Life, Beauty & Authenticity

Chariots of Fire (directed by Hugh Hudson, 1981): One of the movies of my life, It shaped the way I view high-level competition in sports, and it inspired me to become a hardworking athlete during my swimming years. It portrays the journey of  Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, two British runners who are preparing for the 1924 Olympics in Paris. An inspiring story of persistence, courage, and faith.

Dead Poets Society (directed by Peter Weir, 1989): One of my favourite movies of all times, with the brilliant Robin Williams in the leading role. It is the story of John Keating, an irreverent English teacher from an all-male highly conservative school, who inspires his students to develop free thinking, and live life with courage, and authenticity.

Erin Brockovich (directed by Steven Soderbergh, 2000): This movie is inspired by the true story of Erin Brockovich, a single mum who becomes a legal assistant after losing a lawsuit against her assistant physician. As she settles in her new job, she discovers the link between severe health conditions in the local population, and concealed groundwater contamination. The impressive fight of a woman with no formal education in law, which leads to the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit, in United States history.

The Pursuit of Happiness (directed by Gabriele Muccino, 2006): A biographical movie about Chris Gardner, a man struggling financially, who decides to enrol for an unpaid internship at a stockbrokerage firm. As a result of this decision, Chris is temporarily forced to live on the streets with his 5-year old son, facing unimaginable challenges. An impressive story of resilience and love, that inspires us to believe in the grandness of the human spirit.

Invictus (directed by Clint Eastwood, 2007): The inspiring true story of South Africa rugby national team, which supported by Nelson Mandela, played a central role in uniting the country after the end of apartheid. What I love about this film is how it displays the impressive vision, intelligence, and leadership skills of Nelson Mandela, whose unshakable belief in love and kindness ended up changing his country, and the world. In addition, it reminds us about the power of team sports to create bridges between people, and change minds.

Into the Wild (directed by Sean Penn, 2007): A story inspired by the journey Christopher McCandless, who decided to travel alone into the wilderness of Alaska. This story makes us reflect on the balance between independence and connection, and has taught me that true freedom comes from within.

Bohemian Rhapsody (directed by Bryan Singer, 2018): A movie about the band Queen, centred around their leading singer Fredy Mercury. What I love about this film is the the way it depicts the originality of Fredy Mercury, a man who was brave enough to live his life on his own terms.

Medicine, Health & Healing

Patch Adams (directed by Tom Shadyac, 1998): Certainly one of my favourite movies of all times, focusing on the story of Dr. Hunter Adams, a brilliant physician who believes in the power of compassion, love and laughter as agents of healing. A brilliant, brilliant movie, that is truly aligned with my own vision of medicine and healing.

The Doctor (directed by Randa Haines, 1991): The story of a cold-manner doctor, who changes her views on medicine after developing a life-threatening illness. An incredible movie centered on the healing power kindness and compassion, that all health professionals must watch.

Hable con Ella (directed by Pedro Almodóvar, 2002): What I like about this movie is the way it highlights the importance of harmony, connection, and love for all human beings, independently of their life circumstances. It portrays the contrasting reality of two women, both in coma, and the consequences of different approaches to care and healing.

That Sugar Film (directed by Damon Gameau, 2014): An informative and fun documentary about the effects of sugar consumption for our health. Recommended to everyone, including health professionals.

Heal (directed by Kelly Noonan Gores, 2017): This documentary presents some of the most common complementary and alternative healing modalities sought by patients nowadays. A wake up call for all people working in health, inviting us to question what is missing in modern medicine, and what people search for in different healing modalities.

Mental & Emotional Health

Good Will Hunting (directed by Gus Van Sant, 1997): The story of a 20-year old genius, who is forced to have regular therapy sessions, after exhibiting violent behaviours. A brilliant film about the importance of healing trauma to live a fulfilled and happy life.

Inside Out (produced by Pixar Animation, 2015): One of the most brilliant animation films of all times. The story is set on a young girl's mind, and follows the journey on her personified emotions (joy, sadness, anger, disgust and fear). A marvellous film about the beauty, richness, and importance of our emotional world, and how it evolves with age and life experiences.

Relationships & Sexuality

Kramer vs Kramer (directed by Robert Benton, 1979): This film tells the story of a couple’s divorce, and its impact their young son. What I love about this film is the evolving relationship between father and son, and the focus on gender roles in partnerships, and the education of children.

