WHEN YOUR HEAD'S NOT A HEAD, IT'S A NUT

Filmmaker Garth Stein documents his 28-year-old sister's decision to undergo brain surgery to control her epilepsy. The film chronicles the events, from Corey and her family's discussions prior to the surgery, through the surgical procedure itself (a cranial resection to locate and remove the epileptic focus), to Corey's post-operative recovery. The making of the video--which involved Corey as well as her mother, father, and younger brother (behind the camera)--became a means for the family to express and deal with their hopes and fears regarding the surgery.

Directed by Garth Stein
1992, 57 minutes
Purchase: $310 | Classroom Rental: $125

"...appealing...the talented artist comes across as a spunky, interesting person whom viewers care about...suitable for general audiences as well as epilepsy patients."--Booklist (American Library Association)

"...it's obvious that Garth's project is really the family's...This is the polar opposite of that notorious hallmark in domestic cinema verite, An American Family; here, intimacy is kept within a family that seems to bond more closely as a crisis approaches."--The Los Angeles Times

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