Documentary | Film Festival & Event Profiles | Massachusetts
IFFBoston Interview: Stumped
A conversation with filmmaker Robin Berghaus about why her documentary Stumped is both a celebration of its subject and a love letter to the city of Boston.
Written by Evan Crean | Posted by: NewEnglandFilm.com Editor
Robin Berghaus explains how her desire to tell stories about underdogs led her to create the documentary Stumped, the opening night film at Independent Film Festival Boston (IFFBoston) 2017.
As a documentary filmmaker with an education in science, Robin Berghaus prefers to tell stories about underdogs and risk-takers, especially when they’re involved with health, research, and medicine. It should come as no surprise then, that all of these areas of interest converge in her feature length documentary Stumped, which concentrates on a particularly brave underdog and risk-taker: Will Lautzenheiser.
Will was just launching his career as a film teacher, when he lost both his arms due to a severe bacterial infection. Rather than giving up, he took charge of his situation by trying standup comedy as a form of therapy and as a means to educate audiences about what it’s like to live with disabilities. Just a few years later, Will was offered the rare opportunity to undergo a unique double arm transplant at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an institution renowned for its groundbreaking medical accomplishments. Stumped chronicles Will’s incredible physical and spiritual transformation before and after his life-changing surgery.
NewEnglandFilm.com’s Evan Crean spoke with Berghaus about what drove her tell to Will’s story, about the empathy and experiences that inspire her work, and about how Stumped celebrates not just Will, but the entire city of Boston.
Evan Crean: What made you decide to become a filmmaker and what attracted you to documentaries specifically?
Robin Berghaus: My interest in documentary filmmaking comes from a drive to learn about the world, and to find creative and engaging ways to tell stories about real people. My work tends to focus on underdogs, risk-takers, and important social issues. I have a bachelor’s degree in biology from Boston College and a master’s degree in film from Boston University, so I have a background in science and film. Because of that, I have a passion for health, research and medicine—related topics often find their way into my projects.
EC: Stumped’s website mentions that the film explores “adversity, creative courage, and the life-changing potential of pioneering medicine.” Are any of those themes a critical part of your own life?
Berghaus: I imagine that I’m drawn to these types of stories, because of my childhood experiences. My mother struggled to raise my sister and me as a single parent. We lived in public housing in Brookline, a town with top public schools, so I received an excellent education. Student loans and grants made it possible for me to attend college. I worked part-time jobs while attending school—on nights and weekends—to pay for books and to help out my family. Through these experiences I developed empathy and an appreciation for public education, affordable healthcare and social programs aimed at building a healthy, happy, and productive society.
EC: How did you meet Will Lautzenheiser, the subject of Stumped?
Berghaus: I learned what had happened to Will Lautzenheiser while I was working as a video producer for Boston University. I collaborated on a story about him for BU’s alumni magazine and news website. After that, I directed a short documentary about Will’s early rehab and his first comedy show.
EC: What drew you to him as a subject?
Berghaus: I was drawn to Will as a subject due to his tenacious spirit and the positive way he dealt with trauma. After his arms were amputated, Will lost his independence, and relied on others to help with the basics: dressing, eating and bathing. He had to put his career on hold to focus on rehab. During that time, he found a therapeutic and creative outlet in comedy. Early on, Will’s sense of humor helped to break the ice with medical staff and friends who visited him in the hospital. Later, he performed stand-up at ImprovBoston. Comedy was cathartic and became a gateway for Will to educate and engage audiences about what it’s like to live with severe disabilities.
EC: What was the driving force that pushed you to continue chronicling his journey?
Berghaus: When Brigham and Women’s Hospital approved Will for a double arm transplant, I knew there would be strong material for a feature-length documentary. I imagined the narrative would be structured around Will’s incredible physical and spiritual transformation.
While filming, I met Will’s loved ones who were instrumental in his recovery. I realized that the psychological impact of Will’s losses affected everyone, and was important to address in the film. Will’s identical twin brother, Tom Lautzenheiser, suffered from guilt and a shattered identity. After Angel Gonzalez became Will’s romantic partner and primary caregiver, together they had to navigate new roles and an evolving relationship. When Will’s friend and comedy partner, Steve Delfino, noticed that Angel was feeling overwhelmed, he pitched in to help as one of Will’s personal care assistants.
In addition to the compelling human interest story, I was fascinated by the science behind it. Surgeons at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital performed the world’s first successful human organ transplant in 1954. Decades later, the hospital continues to pioneer the field by performing full-face and arm transplants that are transforming patients’ lives. As new medical territory, I imagined audiences would want answers to the same questions that were on my mind: How are arm transplants performed, and what are the risks and potential rewards of this experimental surgery?
EC: Stumped is the opening night film at IFFBoston. You must be really excited. Is this your first time playing a film at the festival? How did Stumped become the opening night film?
Berghaus: The short documentary, Stumped, screened at IFFBoston in 2014. I’m very excited to have had the opportunity to expand it into a feature, and to share it with audiences on opening night. As for how or why Stumped was selected as the opening night film, you would have to ask the the festival’s programming team. To me, I’d say that it feels right. Will is right when he says that “‘Boston Strong’ is not just a catchphrase.” On the heels of the Boston Marathon, Stumped celebrates the talented, tenacious, and hard-working people and institutions of Boston. We will draw a large audience of our family, friends and colleagues who supported Will and our production. Stumped, in a sense, is a lover letter to all of them and to our city, and we are so honored and thrilled to bring this story home.
EC: What do you hope people will take away from the film?
Berghaus: After Will’s infection and amputations, he underwent dozens of surgeries and spent years in rehab. His massive medical expenses were covered, almost entirely, by health insurance. Will’s story shows that when innovative medicine is coupled with accessible healthcare, people’s lives can be saved and transformed. I hope audiences will urge their representatives to support legislation aimed at expanding medical research and providing affordable, sustainable health insurance for everyone.
I also want people to know that more than 120,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for transplants, and 22 people die each day due to a lack of available organs. I hope audiences will register to become organ donors. It’s the easiest thing we can do to save lives, and it only takes a minute at www.registerme.org.
EC: If someone isn’t able to attend IFFBoston, how can they find out where Stumped will be screening next?
Berghaus: To find out where we’ll be screening next, I recommend visiting our website stumpedthemovie.com. You can also follow the film on Twitter as @STUMPEDtheMovie and find us on Facebook at facebook.com/stumpedthemovie.
EC: What’s the next project you’re working on?
Berghaus: I’m researching current issues related to healthcare, voting rights and gerrymandering for potential projects since I work as a freelance director, editor and videographer.
Stumped will screen at IFFBoston on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. After the screening, there will be a Q&A with Robin Berghaus, Will Lautzenheiser, Angel Gonzalez, and Dr. Simon Talbot and Dr. Matthew Carty (Will’s transplant surgeons at Brigham and Women’s Hospital). To learn more about IFFBoston and to see the festival’s full lineup, visit iffboston.org.
