65 Redroses (film)
Encyclopedia
65_Redroses is a 2009 documentary film
about Eva Markvoort
, a young woman from New Westminster, British Columbia, who suffered from cystic fibrosis
. The film follows Markvoort as she lives her life undaunted by her disease, waiting for a lung transplant
while blogging about her experiences.
film school partner Nimisha Mukerji. Lyall and Mukerji had been looking for a post-graduation project and decided to chronicle Markvoort’s wait for a double-lung transplant. They named the film 65_Redroses after Eva's online identity
, which she had chosen because, according to the Canadian cystic fibrosis community, "sixty-five roses" is how many young children with the disease mispronounce “cystic fibrosis”. Eva added 'red' because it was her favourite colour.
When Lyall and Mukerji began shooting, Markvoort’s lungs were so clogged doctors said that without a transplant, she would not live to 2009. However, while getting ready for a pumpkin
patch the week before Halloween
in 2007, her pager
went off, indicating that a pair of lungs was available for transplant. This sequence, emotional for both Markvoort and the filmmakers, was instrumental in attracting the attention and backing of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
.
, including most popular Canadian film and documentary. It debuted on television on CBC's The Passionate Eye
series and was acquired by the Public Broadcasting Service
for international distribution.
On November 16th, 2010, it was announced that 65_Redroses had been acquired by the Oprah Winfrey Network and would premiere in the United States in early 2011.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about Eva Markvoort
Eva Markvoort
Eva Markvoort was a young woman from New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada who died from cystic fibrosis at the age of 25...
, a young woman from New Westminster, British Columbia, who suffered from cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
. The film follows Markvoort as she lives her life undaunted by her disease, waiting for a lung transplant
Lung transplantation
Lung transplantation, or pulmonary transplantation is a surgical procedure in which a patient's diseased lungs are partially or totally replaced by lungs which come from a donor...
while blogging about her experiences.
Production
The film began when Philip Lyall, a long-time friend of Markvoort, introduced her to his University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
film school partner Nimisha Mukerji. Lyall and Mukerji had been looking for a post-graduation project and decided to chronicle Markvoort’s wait for a double-lung transplant. They named the film 65_Redroses after Eva's online identity
Online identity
An online identity, internet identity, or internet persona is a social identity that an Internet user establishes in online communities and websites...
, which she had chosen because, according to the Canadian cystic fibrosis community, "sixty-five roses" is how many young children with the disease mispronounce “cystic fibrosis”. Eva added 'red' because it was her favourite colour.
When Lyall and Mukerji began shooting, Markvoort’s lungs were so clogged doctors said that without a transplant, she would not live to 2009. However, while getting ready for a pumpkin
Pumpkin
A pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae . It commonly refers to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata, and is native to North America...
patch the week before Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
in 2007, her pager
Pager
A pager is a simple personal telecommunications device for short messages. A one-way numeric pager can only receive a message consisting of a few digits, typically a phone number that the user is then requested to call...
went off, indicating that a pair of lungs was available for transplant. This sequence, emotional for both Markvoort and the filmmakers, was instrumental in attracting the attention and backing of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
.
Release
65_Redroses premiered at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and won three awards at the Vancouver International Film FestivalVancouver International Film Festival
The Vancouver International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for two weeks in late September and early October...
, including most popular Canadian film and documentary. It debuted on television on CBC's The Passionate Eye
The Passionate Eye
The Passionate Eye is a Canadian documentary television series, which airs on CBC News Network.The series presents documentary programming from around the world....
series and was acquired by the Public Broadcasting Service
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
for international distribution.
On November 16th, 2010, it was announced that 65_Redroses had been acquired by the Oprah Winfrey Network and would premiere in the United States in early 2011.