Sunday morning, at a Zoom meeting for Twitchy Women, I had the privilege of hosting Sue Wylie, writer, producer and actor of the wonderful film about Parkinson’s Disease Kinetics: the desire to move….

In just 50 minutes, Sue takes us from first symptoms to diagnosis, meeting a troubled student at the school where she teaches drama, learning about his love of Parkour (an extreme running sport), which he uses to cope with his ADHD, to their growing friendship and respect for each other’s disabilities.

Accept, Adapt and Adjust

It is a remarkable film because of the honesty Sue presents us with about living with Parkinson’s Disease. She is afraid to tell others about her diagnosis. She shows her increasing difficulties at work and home and how it affects her relationships with others. A chance meeting with another patient at the Neurologist’s office gave her hope. He left her with the most memorable line in the film: “Accept, Adapt and Adjust.” It was beautifully done and left us wanting for more.

Last March I started an online group titled Sunday Mornings with Twitchy Women, which grew out of the need for women with Parkinson’s to be able to get together somehow after the start of the Stay at Home restrictions to combat COVID-19. Starting with 9 women, we now average 40-50 at each meeting, with women from the US, Canada, UK and beyond. Kinetic was suggested by one of the participants who connected me to Sue Wylie. I had seen the film at the World Parkinson Congress in Kyoto last year, and I agreed with her that it would be great for this group. Sue was thrilled to be able to speak to our group.

“I saw myself in this film”

And the group was thrilled to speak to her. We could all relate to what Sue brought to the film and the issues that were raised. Here are some of the comments that were emailed to Sue:

“I saw myself in this film.  I was diagnosed last September.  It’s still mild; the twitch is in my hand (the cat loves my messages!)  I spent a long time not telling anyone other than immediate family while I processed what was happening to me.”

“She expresses so many feelings that I have about my Parkinson’s’ diagnosis which I have not been able to express.  As I sit here, deep in a depression probably fueled by the pandemic, the isolation and my history of depression, I have experienced the release of tears for which I thank Sue. I have wanted to skip over “acceptance” and adaptation and adjustment in a rush to have a positive attitude.  The film is  elegant in its simplicity and straightforwardness and its honesty.  It speaks to the heart and mine expands to hers.” 

“I am hugely impressed with your very much on-target film, and the creative way you presented Parkinsons for us. I just sent a link to my family asking them to please watch it. This is something I’ve never done before. I have a tendency to want to protect my adult children from the realities of Parkinson’s, but they need to know. Your storytelling captures not just the facts, but the emotional truths as well. Thank you!”

“You have touched many lives with the honesty you show in your story. “

An interesting thing happened after Sue finished her presentation. It brought up so many feelings that the women started talking to each other about many other things, such as how often they speak to their children about Parkinson’s. Are their children even interested? How do we acccept? And, did Sue ever jump???? (you have to watch the film to understand that) Most importantly, after 4 months of getting together through Zoom, we were friends, having a good conversation together. We are looking forward to sharing many more Sundays together.

Kinetics will still be available to watch for free online for a few more weeks.

Don’t miss it.

Watch the full film directly here (50 minutes long): 
Kinetics: The Desire to Move. FULL MOVIE  (available for a limited time)

You can watch the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8tIp409QBM 

And learn more about it on our website: 
https://www.kineticsfilm.com