This remarkable family portrait centers around Kathryn, who is living with ALS. Her mind is intact, but the disease has left her body paralyzed and reliant on mechanical breathing. She is in need of caretaking 24 hours a day, but dedicated nurses and aides are hard to find and keep. Exasperated by these circumstances, her husband, Said, has become a bitter and unreliable caretaker, leaving Noah, their grown son, to bear the weight of Kathryn’s care: While he is devoted to her, the impact on Noah’s work and life is clear. Amid all the tension and hardship, Kathryn endures her condition, even as she questions her own decision making. With her daughter’s wedding day approaching, she is determined to live to see her child get married.  

Eat Your Catfish unfolds from Kathryn’s point of view, the camera fixed just behind her; the entire film is a stationary observation from her vantage point. Throughout, Kathryn’s voice clarifies the conflicts and meaningful expressions of affection that surround her, illuminating both the fissures caused by her illness and the bonds that sustain her will to live.  ST 

Filmmaker Q&A available

Closed captioning available

This film is only available to viewers in the United States