Two men in white labcoats. From "Before What Comes After"

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AFFFF25: Before What Comes After

Synopsis

Australian Premiere

At 91, legendary director Costa-Gavras' Before What Comes After is a poignant tragicomedy inspired by the work of Régis Debray and Claude Grange. Deeply personal, this is a rare chance to witness a cinematic titan reflecting on life and mortality.

What begins as a chance encounter during a routine checkup evolves into a profound friendship between acclaimed philosopher Fabrice Toussaint (Denis Podalydès, The President's Wife, AF FFF24) and head of palliative care doctor Augustin Masset (Kad Merad, The Big Hit, AF FFF21).

Woven through radical conversations with Masset, his team of passionate caregivers, and their patients, Costa-Gavras unearths our buried fears of death and dying while gently reminding us of the art of listening. Guided by Masset’s radical approach to patient care, Toussaint discovers the power of returning choice to the body and the dignity in dying as one chooses.

Dialogical and Socratic in tone, yet never stuffy, this film lyrically grapples with unanswerable questions, responding to our existential fears with love and care. In the spirit of groundbreaking philosophical films like My Dinner with André, Costa-Gavras deftly teaches without instructing. Daring to ask life's biggest questions, Before What Comes After invites us to listen closely – the answers may surprise us

Opening Date

Monday, Mar 17, 2025

Rating

Length

100m

Reviews

As a testimony about the end of life by a filmmaker who, at 91, is clearly looking – and looking clearly – at the end of his own, it is truly a wonder.

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