1 a Minute


1 a Minute is a 2010 American docudrama film written and directed by Indian American actress Namrata Singh Gujral. It is based on her own life and the lives of other women who suffered from cancer.

Synopsis

The film is a hybrid between narrative structure and documentary style set to interweave throughout the film's plot. Based on the director's own experiences, the film follow the life of one woman and her struggle with breast cancer. The personal experiences of other celebrities who have themselves dealt with breast cancer, are interspersed throughout the film, as told by the celebrities themselves.

Participants

Narrated by Kelly McGillis, the film includes interviews with Deepak Chopra, oncologist Dennis Slamon, and Ambassador Nancy Brinker, and features the participation of numerous celebrities who have themselves dealt either directly or indirectly with breast cancer. These include Olivia Newton-John, Namrata Singh Gujral, Jaclyn Smith, Melissa Etheridge, Bárbara Mori, Lisa Ray, Diahann Carroll, William Baldwin, Daniel Baldwin, Mumtaz, Jasmine Singh Cooper, and Priya Dutt.

Background

The film deals a heavy focus on breast cancer, and features female celebrities from around the world who are cancer survivors. Scheduled to kick off Breast Awareness Month, the film released on October 6, 2010 in 532 theaters in the USA, where these theaters simulcast a live panel discussion featuring director Gujral, Melissa Etheridge, and Olivia Newton-John among others, immediately preceding the world premiere showing of the film. The film released in Indian theaters on 29 October 2010. This is reported to be the largest release to date for a cancer docudrama.

Response

According to the Indo-Asian News Service, "he documentary is an unprecedented push by global celebrity women, who are also cancer survivors, to help raise funds to find the cures, promote awareness and prevention as well as support survivors of women's cancers", with donations from the film set to support international Non-Profits & NGOs such as: Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Nargis Dutt Memorial Cancer Foundation.