by Lianna Albrizio for Winter Film Festival
See the feature documentary The Chaplain & The Doctor on February 21 @5:50PM at REGAL Union Square (850 Broadway) as part of New York City’s 14th Annual Winter Film Festival. Tickets now on sale!
Unflinchingly raw, bittersweet, and situationally poetic, THE CHAPLAIN & THE DOCTOR is a celebration of life that makes “the wonderful business of dying” worth every second of living.
A director and documentarian has introduced the world to the remarkable true life story of herself, Jessica Zitter, a stoic doctor, and Betty Clark, a compassionate chaplain with all the makings of a hope-inspiring empath with eight decades of wisdom.
Viewers are given a glimpse into the day-to-day grind of hospital life inside the palliative care unit of an Oakland, Ca. hospital. The hilly terrain mirrors the emotional, mental and physical toll difficult decisions take on both patient and professional as they navigate the best course of action through understanding, unconditional love, good judgment and humor. (There’s even an impromptu scene in which the women find themselves momentarily trapped in a malfunctioning elevator — often symbolic of “feeling stuck” in life.
In this uplifting slice-of-life documentary, the women develop a deepening friendship that surpasses a mere working one as they teach each other virtues like patience and keeping a level head.
Adding a stirring layer to daily hospital life, the women uncover race-related tribulations their families endured — and continue to come to terms with — much like the demands of their vocations. For Dr. Zitter, it was overcoming fears related to the rising tide of antisemitism; for Clark, it was taking the high road despite an extended family who lived through slavery.
What had long felt like two different people with different ways of doing their jobs morphs into a yin-and-yang relationship, both personal and professional; together, they make one another’s lives more meaningful. So much, their presence in the same hospital in the same unit feels like a godsend, especially when one finds herself in the hospital bed.
Lianna Albrizio: The film gives viewers a glimpse into hospital life — which to me is a wake-up call to those who think they have it bad in life, or spend too much of their time fretting over trivial matters. We see people who are dying of cancer, who are dealing with autoimmune diseases like lupus. Was that the message you were trying to drill down for viewers with the aim of changing their perception on how they look at the world and their lives?
Dr. Jessica Zitter: It’s true that this film gives viewers a peek at what it looks like to be a vulnerable patient in the hospital. And I hope, as you say, that people will appreciate health and autonomy while they have it, and be more prepared for what it looks like to be in that situation when the time comes. How to advocate for your loved ones and yourself. But this film isn’t only about sickness and hospitals, it is also about how we want to treat each other. And how we would want to be treated ourselves, especially when we are sick and dependent on others. Do we want to see each other as labels instead of full human beings? Can we instead be more curious about each other, more interested in finding similarities and ways to relate? The ultimate goal of this film is to lift up the importance of treating people with compassion and respect, especially when they are sick, dependent, or in pain.
Lianna: In this film, you demonstrate the growing relationship between a stoic doctor and an empathic chaplain working together, which begins to spill over into their personal lives. Given the current state of affairs in the world, did you aim to make this film symbolic of how two unlikely people with different ways of thinking and working can come together and see the value in sharing their knowledge with each other and their capability of a loving relationship?
Jessica: Thank you for that question. In these challenging times, a film like this which shows people coming together across differences, and celebrating each others’ lives, feels like the most perfect medicine. When making it, I hadn’t known how much of a healing impact this film could have.
Lianna: Despite the fact that these ladies are leaders in their professions, they share similar backgrounds that cause them both to live in fear, which they hide well. Were you trying to convey that people aren’t always what they seem; and that no one is immune to fear, even great leaders? Because I think this is a common misconception people struggle with; they think they’re alone in their own sufferings when people of power are also dealing with their own trials and tribulations that they may not readily show.
Jessica: Great question. Yes, I think that’s part of the lesson. That we need to get each others’ stories before making judgments about who they are and what their intentions are. It is not only important for those who are in power, like doctors. But it can also be helpful for those in positions of vulnerability, like patients, so that they don’t assume the worst. Another issue here is that people can be most compassionate when they look at their own vulnerabilities, fears, and trauma. Pulling from those experiences can help us to care more for others. Betty and I each harness our own background trauma in ways that create shared values, and allow us to come together and do the best we can for our patients.
Lianna: While making this documentary, what surprised you most?
Jessica: Several things. To begin with, I chose to make this documentary in the first place because I had learned something new about myself and the profession that I have chosen. And I wanted to highlight the message that Betty had taught me, and to learn how to do things differently. And the second major surprise was how hard it is to make a documentary. It takes a team of many people with different expertise coming together to shape something that none of them could have done on their own— a little bit like being a medical team and providing the best care possible.
Lianna: What did this film teach you the most, and what do you hope viewers will take away from seeing this?
Jessica: It taught me, fundamentally, that I want to always aim to treat people that way that I would wish to be treated myself.
About Winter Film Festival
Winter Film Festival is an all-volunteer women and minority-run organization as part of Winter Film Awards Inc, a 501(c)3 organization founded in 2011 to celebrate emerging talent in local and international filmmaking.
The 14th Annual Winter Film Festival runs February 18-22 2026 includes a diverse mixture of animated films, documentaries, comedies, romances, dramas, horror films, music videos and web series of all lengths. Our five-day event is jam-packed with screenings and Q&A sessions at NYC’s REGAL Union Square, six Education sessions/workshops and a variety of filmmaker networking events all coming to a glittering close on February 22 with our red-carpet gala Awards Ceremony.
Winter Film Festival programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Promotional support provided by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment.
For more information about Winter Film Festival, visit WinterFilmFest.org
email us at info@winterfilmawards.com and visit us at Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
