THE ENGLISH SURGEON

English neurosurgeon Henry Marsh’s job is not one for the faint hearted: "When push comes to shove we can afford to lose an arm or a leg, but I am operating on people’s thoughts and feelings ... and if something goes wrong I can destroy that person’s character … forever". A leading practitioner in his field, the London based doctor faces, every day, the most intense human dilemmas, but driven by a deep sense of compassion he uses his skill to try to help others, well aware that it is not possible to save everyone. Since the early 1990s Marsh has been visiting Ukraine to offer support to his colleague and protégé, Igor Kurilets, a dedicated surgeon whose career has been dogged by persecution at the hands of the KGB as well as a serious lack of resources and logistical challenges. For him, Marsh is both benefactor and mentor. In tense scenes we watch as Marsh and Kurilets perform brain surgery on a young man who, because of the risks of using anaesthetic, remains conscious throughout the operation. More than a simple medical documentary, Geoffrey Smith’s film is a study of humanity – with an original soundtrack by NickCave.

"This is ultimately NOT a medical film; nor is it a portrait of a saint, rather, it is about a man who openly wrestles with moral and ethical issues which touch every one of us. And all in a country called the Ukraine which is struggling to do the same thing." – Geoffrey Smith

http://www.theenglishsurgeon.com