Event Details
- Film: “Other Side”
- Location: Latchis Theatre, Brattleboro, Vermont
- Date and Time: Sunday, September 28, 4:00 p.m.
- Tickets: $15, available in advance here or at the door
- Post-Screening Event: Discussion with individuals knowledgeable about Vermont’s medical aid in dying law
- Proceeds: Benefit Turning Point, Brattleboro’s peer recovery support organization
A new documentary, “Other Side,” follows Connecticut resident and activist Lynda Bluestein as she sought access to Vermont’s medical aid in dying law, Act 39, after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Following the screening will be a discussion with individuals familiar with the law and the process it requires. Proceeds from the event will benefit Turning Point, a Brattleboro-based peer recovery support organization.
About the Film
“Other Side” is directed by Carter Oakley and Heather Hogan, Brooklyn-based documentarians who focus on end-of-life issues. The 90-minute film offers an in-depth look at Bluestein’s final year of life and her pursuit of medical aid in dying in Vermont after her home state of Connecticut did not provide that option.
The film follows the steps Bluestein and her family took to navigate Vermont’s medical system, including consultations with physicians, support from hospice providers, and guidance from end-of-life counselors. The filmmakers also show the involvement of Bluestein’s husband, Paul, her two adult children, and the community members who supported her.
Medical Aid in Dying in Vermont
Vermont’s medical aid in dying law, Act 39, was passed in 2013. The process includes multiple steps, such as oral and written requests, physician evaluations, and in-person consultations. Patients must also take the prescribed medication within Vermont.
As part of her journey, Bluestein filed a lawsuit challenging the residency requirement. A settlement led to the removal of that requirement, making Vermont the first state to extend medical aid in dying access to non-residents. In 2023, the residency requirement was removed.
In Brattleboro, the discussion following the film will include participants with direct experience supporting individuals who pursue medical aid in dying.
Jennifer Carlo, program manager of Patient Choices Vermont, emphasized the importance of Bluestein’s decision to share her experience.
“I was just struck by her persistence and her family’s love in supporting her through all of this. To go to the extent she and her family did, in such a vulnerable time, to help others access medical aid in dying is really just remarkable,” Carlo said.
Carlo also said that the film shows the specific steps required by Vermont’s law, including the need for two oral requests at least 15 days apart, consultations with prescribing and confirming physicians, and the requirement that medication be ingested in Vermont. For many patients, this means making arrangements to stay in the state, sometimes with the help of volunteers who open their homes for the final step.
About the Filmmakers
Directors Carter Oakley and Heather Hogan are the co-founders of Death Differently, an organization that creates films and educational programs about end-of-life issues. Hogan is a certified death doula and educator who also works as a life and death coach, meditation teacher, and is certified in Integrative Thanatology. Oakley is a multimedia filmmaker who leads the production company Redins. His previous work focused on terminal illness and end-of-life experiences.
Together, they set out to document Bluestein’s case and her personal story, with the support of her family and caregivers. The result is a detailed record of the steps, decisions, and support networks involved in accessing medical aid in dying under Vermont’s law.
