leavethemlaughing

Leave Them Laughing

Year 2010
Runtime 89 mins
Language English
Alberta Premiere

14A - Advisories: Coarse Language & Mature Subject Matter.

When comedians get huge laughs from an audience, it’s referred to as having “killed it;” when a comedian tanks, they “die” on stage. When Canadian comedian Carla Zilbersmith is diagnosed with ALS (commonly known as Lou Gerhig’s Disease), she kills it while dying. Academy Award-winning Canadian filmmaker John Zaritsky (JUST ANOTHER MISSING KID) aims his lens directly into the abyss of death again, as he did in THE SUICIDE TOURIST, only this time it isn’t about the right to die—it’s about dying right. Films from her final tours abroad are intercut with interviews, confessionals and skits that form a portrait of a brave woman prepared to drink deep from the cup of life, savour every moment and, when the curtain falls, leave them laughing.

BDG

Countries

Canada United States
Awards
Special Jury Award-Canadian Feature, Top Ten Audience Favourite, Hot Docs 2010
Festivals
Official Selection Hot Docs 2010
Director
John Zaritsky
Producer
Montana Berg
Screenwriter
Carla Zilbersmith
Cinematographer
Ed Matney
Editor
Justin Cousineau, Scott Doniger
Cast
Carla Zilbersmith