Cinema / Film

Awakenings + discussion

88 Lothian Road

Sat 5 Sept · 15:15

Penny Marshall · 121m · Film

About this event

This screening is part of the Science and Film series created to mark 300 years of medical education in Edinburgh . The films invite us to think and explore science and health, and will have a 5-minute intro and 30-minute post-screening panel discussion. Based on Oliver Sack's 1973 memoir of the same name, Awakenings stars Robin Williams as the Sacks counterpart, here named Dr. Malcolm Sayer. Sayer is a shy neurologist who lands a job at the New York Bainbridge Hospital looking after patients who are in a catatonic state as a result of a rare disease. Speculating that their condition may be akin to an extreme form of Parkinsonism, he seeks permission from his superiors to treat them with L-dopa, a drug that was used to treat Parkinson's disease at the time. His first patient is Leonard Lowe (Robert De Niro), who has been comatose for 30 years, and the treatment produces astounding results. The screening will be followed by an inclusive discussion with healthcare professionals and neuroscientists from the University of Edinburgh, inspired by the film’s themes of disease, care and recovery. Explore the science behind neurological disorders and how research findings can translate into meaningful change for patients. Where do science, healthcare and lived experience meet? Join us to reflect on how the film illustrates real‑world challenges in medical research and practice.