DC Area Premiere

TRIAGE is a memoir about what it takes to provide medical care in remote places where hundreds of thousands are suffering, within countries such as Somalia and Rwanda.

As TRIAGE unfolds, Dr. James Orbinski, who in 1999 accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), asks the central question for the survival of humanity:  “If we are responsible for our lives and our world, how do we live with ourselves if we don’t engage that responsibility?”

When the genocide began in Rwanda, most of the international community evacuated. Dr. Orbinski and Médecins Sans Frontières went in. They remain above the fray and negotiate with the forces on the ground, so that they can work in war zones and care for victims of political conflicts that leave innocent civilians homeless and starving.

In Patrick Reed’s intimate portrayal, Orbinski’s journey is our journey. When he returns to Somalia, Rwanda and the Congo to mourn what happened and to honor the victims and survivors, his anguish, anger and hope are palpable. In that sense, TRIAGE and the stunning documentary SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL are kindred spirits—and were made by the same creative team.

Orbinski’s agenda, as outlined in his book An Imperfect Offering, is to point out the devastating impact of the politicization of humanitarian care. But his true bravery lies in revealing his own inner struggles. TRIAGE presents tough questions and a tougher reality, but its craft and artistry, and Orbinski’s complex heroism, make TRIAGE not only engrossing, but invaluable.

—Patricia Finneran