New Documentary Austria, 2025 Examines a Doctor's Controversial Role in Assisted Suicides
The German neuropsychiatrist Dr. Johann Spittler never intended to help anyone die. Yet that is exactly what he did.
Relentlessly, he visited people tormented by mental and physical illness, those who no longer wished to live. He listened as they told him, "I'm tired of life" or "I'm furious with God," then delved into their deepest motivations through probing conversations. Once he gave the "green light"—confirming their legal capacity—he assisted in their chosen suicides. Until the day he was taken into custody.
Director Pavel Cuzuioc followed the psychiatrist, capturing his unending struggle with questions of responsibility and personal autonomy.
INFO:Austria, 2025. 101 min. Directed by Pavel Cuzuioc. Featuring Johann Spittler.
