The Farewell Party (film)

"The Farewell Party" centers on a group of Jerusalem retirement-home residents who create a euthanasia machine to put a dying friend out of his misery — and then face a moral dilemma when others come seeking the same service.



Co-director Carol Maymon said the seed of the film was the death of her ex-boyfriend’s elderly grandmother.  "We felt like death released her from pain and suffering — but then the paramedics came into the house and tried to resuscitate her for half an hour. . .  They were fighting for her life like she was 16 years old. It was so absurd, and from this absurd moment the idea came. . . .  There was a funny moment when her son told the paramedics: 'If you wake her up, you are taking her with you.'"