Tuesday 27th February

Today in class we looked at the documentary series that is shown on RTE called the Hospice. This documentary was made in four parts and focused on people who were receiving medical care in a hospice. We looked in particular at one episode where a woman was terminally ill and had breast cancer. She is one of the many patients who receive care from the hospice. This documentary included interviews with the woman and also at times was a silent observer this can be seen when the camera films her funeral. In class we discussed the idea of whether the documentary maker should have filmed the funeral. Some people said that he was given permission by the family to do so and he had none this woman before her death so why should we not he be allowed to document her death. I personally think the funeral should not have been filmed and I felt as a viewer that he was intruding on a very solemn occasion. I think he could have ended the documentary by maybe showing her burial bench as I think it would be more respectful. This concluded our class.