SYNOPSIS

In 1989, Dr. Bruce Miller, a reserved and somewhat disillusioned neurologist, struggles to find his place in the competitive academic world while balancing the demands of family life. When Verna Fuentes, a passionate legal assistant, seeks his expertise for a controversial case, Bruce hesitates. The subject, Judy O’Connell, a middle-aged woman convicted of a tragic crime, exhibits bizarre and unexplained neurological behaviors, raising the possibility of an undiagnosed brain disorder.

As Bruce delves into Judy's history, he uncovers her transformation and its connections to his past research on brain injuries affecting behavior. Haunted by professional pressure and personal doubts, Bruce risks his university career and reputation to provide Judy with a fair hearing, all while grappling with his duty as a scientist, and his role as a father and husband.

Set against a backdrop of judicial prejudice, societal stigma, and ethical dilemmas, ALTERED intertwines a deeply human story of redemption and justice with the cutting-edge exploration of neuroscience, culminating in a courtroom showdown that challenges everything Bruce thought he knew about the brain — and himself.

WHAT IS FTD?

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a devastating disease that strikes at the heart of what makes us human. Unlike Alzheimer’s Disease, FTD comes on young — between the ages of 30 and 60 — and it does’t take memories. Instead, it attacks brain regions responsible for behavior, judgment, impulse control, and the ability to connect with others.

FTD can fundamentally alter personality. Those affected may act in ways that are shockingly out of character — compulsive gambling, substance abuse, inappropriate touching, public outbursts, and neglect. They lose the ability to empathize with others. It is a heartbreaking and deeply challenging disease for family and loved ones.

ALTERED shines a light on the profound questions FTD raises: How does society judge actions driven by disease rather than choice? How do we continue to see the humanity to which people are entitled? With recent high-profile cases such as Bruce Willis, FTD is coming into the public eye, but remains misunderstood and misdiagnosed. This film aims to focus meaningful impact on a condition deserving of our empathy, and on individuals who deserve to be seen.

DIRECTOR STATEMENT

Some stories choose you. In 2018, I was adapting my short film THE LIGHTKEEPER, a story of dementia and family reconciliation, into a feature. I had recently lost my childhood mentor to the disease, and would later go on to lose both my grandmothers to it. As I gathered my research, I was told there was one person I had better speak to...if I could get a meeting with him.

I soon found myself sitting with Dr. Bruce Miller at UC San Francisco's Memory and Aging Center. And while this quietly brilliant neurologist was perfectly willing to help me with my questions, something else was happening. He looked at me and said, "I'd like to tell you about the Global Brain Health Institute.”

2022. I have uprooted my entire life and I am deep into my year-long residency as an Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at the Global Brain Health Institute's site in Dublin, Ireland. I open the reading for Bruce's upcoming class, "The Science of Empathy”.

I am awed. In my hands is a brief memoir detailing two pivotal experiences in Bruce’s life: one as a young person, the other as a physician. The stories were riveting, complex and deeply human. And I felt an overwhelming urge come over me: "This is a movie."

ALTERED is now about more than the actions of one courageous man. It strikes at the root of what it means to be human, and asks a profound question: What makes me me? It also brings to the forefront the ethical dilemmas surrounding criminality and punishment for individuals with brain illness. How do we proceed justly with a crime where everyone is a victim, including the perpetrator? Does every human being deserve to be healed?

ALTERED is a call to action as much as it is a film. It amplifies the voices of individuals who, like Bruce Miller, are dedicated to letting science guide their empathy. Their courage to confront the ethical challenges of biology, justice, and the nature of identity is a call to our own better angels. I hope we do not ignore it.

— Zach Bandler

ALTERED is in late development, seeking financing and partners. Contributions are 100% tax deductible through our fiscal sponsor Producer Hub.

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