Fifty Percent

With a 50% chance of inheriting a fatal disease, is it better to know your future or live in the moment?

We need your support to tell this important story on Loading Docs’ award-winning short documentary platform.

THE FILM

Lillian Hanly has a 50/50 chance of inheriting Huntington’s, a neuro-degenerative disease. With a number of her family testing positive for the gene, and her mother already affected by it, she must come to a decision. Get tested now or continue to live on in the unknown.

Fifty Percent explores making a life-changing decision and the impact this process and result of the decision can have on our loved ones. If your parent has the disease you have a 50% chance of inheriting it. Lillian’s grandfather, renowned New Zealand artist Pat Hanly, had Huntington’s Disease, a condition medical scientists only became aware of in the later years of his life. Pat’s daughter Tamsin inherited it and now her daughter Lillian is deciding whether or not to find out if she has the disease. It is a disease that, over time, sees you lose control of both your physical and mental capacity.

In the short documentary, Lillian will talk to members of her family, some who have Huntington’s, and others who don’t know, about their thoughts on taking the test. Should she live her life and make decisions without truly understanding her future, or should she take the test which could then change the rest of her life? This film will explore these decisions and the lives that both Lillian’s grandad and mum have had knowing about the disease at different stages in their lives.

THE TEAM

Director Lillian Hanly was raised in Tāmaki Makaurau in a bicultural family, a worldview that very much informs all the work she does. Producer Sara Shirazi is a producer working in theatre and film.

Lillian said, “I am making this film to explore the impact this disease has had on my family and acknowledge the different ways we choose to live our lives. I hope that by making this documentary it will connect with members of the public who face similar decisions regarding genetic inheritances and ultimately give people hope when facing the possible deterioration of those we love most.”

THE TARGET

As part of the Loading Docs initiative, we need to raise a minimum of $3,500 through Boosted to pay our crew, hire equipment, fund location costs and fly members of Lillian's family to Auckland for filming. This is the minimum amount and if we are able to raise more than this we will also be able to pay for some precious archive footage of Lillian's family to also include in the film.

Once we reach our minimum target, it will unlock additional funding from Loading Docs. But, this is an all or nothing campaign. If we don’t reach our target, we get nothing! That’s why we need your help.

Loading Docs is an award-winning short documentary initiative to develop New Zealand filmmaking talent. Loading Docs is funded by NZ On Air with support from NZFC and Te Māngai Pāho.

Thank you for your support.

Lillian and Sara