In a world where access to health care can mean the difference between life and death, and even the best medical care doesn’t always prevent death, director Luke Lorenzen’s documentary A Still Small Voice explores ethics and other issues. It is a poignant reminder of the complexity of Embedded in the hospital environment. The film follows a determined and ambitious group of people who face the mental and physical demands of supporting patients and families, managing relationships with superiors and colleagues, and confronting the limitations of the U.S. health care system. It follows Matty, a palliative care pastor, over the course of his year. Their sacrifice is great. Set against the backdrop of a pandemic-besieged New York City, the film offers a gripping portrait of people grappling with resilience, grief, and an intimate awareness of the spatial dynamics of power in the workplace. The documentary premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Best Director award.
Through intimate storytelling and sophisticated cinematography, A Still Small Voice exposes the harsh realities faced by people in marginalized communities and the lives of those living with life-threatening illnesses in a challenged healthcare system. and those who are enduring the death of a loved one. The film highlights the dilemmas faced by pastors and other health care workers who must make difficult decisions in the face of overwhelming need.
As viewers are drawn into the lives of their subjects, they explore spirituality and the search for meaning in the face of loss, the moral obligations of health care workers, health care equity, and the broader implications of unequal access to health care. They are encouraged to confront pressing issues, including their social impact. Care. “A Still Small Voice” serves as a powerful catalyst for dialogue and reflection on the complex intersections of spirituality, medicine, ethics, and social justice.
Read the New York Times movie review here.
Attend a special screening
Baylor Physicians Ethics and Health Policy Center, along with the McGovern Center for the Humanities and Ethics, the Institute for Spirituality and Health, Houston Methodist, and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, will present “A Still Small Voice” on April 11. Held in McMillian Auditorium (Baylor College of Medicine) from 4:11pm to 6:45pm on Sunday. The film has not yet been shown in any Houston venue, so this is a unique opportunity to delve into the thought-provoking themes explored in the documentary.
In addition to the screening, the event will feature refreshments and a panel of experts to interact with the audience about the film.
- Mary L. Brandt, Professor Emeritus of Surgery, Pediatrics, and Medical Ethics, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine;
- Rev. Dr. Nathan Carlin, director of the McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston).
- DCN Dave Garvis, clinical ethicist and scholar at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, and adjunct lecturer in moral theology at St. Mary’s Seminary.
- Rev. M. Oscar Hall, Senior Chaplain, Houston Methodist Hospital.
- Stacey R. Nigliazzo, Operations Administrator at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital, Instructor in the Humanities and Expressive Arts Lab (HEAL) at Baylor College of Medicine, and Imprint Brown Foundation Fellow in the Creative Writing Program at the University of Houston.
- Houston Methodist Hospital Chaplain Satoe Soga.
The conversation will be moderated by Trevor M. Bibler, Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine in the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine, clinical ethics program director and clinical ethicist at Houston Methodist Hospital.
Mark your calendars and reserve your spot today for an unforgettable cinematic experience that will inspire, educate, and spark meaningful conversations. We look forward to meeting you!
By Lauren Hoffman, Senior Program Coordinator, Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine
