Brainstorm

Minneapolis filmmaker Stacia Kalinoski, who was diagnosed with epilepsy in college, here looks at seizures from a personal perspective. Describing a seizure as a "surge of electrical activity in the brain," Kalinoski notes that seizures take various forms, including generalized, focal aware, and focal impaired. She compares her own condition with those of a local football coach and a grade school student. A former TV news reporter, Kalinoski once suffered a seizure in which she behaved in a sexual manner while on the job—an incident that led to her firing, even after her doctor verified that she had no control over the situation. Kalinoski, who also relates incidents in which she experienced seizures while running and conducting interviews, eventually undergoes brain surgery in order to reduce their frequency. Jerry Kill, who coaches football at the University of Minnesota, has suffered seizures while on the field. Since his episodes have been in full view of audience members, some have made disparaging comments via e-mail. A newspaper editorial even called for his dismissal, but he persevered and became Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2014. But when his seizures return after a two-year break, he has to decide whether to remain or to retire. Ten-year-old Billy, the son of Atlanta-based CNN sports writer Wayne Drash, has fallen down stairs and suffered other injuries while experiencing seizures. His family considers Coach Kill a personal hero and the two meet in a YouTube video, after which Billy receives an offer for a procedure to alleviate his symptoms. Although all three subjects have suffered from memory loss—which Kalinoski finds particularly upsetting—each ends the documentary in better shape than when they began. An insightful film about epilepsy, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)