Tough choices are just that…tough, sometimes brutal. Barb Briggs’ short film, The Choice, highlights one such choice that, sadly, many must make. Gina (Anna Primiani) and Amy (Nicole Papadopoulos) are sisters. Gina is also Amy’s caregiver as Amy is wheelchair-bound and heading into the clinic for some rigorous tests.
When Amy returns home to rest, Gina discovers a packet containing End of Life documents. Gina immediately confronts Amy, who tells her that she is done with everything…the pain, the treatments…everything.
The Choice delves into the world of medical ethics and the rights one has over one’s life…particularly when to end it. Filmmaker Briggs sets up the situation perfectly without overplaying the story’s dramatic hand. Amy is clearly in pain and frustrated that there is no accurate diagnosis of her condition. On the other hand, Gina is Amy’s sister and close friend. She feels duty-bound to protect Amy and fight for her, as she is too weak to fight for herself.

“When Amy returns home to rest, Gina discovers a packet containing End of Life documents.”
What stands out in The Choice is the exploration of the issue at hand. After the setup, Gina and Amy engage in a complicated conversation, and Primiani and Papadopoulos are up for the challenges of these roles. They adeptly walk that line of grounded authenticity and cinematic theatrics.
What The Choice does is lay the issue out there, present both sides and allow us as the audience to come to our own conclusions. I lean on the side of living, but like all good issue-based stories, The Choice forces me to challenge my beliefs about life and the quality of life.
I hope to never be in this position…for myself or someone I love, but I’ve come close to realizing that tough decisions are tough for a reason and should never be taken lightly or decided too swiftly. The Choice is an excellent mental and ethical exercise, reminding us there are hard choices in life, and the best way to make a decision is to be presented with all the facts and arguments.
For screening information, visit The Choice official website.