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Perfect Strangers

PERFECT STRANGERS tells the story of two unique and engaging characters. One is Ellie, who embarks on an unpredictable journey of twists and turns, determined to give away one of her kidneys. Five hundred miles away, Kathy endures nightly dialysis and loses hope of receiving a transplant until Ellie reads her profile on an online website. Both women face unexpected challenges as their parallel stories unfold over the course of four years. The film explores the ineffable magnitude of Ellie’s gift and the burden of responsibility that accompanies it, for both donor and recipient. Intimate scenes with Ellie, Kathy, and their families reveal the complicated physical and emotional terrain of organ donation. PERFECT STRANGERS raises questions about what motivates an individual towards this act of compassion. Why are we unnerved by the idea of such an extreme gift? The film provokes the viewer to confront his/her place on the continuum between selfishness and altruism, inevitably asking, “Could I do this, and if so, for whom?”