Rhode Island International Film Festival 2009

65_RedRoses is a high impact Canadian documentary shot on HD. The film takes an unflinching look into the lives of Eva Markvoort and her two online friends who are all battling Cystic Fibrosis (CF) - a fatal genetic disease affecting the lungs and digestive system. Unable to meet in person because of the spread of infections and super bugs, the girls have become each other's lifelines through the internet, providing unconditional love, support and understanding long after visiting hours are over. Now at a critical turning point in their lives, the film will travel the distance the friends cannot go themselves, capturing the compelling and often heartbreaking realities they face, just trying to take each breath.For 23-year-old Canadian Eva Markvoort (aka 65_RedRoses) the clock is ticking as she waits at the top of the donor list for a double lung transplant. She has been told that she will not live more than two years if she does not receive new lungs. An aspiring artist and teacher, Eva remains unwavering in her belief that her pager will go off and she will get the call letting her know a donor has been found. With no way of knowing when or if the pager will go off, her life has been put on hold as she does everything in her power to stay healthy. But with her condition deteriorating at a rapid pace, the window of opportunity is also slowly closing.Finding herself more in the hospital than at home, Eva begins searching for a creative outlet to direct her fears and anxieties. Unable to seek comfort in other CF patients - they aren't permitted to interact with each other because of their lower immune systems and the susceptibility of spreading infections to their lungs - Eva began searching online. Joining a network for CF'ers, Eva created an online name called 65_RedRoses (as a child she couldn't pronounce Cystic Fibrosis so she learned to say '65 Roses.' Eva then added red because it's her favorite color, thus becoming '65_RedRoses'). While for most people the internet is just another way of staying connected, for Eva and her online community it is the only way for them to form friendships with people who truly understand what it means to be living and dying with CF.Out of the thousands of online CF patients, Eva found two American girls who she really connected with. Based out of Portland, Oregon, 19-year-old Meg Moore (online name 'Megmucus') smokes pot, drinks alcohol and generally screws off' her medication. She lives life to the fullest and sees no point in taking responsibility for her health when she knows she only has half the time to enjoy it. Meg has no plans to have a double lung transplant, believing she does not have the strength to go through the process. Estranged from her family, Meg looks to Eva for support while Eva hopes to inspire Meg to re-think transplant, which is her only hope for the future. Across the continent in Eerie, Pennsylvania, Kina Boyce (online name 'Spirit_of_Kina') is battling chronic rejection from her double lung transplant. Kina's body is rejecting her new lungs, and she worries that she may have to receive annother transplant. Eva writes to her regularly, asking for guidance on how to prepare herself for transplant and how to deal with the problems after. Watching Kina go through rejection, Eva learns that transplant is not a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. It means trading one disease for another, but for both girls it's a chance they are willing to take if it means a shot at a longer life.Uncensored, uninhibited, and unbreakable, Eva and her friends aren't just 'sick girls', but young women who are falling in love for the first time, discovering their passions and trying to make their mark on the world. The undeniable strength, courage, and shear will power possessed by individuals battling this disease has the power to move those beyond the CF community. Eva's future depends on the kindness of strangers, who can give her the gift of life by becoming a donor. Following her journey from waiting for transplant through to surgery, Eva ultimately hopes to bring all three friends together following her recovery. After transplant, she will no longer have to worry about spreading bugs between other CF patients because her new lungs will be clear of infection. While it will be Eva's first time meeting Meg and Kina face to face, their bond has already withstood the tests of both time and distance.