Rage against the darkness

A haunting story of two unforgettable sisters who after living together for almost 30 years find their lives torn apart. Shot over a turbulent year, it starts with the family crisis as the children wrestle with the painful issue of what to do with their mother and aunt. Timid Leona becomes almost hysterical at the prospect of the move to a home, while fun-loving, flirtatious Bunny can’t wait: “Nobody has fun in a nursing home” she chortles, “well, we’ll have to change that” The film follows them on an emotional roller coaster as they grapple with the wrenching adjustments: the shocking, poignant – and surprisingly hilarious moments – of existence in a seniors’ home. Both women undergo a remarkable character transformation (and their lifelong relationship undergoes a poignant change) recorded step by step by Kastner’s cameras. Moving into a senior’s home has been called the second worst trauma in life after losing a loved one. Thanks to the remarkable access granted to three-time Emmy-winning director John Kastner, here’s what it actually feels like. CBC felt it was so gripping, so rich in potential and dealt with a subject so important to the public they commissioned a series. Unexpected developments make this the closest a documentary gets to a dramatic feature film. We ask that sections of the film’s beginning, middle and end be screened: the first 15 minutes, Bunny’s move into the home at 48:45 (8 minutes) and the last 8 minutes starting at 82:00.