Five Hours with Raja

World Premiere

Five Hours with Raja is an intimate and confronting documentary, which charts the experiences of a young mother carrying her unborn baby to term, despite the diagnosis of a fatal birth defect. The pregnancy and short life of the new baby have a profound impact on the entire extended family: the events affect them in a variety of ways over the following months and years.

Claudia’s and Amit’s journey is documented carefully, and their thoughts and feelings as well as those of their extended family. The resulting documentary film provides the viewer with an intimate “inside view” of one family’s experience, revealing the steps that this group of people have taken to acknowledge and grieve the loss of a child who was very much part of their family.

Raja’s life has had a particularly profound impact on his mother Claudia. She has made a series of “Raja related” choices that have taken her to places she never imagined. This is a about death – but – it is also a love story. It gives us the experience of being in the company of people who love, who know how to love each other, and who are able to handle sorrow, loss and death with love. Director McKessar ‘s surprising and challenging documentary takes us on an extraordinary journey with Claudia, her partner and family, and leaves us enlightened, moved and challenged.