Before Sunrise / Before Sunset / Before Midnight (directed by Richard Linklater, 1995 / 2004 / 2013): This trilogy follows the same couple for a few hours, in three different stages of life. Minimalist films full of meaningful conversations and intimate moments, depicting the beauty, complexity and evolution of long-term love relationships.

Feast of Love (directed by Robert Benton, 2007): A beautiful film with Morgan Freedom, who plays the role of an elderly man watching distinct love stories unfold in front of his eyes, offering his insights about each one of them. This movie stole my heart with the way it portrays the diversity, intricacy, and beauty of love relationships.

Masters of Sex (TV series 2013 - 2016): The story of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, pioneer researchers in the field of human sexuality. The series is interesting and informative, clarifying myths around sex and human sexual response.

Marriage Story (directed by Noah Baumbach, 2019): The story about the collapse of a marriage, and the emotional toll for both parts involved. I like the depth of the story and the dichotomy of emotions displayed by the main characters, inviting us to reflect on our own views on marriage and divorce. Most of all, it introduces the idea that divorce is a chance to reframe a relationship, rather than a catastrophic observation of its collapse.

Philosophy & Spirituality

I Origins (directed by Mike Cahill, 2014): A science fiction film, which is also a love story, centered in the theme of past lives. This is a lovely work of fiction, that makes us reflect and consider the idea of continuity beyond the physical body.

The Good Place (TV Series 2016 - 2020): A series raising multiple philosophical and ethical issues, exploring the concepts of heaven, hell, goodness, and badness. An intelligent and fun way of inviting people to self-enquire.

Ram Dass, Going Home (2017, directed by Derek Peck): Ram Dass was an American psychologist, and a renowned spiritual teacher. This documentary focuses on the period towards the end of his life. A wise reflection on finding meaning within the experience of physical and psychological decline.

End of Life, Death & Grief

Collateral Beauty (directed by David Frankel, 2016): A fictional story about a man stuck in denial, the first stage of grief. It depicts the power of love, beauty, and connection to heal trauma and integrate big losses.

Wit (directed by Mike Nichols, 2001): A film portraying the end of life of a woman with stage IV ovarian cancer. As a highly educated woman, Vivian Bearing had always privileged intellectual wit over emotion and connection. As she is diagnosed with cancer and her illness progresses, she realises that kindness and compassion, are some of the key ingredients of life.

The Big C (TV series 2010 - 2013): The fictional story of a woman diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, from the moment of diagnosis, up to her death. This is a realistic series, showing many of the physic, emotional, and social challenges experienced by people with life-threatening illnesses. It also shows how a life-limiting illness can radically change a person's perspective on life.

End Game (directed by Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman, 2018): A short documentary film about people with terminal illnesses, and the crucial role of palliative care in their lives.

After life (TV series 2019 - 2020): A brilliant dark comedy about a man who becomes depressed and bitter after his wife dies of cancer. This series combines a serious plot with dark, non-sense humour, showing that heartbreak and laughter can, and sometimes need to coexist.

Social Awareness & Equality

Gandhi (directed by Richard Attenborough, 1982): The inspiring true story of Mahatma Gandhi, who lead a non-violent movement for the independence of India. A film with multiple important lessons about social justice, integrity and courage.

Dangerous Minds (directed by John N. Smith, 1995): In an impoverished and racially-segregated community, a teacher strives to engage her students and give them a chance in life. A film about the importance of education, and the power of believing in the possibility of a better future.

20th Century Women (directed by Mike Mills, 2016): The story of a teenage boy raised by three women from different generations, in the 1970s. The film explores different perspectives on womanhood in a time of rapid social change.

Hidden Figures (directed by Theodore Melfi, 2016): A film inspired in the true story of three African-american female mathematicians working for NASA in the 60s. This film depicts the daily challenges they faced, including persistent discrimination on the basis of sex and race.

On the basis of sex (directed by Mimi Leder, 2018): The story of justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her first legal battles, focusing on the issue of gender equality. It depicts the courage of a woman in a largely male-dominated profession, and some of the hurdles she overcame before becoming a supreme-court justice.

The Glorias (directed by Julie Taymor, 2020): Gloria Steinem is an American journalist, feminist and social activist. This film tells Gloria's life story, from her childhood years until recent times. What is unique about this film is the way it portrays conversations between Glorias of different age, prompting the viewer to have a unique perspective on her evolving inner life.