LIFE MATTERS MEDIA STAFF

Extremis, a powerful documentary exploring end of life-decision-making, has been nominated for Best Documentary Short by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Directed by Academy Award and Emmy Award-nominated filmmaker Dan Krauss, it focuses on the “harrowing decisions” that doctors, families and seriously ill patients often face at the end of life. Krauss was granted extraordinary access to the intensive care unit of an Oakland, Calif., hospital, where most of the film takes place.

“I strive to explore weighty ethical and moral questions through my films,” said Krauss in a statement following its release. “Doctors today can sustain life in ways once thought impossible, ushering in new and extremely complex questions about what it means for critically ill people to be kept alive. I hope audiences will take courage from the incredible dignity and compassion that the film’s subjects displayed amidst the most challenging circumstances.”

The film lasts only 25 minutes, about the time it takes to be admitted to the hospital for an unexpected health emergency. It was released Sept. 13 on Netflix, after making the rounds at film festivals across the U.S.

On Twitter, the film’s producers said they were “Overjoyed at this incredible recognition – especially for the courageous people who shared their stories with us.” The Oscars will be broadcast February 26.