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Wednesday, Apr 23, 2025
4:30 PM (86 mins)
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BAMPFA
The Chaplain and the Doctor
At Highland Hospital, Oakland’s level-one trauma center, chaplains and doctors rarely work closely together, but in this involving documentary, eighty-year-old African American chaplain Betty Clark and white Jewish physician Jessica Zitter are exceptions to that generality. Longtime colleagues in the hospital’s Palliative Care Unit, the two women forge a deep bond through their shared commitment to compassionate end-of-life care. Trained in medical science and interventions, Dr. Zitter learns from Chaplain Clark’s wisdom and perspective and begins to see the emotional and spiritual aspects of healing. The film explores the systemic barriers that prevent holistic patient care, particularly for communities of color, as well as the personal transformations both women undergo. When Chaplain Clark faces her own health struggles, Dr. Zitter steps in, seeing firsthand the challenges Black patients endure. The Chaplain and The Doctor is a moving testament to care beyond medicine, where healing honors both body and spirit.
FILM DETAILS
Cinematographer
- Aurora Brachman
- Jen Gilomen
Print Info
- Color
- DCP
- 86 mins
Source
- SFFILM
Event Accessibility
If you have any questions about accessibility or need accommodations to attend this event, please contact us at bampfa@berkeley.edu or (510) 642-1412 (Wed–Sun, 11 AM–7 PM) as soon as you can. Advance notice helps us fulfill your request.
Learn more about accessibility services at BAMPFA.