Most of us only
watch Netflix in bed. Jennifer Brea self-directed a
documentary, now streaming on the service, from hers, offering up a stunning glimpse of life with myalgic encephalomyelitis, the mysterious illness better known as ME, or chronic fatigue syndrome. Brea was a Ph.D. student at Harvard University and a soon-to-be bride when an unexplainable disease left her bedridden and struggling even to make use of a wheelchair. Called
Unrest,her film captures that difficulty of diagnosis and care for both patient and caregiver while exposing prevalent stigmas around what is often “invisible,” misunderstood, and largely incurable. Told what so many people with chronic illness initially hear—that it is “all in her head”—Brea finds strength in self-advocacy and community; video-chatting with others with ME/CFS from her home, she tries to come to terms with a life she had never anticipated. Prepared to meet any skepticism head-on, she explains as the camera captures her ordeal: "I know you might be saying to yourself, if I really couldn’t stand up, why would I be filming it? Well, I kind of think that someone should see this.”
Unrest, which won a Special Jury Prize for Documentary Editing at Sundance and later found a large following after airing on PBS, has been a beacon for those with similar conditions, inspiring group viewing parties around the country. But the documentary is not only for those suffering from chronic illnesses—it’s for everyone,
especially those who feel they cannot relate. In the same way that we don’t need to be in love when we read a love story, viewers don’t need to be sick in order to participate in the much-needed conversation that Brea’s documentary proposes. In fact, participation and engagement by a more diverse population is not only preferable, it’s crucial. Millions of people currently have some diagnosis of chronic illness, with a reported 15 to 30 million people worldwide reportedly suffering from ME/CFS alone. There are no clinical tests that offer a conclusive diagnosis for the condition that causes debilitating fatigue, widespread pain, sleep disturbances, memory and concentration issues, and other symptoms; meanwhile, sufferers may be relegated to spending a large portion of their time in the confines of their home. In an early scene of
Unrest, Brea’s partner talks about one of the major obstacles in trying to get treatment: “If you say too little, they can’t help you, and if you say too much, they think you’re a kind of mental patient.” Though the illness crudely interrupts daily life, work, and relationships, making even mundane tasks an incredible challenge, there are few answers for those who suffer—and no known cures.
