In the Family is a documentary film about predicting breast and ovarian cancer, the consequences of knowing, and the women who live with the risk. Beginning with her story of testing positive for the familial breast cancer mutation (BRCA), Filmmaker Joanna Rudnick chronicles the lives of several women currently undergoing the process of genetic testing – following them from their decision to seek testing, through the testing process, and in the aftermath when they are coming to terms with the information they receive. These stories of the first generation of women to live with the knowledge that they are predisposed to a life-threatening disease will teach us what it means to survive a diagnosis of high risk without being consumed or defined by it. They will help us to understand the psychological, legal, ethical, cultural and social complexities of genetic testing for a mutation, which affects the entire family, for which there is no cure, and wherein the only treatments currently available involve enormous quality-of-life sacrifices. Visit official site
83 minutes
In the Family cited in Washington Post article on genetic patenting debate
March 4, 2010
Filmmaker Joanna Rudnick and her film In the Family have the final word in a recent Washington Post article on the ACLU lawsuit against Myriad Genetics' patenting of the test to detect the BRCA gene mutation. The article by Kari Lydersen outlines the arguments on both sides of the case, featuring comments from representatives of the ACLU and Myriad, before ending with the following passage:
Chicago filmmaker Joanna Rudnick tested positive in 2001 for the gene mutation, and later got a second opinion in Canada while she was there producing a documentary about BRCA. While Canadian doctors often send samples to Myriad for testing, some Canadian universities and researchers do a different type of test that can confirm mutations of the BRCA gene.
A second opinion is "an option most women don't have," Rudnick said, since insurance typically wouldn't cover a second test. Her documentary argues that Myriad's patents impede development of a more accurate and cheaper test.
"If they had a non-exclusive patent, they could still be testing and making money, they'd just have competition," Rudnick said. "That's American."
Find out more about the ACLU lawsuit here. The DVD of In the Family is available to purchase in editions for both individuals and institutions here.
"If the measure of a good film is that you're still thinking about it days later, then In the Family is the best movie I've seen all year."
—Sommer Mathis, DCist.com
Emmy Awards – Nominee - Outstanding Informational Long Form Programming, 2009
Silver Docs Film Festival – Nominee: WGA West Best Documentary Screenplay, 2008
Silverdocs Film Festival – In Competition, 2008
Midwest Independent Film Festival – Best Editing, 2008