Australian filmmaker Sari Braithwaite’s documentary feature film “Because We Have Each Other,” which has its North American premiere at Hot Docs on Sunday, has been picked up for international sales by Alief.
An intimate documentary five years in the making, “Because We Have Each Other” chronicles the life of Janet and Buddha and their five adult children.
They’re a neurodiverse family on the working-class fringe. With too many pets and a whole lot of bills to pay, they’re dreaming of bigger futures in a society that refuses to see them.
Life has been hard, and blended families can be messy. But amidst the chaos, their love is as real as it is unconventional.
Braithwaite said: “Buddha and Janet have such a wealth of lived experience. They have a way of being in the world which is deeply philosophical and spiritual. I learnt so much about what it is to be alive from them.”
She said the film is a story about love and family rather than a social-issues film. “My hope is conversations about disability, class, mental health and trauma are given space to continue outside this film.”
Chloé Brugalé, who produces alongside Braithwaite for Arenamedia, said: “This documentary finds poetry in the everyday moments that make up our lives.”
Members of the family will attend the screening at Hot Docs.
Brett Walker, president of Alief, said: “‘Because We Have Each Other’ is a beautiful story that reflects the magnificence of our evolving human experience, one that can lead us all to a better understanding of what happily ever after is.”