Be Here Now

Hopefully this project will get the recognition that it deserves. It's an amazing glimpse into an unbearably difficult experience, but for those who are willing to share it the journey is well worthwhile. Your heart will break, but you will walk away inspired to live your life with purpose, reminded to cherish whatever time you are given here. Somehow, after watching what this poor family and lovely man had to endure, many/most of my "problems" just didn't seem that significant anymore. This is one of those rare documentaries that helps to put our often baffling existence into context. Kudos to both the family and the filmmakers for offering this to the world. For fans of Andy Whitfield, it's a must-see; everyone else will be a fan once they've seen it. Highly recommended!!!

This film will hit your soul so hard that you will start seeing things in real prospective. How powerless humans are in front of life and fate. This man has suddenly became my life inspiration. Can't imagine what went through his mind every hour and his family. How strong these people are, I hope I could get that strength. A true, meaningful and such a touchy film in my entire life. May strength be with family and Andy, u r a true soul, and will remain the inspiration on life, wherever u r...

It's really tough to watch a documentary like this. And it does not have a voice over. It almost has the feeling of a home movie. Filming things that happen, everyday stuff. With the difference that you know where it all ends. Literally in this case. I can't imagine anyone just accidentally clicking on this and watching it. Even I knew what this was about and I don't read synopsis of movies or documentaries.

Andy Whitfield best known for his role in and as Spartacus. You get to see him how he was in real life, how his relationship with his family was and what made him more than human. You do wonder how much fight is in yourself and you may never know. Or you will know because circumstances do not give you any other way than fight (for your life).

At times therefor this may feel depressing, but in the end it did achieve what it was set out to do. It is re-affirming and it is successful in spreading a positive message. And that is not a small feet to achieve. There is a sort of collage during the end credits that pushes that point further ...

Most people who are drawn to this documentary are probably already familiar with the story of Andy Whitfield, the star of the television series Spartacus. All I can say is that knowing his story and experiencing it in this one-of-a-kind documentary are two completely different things. This movie will take you on a journey, but you should be prepared - it is not for the emotionally fainthearted. The viewer accompanies the Whitfield family in one the most harrowing ordeals imaginable, offering a unique and unflinching view of something that our society generally prefers to ignore, or to keep hidden. This movie is necessary, in other words. How often can we say that? We were fortunate enough to attend the premiere at the LA Film Fest, and I must say that it was a great honor to share that experience with the filmmakers and with the courageous Vashti Whitfield. My wife and I were both emotionally stricken and uplifted; it was a cathartic experience of the highest order. Hopefully this documentary will get the recognition that it clearly deserves. If fewer of us watched Jurassic Park 4 (which was also screening at the multiplex) and more of us experienced Be Here Now, our society would be greatly enriched.

I urge you all to see it.

The incredible story of the unbelievable tale; a man risen to the heights of celebrity and sizzle sexy muscle-heavy but heart open, Andy Whitfield. Having done plenty of Australian TV, and a movie under his belt, he captured the eyes of millions, acting in the titular role of Starz Originals "Spartacus", a sensual, sensational retelling of the historical figure, with over-the-top, muscle and hustle version of the sand and sword epic. Andy's portrayal of Spartacus as the man, always driven by love even whist deadly in the arena, as calculated as a general, more cunning than the Romans, man-turned-slave-turned-Gladiator set sparks into the stratosphere through his first season. When he learned he was ill with cancer, he chose to document his fight in the real world, on an all-too-human canvas: his own will to live and fight for life is heartbreaking to watch now, but also lifts one's spirits and puts belief into the words 'being present' in each moment. This documentary is not widely represented or distributed, but should be seen on the largest screen one can beg, borrow or steal; to watch Andy's love of his wife and son, and his commitment to his determination to recover, and showcasing one of the warmest, most generous, confident, open-hearted men in the history of cinema, and a damned fine actor to boot, is inspiration in its most elemental forms. Andy believed that not only could he recover, but could become a better man, and dedicated, quite literally, his life to those ideas. His life and his love, as seen via the lens of "Be Here Now, are honest, and unflinching, and raw - you feel each moment, each struggle, each test result, each resolve. They are powerful and expose the quickening of all that makes us alive, the lightening of the human heart; that undefinable spark that - if harnessed - could change the world.

His celebrity friends lend their voices and time to his cause, and give tale of a real gentleman, and one who they believed could beat the odds. Filmed at a time when the world wad still abuses with fever from Season One of 'Spartacus', and looking toward the time when everyone was thinking how season two would break the frames of our TVs with more gladiatorial awe, and moving into the next phase of Spartacus' story, the documentarry catches the moments where Andy and his friends, and his employer all learn of his illness. Can the show go on? Should the show go on, or go on hiatus while Andy fought, giving heed to what Andy, himself, believed would be a fight, but one he would win. Should the show...recast? All delicate but real-world decisions, and the following of each of Andy's choices and how it rippled not only within his world, but in ours, in a very real sense: Season Two was...

While we may now know of Andy's passing, it is still worth the time and attention to bear witness to the legacy he wanted to leave behind, and one he fought to see made, while fighting his more personal battle. He believed there could be a cure, that mankind would unlock the prison cell of 'the 'C' word', and heal him and those others who may be sick with the same or other cancers. He believed that we would never give up, and always keep fighting, and giving to research, and exploring every option to heal each ache there was on earth due to a cancer-related loss or ease the fear of any future disagnosis. He believed the sheer will of his heart his belief and the earnestness with which he faced and fought his disease could and would inspire others to fight their own battles upon their own grounds, on their own terms, and ultimately, would prevail, and perhaps make his fans take stock of their own lives...and pockets.. and move, motivate, donate, and eradicate. The unfiltered view accorded here, in this documentary, is a testament, to not only 'Andy Whitfield, ACTOR', or ,'Andy Whitfield, LOVING FATHER AND HUSBAND', or 'Andy Whitfield, 'BLOKE WHO IS FIGHTING FOR CLARITY, GRACE, AND A CHANCE', but to a genuinely nice fellow, who you'd really like to know, and hang out with, or talk to, or anything.

The world is full of 'if only' and 'I wish'. 'Be Here Now" is a film about one man, and one moment, at a time.