Remote Area Medical

A debate over health care has been raging nationwide, but what's been lost in the discussion of mandates, payers, pre-existing conditions and deficits are the American citizens who live day after day, year after year without solutions for their most basic needs, afraid of injury and suffering through illness and injury because for them there is no alternative. Remote Area Medical documents the annual three-day "pop-up" medical clinic put on by the non-profit Remote Area Medical (RAM) in the NASCAR speedway in Bristol, TN. The Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corps provides free medical, dental and eye care to people in remote areas of the United States and around the world. Founded in 1985, RAM is a publicly supported, all-volunteer charitable organization. It was begun as an organization intended to bring quality health care to South America, but after realizing there is actually a greater need in our own country, RAM now does sixty percent of its work in the United Sates. Instead of a film about policy, about which system is better, would cover more, or cost less, Remote Area Medical is a film about people, about a proud Appalachian community banding together to try and provide some relief for friends and neighbors who are simply out of options.

Audience Award for Best American Indie - RiverRun International FF
NTP Human Spirit Award - Nashville FF
Special Jury Prize - IFF Boston