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Bending the Arc: Storytelling and Sparking Change

Media

Posted September 2017

Thirty years ago, three young people barely out of their teens—Dr. Jim Yong Kim, Dr. Paul Farmer, and Ophelia Dahl—came together in a squatter settlement in Haiti to offer basic medical care to poor communities ravaged by preventable diseases. They were determined to provide the same world-class medical care for the poor they'd expect for their own families.

The team faced obstacles considered insurmountable by the rest of the world, leading them to develop a revolutionary and controversial model: training their friends and neighbors, ordinary villagers, as healthcare workers. Bending the Arc tells the remarkable story of how Partners In Health saved millions of lives and transformed global health systems with their groundbreaking approach.

The documentary has already sparked a deep and informed global conversation about solving hard problems and bringing those solutions to scale. How moral imagination, strategy rooted in compassion, and a tenacious drive can change the trajectory of the world. The team behind the film has developed a movement-building campaign encouraging awareness and activism in support of health care access.

Produced by Oscar-nominated filmmakers Cori Shepherd Stern and Kief Davidson, Bending the Arc debuted at Sundance 2017 to rave reviews, quickly earning the reputation of a powerful and timely story reminding us that every life matters, bending the arc of the universe forever.

Visit bendingthearcfilm.com for information on the film, upcoming screenings, and the campaign to expand health care access.

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