people can choose to end their lives via Euthimmersia, the immersive theatre experience from hell...
Filmed on location in Brighton, this short horror sparks the ethical dilemma of assisted death. “As a playwright and a film maker, I seek to make productions which entertain and challenge in equal measure.” That is exactly what this film is. The question of euthanasia is extremely controversial and illegal in many countries. It is a decision that some people wish to make, and this film gives us a dark view of a possible future where this is the norm.
Steven Lancefield has written several full length and short plays which have been performed across the UK and abroad. The theatrical background is very clear in Euthimmersia, it blends a theatre performance with a very dark and morally questionable act. The actors give off a theatrical performance throughout, which does not seem to fit the situation, making the whole experience seem off. The tension builds from there, we can then understand that a theatrical end to one’s life may not be as expected.
Basing a film on social issues can help us have a better understanding of the issue by presenting us with different viewpoints. Euthimmersia bypasses the concept of if it should be allowed and goes straight to what could happen if it is allowed. How can this concept be taken advantage of? Corporations placing a paywall over basic human needs is one of the truest horrors of everyday life, could this happen to death?
Another important thing to note about Euthimmersia is that it does not play devil’s advocate. Instead of aiming to cause arguments amongst its viewers, it places a ‘What If’ scenario in front of them.
