Documentary Live the Life You Please will bring moving stories of end-of-life care to Rockhampton’s Event Cinemas from Monday, 22 May, as part of National Palliative Care Week.

Director Mike Hill, from Moonshine Agency, said Live the Life You Please gave audiences the chance to have important conversations about a difficult topic.

“It’s about people living their last chapter and what that looks like for them in different parts of Australia,” he said

“On face value that might sound like a tough topic but the film is actually really positive and fun in that it shows how good that period of life can be if you’re well supported.”

Mr Hill said the decision to release the film on more than 60 screens in every state and territory was a very deliberate choice.

“It was designed to get that national conversation going, about how we can do ‘end of life’ better in Australia, so that it’s more similar to how we treat the start of life, which is very well supported.”

Mr Hill said a recent study of palliative care in Australia found 88 per cent of people found it was important to talk about what they wanted toward the end of their life, however, only 50 per cent actually do.

“And when you’re looking at something like an Advanced Care Directive, only a small portion do that,” he said.

“It’s something worth exploring so that more people get the experience they want, rather than leaving it up to the health professionals who typically have to resuscitate no matter what, even if you’re going to come out the other side in worse shape.”

Mr Hill said it was those statistics that made him want to make a film about end of life that was accessible to people and surprised them.

“What’s important at the end of your life is what’s important to you,” he said.

“Some people are going to want treatment right until their last days, but others want to stay at home, spending quality time.

“We heard so many stories about people learning new sports and going on adventures, fundraising for charities, right toward the end of their life.”

Mr Hill said access to palliative care options wasn’t equal around Australia, with fewer services in regional and remote areas.

“We need more services and we need to integrate services a lot better,” he said.

“This proposal actually saves a lot of money because it keeps people out of ambulances, emergency departments and intensive care units.”

Live the Life You Please will screen at Event Cinemas North Rockhampton on Monday, 22 May at 6pm, Wednesday, 24 May at 6pm, Saturday, 27 May, at 3.30pm and Sunday, 28 May at 3.30pm.

Wednesday’s screening will include a Q and A with MC Matthew Johnson (Opiate Treatment Program), Paula Ryan (Fitzroy Community Hospice Care) and Dr Kay Porche (Rockhampton Hospital, Palliative Care Specialist).

For more information on screenings, go to https://livethelifeyouplease.com.