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UVA Health annually sponsors health-specific films at the Virginia Film Festival (VAFF) that align with our mission of transforming health and inspiring hope for all Virginians and beyond.

At the 37^th annual event in Charlottesville, UVA Health sponsored two documentaries with a UVA Health subject matter expert delivering opening remarks — covering the topic, how it impacts patients and their families, and communities; how UVA Health helps to prevent, diagnose, and treat the condition — then offering the audience an encouraging message.

‘Rooted’

At Violet Crown Cinema on Nov. 1: Tracy M. Downs, MD, FACS, UVA Health Chief Diversity and Community Engagement Officer and board-certified urologist — and UVA School of Medicine Senior Associate Dean, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Professor of Urologic Surgery (pictured on right) — introduced ‘Rooted.”

The screening was followed by a discussion with producer Lauren Waring Douglas, moderated by Andrea Trimble, Director, UVA Office for Sustainability. The documentary is part of the Nature and Environment Series presented by Southern Environmental Law Center, and supported by the Minority Business Alliance of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“The film ignites a powerful dialogue about the threats of food insecurity and its intersection with the history of racism and economic inequality in the American South,” describes VAFF.

Synopsis: Lacking access to affordable produce, North Charleston resident, activist, and mother Germaine Jenkins lives in a food desert. For decades, her community has been ravaged by the racial and social inequalities exacerbated by this food crisis. In 2014, she convinced the City Council to lease her a sliver of land so she could grow food and start a grocery store, Farm Fresh Food. Director Bridget Besaw highlights Jenkins’ efforts to build an urban cooperative farm and, after her lease ends, to own the land.

During opening remarks, Dr. Downs described how he and UVA Health colleagues are leading efforts to address social determinants of health (SDoH): non-medical conditions that can significantly affect health and overall quality of life.

“You may have heard, ‘Your zip code can predict your health outcomes as well as, or better than, your genetic code,’” Dr. Downs told the audience. “That emphasizes the important role our neighborhoods play in our overall health. The SDoHs we will learn more about this evening are food insecurity and food justice. Improving access to healthy foods is important to UVA Health — as we work with partners toward cultivating healthy communities and belonging for all per our strategic plan.”

“I will end with a quote that you will hear during this screening: ‘Food means everything if you don’t have it — and nothing if you do.’”

‘Dementia and Living Well’ 

At Violet Crown Cinema on Nov. 3: Carol Manning, PhD, ABPP-CN — neuropsychologist; Director, UVA Memory Disorders Clinic; and Professor of Neurology, UVA School of Medicine (pictured on right) — introduced “Dementia and Living Well.” The screening was followed by a discussion with creator and producer Jacquelyn Pogue and subjects John Sullivan, Pat Sullivan, Barb Cole, and John Richard Pagan.

Synopsis: Featuring a diverse group of people in Virginia and from across the country living with the condition, the film de-stigmatizes the disease by showcasing that it is possible to lead a fulfilling and purpose-driven life with dementia. By following these individuals as they go about completing the tasks of everyday life ... and highlighting the networks and organizations that make this possible, the film challenges preconceived notions about the condition.

Manning defined several points for the audience:

• Dementia is not normal aging; rather, an umbrella term describing a decline from previous levels of cognitive ability including memory, language, attention, concentration, executive functioning, and motor abilities.
  
• Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia: 6.9 million people in the United States live with the disease. People often notice memory and language changes first, but eventually the decline includes basic activities of daily living.
  
• Alzheimer’s impacts not just the person with dementia but families, friends, and above all — primary caregivers. At UVA Health, in our multidisciplinary clinic, our goal is to help patients and family members as they progress across the entire dementia journey. We provide not just diagnosis but access to clinical trials, ongoing support groups, care coordinators, and access to occupational therapy, physical therapy, neurology, neuropsychology, social work, and more.

“Receiving a diagnosis of dementia is not easy — but it does not mean the end of meaningful life or the end of happiness, relationships, or love,” she adds. “People with dementia and their families can still ‘live well.’”

“We cannot thank you enough for your generous support of the 2024 VAFF on behalf of UVA Health,” says Lizzy Ramey, Assistant Director, UVA Arts Development. “It was truly a special program — particularly the screenings of ‘Rooted’ and ‘Dementia and Living Well.’ We could not do this work without the generosity of organizations such as UVA Health — and we are truly grateful you are part of our community!”