Remote Area Medical

It looks like a scene from a Coachella weekend; thousands of people camping in cars, sleeping in tents in empty parking lots and enjoying general tailgating activities. While on the outside this looks like a fun event, it's actually a look at a tough reality. Directors Jeff Reichert and Farihah Zaman capture the story of a health care crisis that hits close to home for too many people in the documentary Remote Area Medical- not being able to afford a doctor and resorting to charity outreach as a primary source of health care. In this eye-opening film, we get an intimate look at a Tennessee clinic's operation for three days and experience first hand the hardships that many Americans encounter to receive basic medical care.

It is not a glamorous situation, and Remote Area Medical doesn't try to convince us otherwise. The flaws in the organization are acknowledged, and then passed over. Politics or statistics are not mentioned, this is not a propaganda type film. It is very people-driven whose story on it's own is enough to want to evoke a change and find out more about this organization.

http://cinemacy.com/remote-area-medical/

This simple, effective, and narration-less documentary follows a volunteer-run organization called Remote Area Medical whose purpose is to provide free health care service (especially dental and vision) to remote areas around the world. Or was originally for remote areas around the world, but now focuses far more on the United States as the health care availability situation here has gotten worse.

The temporary clinic this film follows over a 5-day period is actually in a small rural community in Tennessee which happens to be the birthplace of country music.

The camera mostly focuses on the patients, most of whom camp out days beforehand to be first in line for tickets. It does not flinch from showing some truly gruesome dental procedures up close on camera. It's nasty stuff. Some come out overjoyed , feeling blessed because they can see properly for the first time in years, or not be in physical pain for the first time in years. Others come out angrier, embittered, and completely hopeless.

It's both a sympathetic and human portrait of rural east-coast Americana and the unbelievable hardships some people are capable of living through. Hopefully it gets lots of people who watch it interested in doing something like these RAM volunteers are doing, because it's really incredible.

They(RAM) had to close up in other countries. Because they are overwhelmed here in the US. This shows the reality of systemic failures in our country. Graphic reality. How have we let ourselves get to this situation? Folks who are economically trapped, imprisoned at home. The few jobs available can't sustain the people working them. Without health care and insurance, the only course for some is illegal. Or just waiting for the pain to stop. Or dying. I couldn't watch this without getting saddened, and angry, and so disappointed. I have the highest respect for all the people who participate in getting medical help to those in dire need. Politicians should be made to watch this movie, and write a public review.