Unrest

About

U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Editing

Jennifer Brea is an active Harvard PhD student about to marry the love of her life when suddenly her body starts failing her. Hoping to shed light on her strange symptoms, Jennifer grabs a camera and films the darkest moments unfolding before her eyes as she is derailed by M.E. (commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), a mysterious illness some still believe is “all in your head.”

In this story of love and loss, newlyweds Jennifer and Omar search for answers as they face unexpected obstacles with great heart. Often confined by her illness to the private space of her bed, Jen is moved to connect with others around the globe. Utilizing Skype, she unlocks a forgotten community with intimate portraits of four other families suffering similarly.

Jennifer Brea’s wonderfully honest portrayal asks us to rethink the stigma around an illness that affects millions of people. Unrest is a vulnerable and eloquent personal documentary that is sure to hit closer to home than many could imagine.

YEAR 2017

SECTION U.S. Doc Comp

COUNTRY U.S.A.

RUN TIME 97 min

LANGUAGE English and Danish

SUBTITLES Yes with English subtitles

COMPANY Shela Films & Little By Little Films

EMAIL info@unrest.film

PHONE (512) 815-6450 / +44 (0) 7941 261 083

Credits

Director
Producers
Executive Producers
Editors
Cinematographers
Co Executive Producers
Co Producer
Composer
Sound Design

Artist Bio

Jennifer Brea

Jennifer Brea is an independent filmmaker based in Los Angeles. She has an AB from Princeton University and was a PhD student at Harvard University until a sudden illness left her bedridden. In the aftermath, she rediscovered her first love, film. She is a Sundance Institute Fellow and has been supported by Sundance Institute’s Documentary Edit and Story Lab, Sundance Institute’s Catalyst Forum, IFP's Filmmaker Lab, and the Fledgling Lab. Unrest is her film debut.