Doctors Without Borders topic of movie 'event' on Monday

Gripping. Haunting. Real.

On Monday, moviegoers across the country can experience firsthand the guerrilla-style documentary "Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders Live with Elizabeth Vargas."

The exclusive, one-night only event will broadcast live via satellite from the New York University Skirball Center for the Performing Arts to nearly 450 movie theaters nationwide including Tampa, Brandon, Oldsmar and Sarasota.

Following the screening of the documentary, Vargas, anchor of ABC's "20/20," will moderate a live town-hall discussion with frontline aid workers and journalists, including Sebastian Junger, author of "The Perfect Storm" and contributing editor for "Vanity Fair."

The Noble Peace Prize-winning film is a rare look at the inner workings of the internationally recognized humanitarian health organization, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which, for the first time gave a documentary film crew unlimited access to its field operations in war-torn Congo and post-conflict Liberia.

"It's not here to preach or give a lesson. Hopefully, people find this engaging." said Mark Hopkins, filmmaker and director for "Living in Emergency." "If anything, thank god you're a patient in hospitals here."

Audiences will get a glimpse at life in the distressed regions of the world through the eyes of four doctors - include two volunteers on the inaugural missions and two veterans - who are forced to confront the limits of their idealism in the face of overwhelming medical needs.

They are vulnerable and honest. Some are frustrated, most are weary. They laugh and even break down on camera. Yet, all were moved to action.

The project took roughly three years to complete, Hopkins said.

"Over time the film crew became a part of the team, allowing them to gain the trust of the doctors who
in turn opened up, Hopkins said.

"People like this have thick shells, but when they go home they can't explain what's happened" he said. "It was very intense."

A few images are graphic as viewers enter archaic operating rooms in anything less than state-of-the-art facilities, and the emotion is oftentimes overwhelming. The cases they see range from gunshot wounds to otherwise routine illnesses left untreated to the point of no return.

Patients' needs are unrelenting. Conditions are beyond harsh. Problems are logistical and medical.

"I think a lot of people may have heard about Doctors Without Borders but don't really know what they do," Hopkins said. "This [film] is life on the frontlines."

The organization treats 10 million patients per year, and, more than 2 billion people worldwide are without access to essential medical services, according to Doctors Without Borders.

Ian Wilson, a general and plastic reconstruction surgeon based in St. Petersburg, is part of the volunteer team and knows what it's like to work under those conditions.

Although not featured in the film, Wilson has volunteered with the organization since 2003 and worked with Doctors Without Borders in the Ivory Coast, Palestinian Territories, Central African Republic and the conflict zone of the Congo, which is featured in the film "Living in Emergency."

Wilson genuinely enjoys giving back and thinks the film is accurate, he said.

"What happens is, people die of routine surgical problems because of the breakdown of health care in the area," he said. "So, they die of quite treatable problems, and, I don't have the conscience to let that happen."

If You Go

"Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders Live with Elizabeth Vargas"

WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Monday

WHERE: AMC-Regency 20, 2496 W. Brandon Blvd, Brandon
AMC-Sarasota 12, 8201 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
AMC-Woodland Square 20, 3128 Tampa Road, Oldsmar
Regal-Hollywood Stadium 20, 1993 Main St, Sarasota
Regal-Citrus Stadium Park Mall 20, 7999 Citrus Park Town Center Mall, Tampa

COST: $12.50 (subject to change)

TICKETS: To purchase tickets, visit www.FathomEvents.com/doctorswithoutborders