The Live the life you please feature film has had an extraordinary impact on Australia’s understanding of palliative care, and is now being rolled out in new formats to increase its reach and influence.

“We launched the full-length documentary at Parliament House during National Palliative Care Week in May this year, this new shorter version and accompanying educational packages open the conversation with new audiences,” says Camilla Rowland, Chief Executive Officer, Palliative Care Australia (PCA).

Produced by multi-award-winning filmmakers, Moonshine Agency, Live the life you please boasts a treasure trove of incredible stories captured from all around Australia.

“We take the viewer on a deep dive into issues around living and dying in Australia,” says Mike Hill, Director, Moonshine Agency.

“Over the last five months the film has been screened in around 61 cinemas nationwide.

“We have seen audiences smile, laugh, laugh harder and occasionally shed a tear, but most importantly leave inspired and ready to have big conversations with themselves and their loved ones about what they want the end of their life to look like.”

Here's what audiences have said:

“It was a beautiful movie, and so good to be informing the community about end-of-life options and helping reduce the stigma.” 

“It was so good we got our parents to go the next night and have already managed to have that talk with them that has been taboo until now, thank you so much for making it.” 

“Palliative care has always been a subject that people are reluctant to speak about because it makes them sad, but if they were well informed like this movie does, it could actually make them feel better about it.” 

Apart from winning over audiences Live the life you please has also been winning international film awards including an Award of Excellence at the IndieFest film awards, Best Documentary at the Titan Health Awards, and a top gong at the Accolade Global Film Competition.

The original 90 minute feature length film has been cut down to 30 minutes and is available now to watch on demand for a small fee. It tells the stories of a diverse range of Australians experiencing their last chapter of life.

“Narrator Simon Waring brings his own families experience to this, but along the way the viewer also meets Lance and Cecile and their MND story, David and Alice and their life with dementia, and Julie and Al and their story which has become known as ‘the husband in the handbag”, Ms Rowland says.

“The health and care sectors have also expressed interest in using snippets of the film as part of training and education programs, and I am delighted that the team at Moonshine have been able to meet that need and extend the power of the film.”

To access the full range of viewing options for Live the life you please:

Click HERE to rent the 30 minute version

Click HERE to rent the 90 minute feature length version

Click HERE to buy the educational package which includes a perpetual licence for the 30 minute film, 11 educational videos with experts in palliative care and related services, 4 Live the life you please short films and perpetual licences for the the award-winning feature documentaries Hippocratic and Little Stars.

Fifty percent of the fee paid goes to supporting the palliative care sector through the work of PCA.

“We make films that I hope inspire and drive change and Live the life you please is certainly doing that,” Mr Hill says.

For advice, tools, and support with ‘matters of life and death’ explore the Palliative Care Australia website.