The Good Breast

Veteran breast cancer surgeon Dr. Lauren Schnaper believes that fear and ignorance are fueling an alarming rate of medically unnecessary mastectomies in America. But for the four women in this film who allow us intimate access to the ups and downs of their mastectomies and breast reconstructions, their search for the “good breast” is a necessity. THE GOOD BREAST blends the stories of these courageous women with the surprising journey taken by Dr. Schnaper to Catania, Sicily, to experience the a festival honoring Saint Agatha, patron saint of breast cancer patients. What the doctor learns leads to provocative insights into contemporary American attitudes toward breast cancer. The loss of the breast of each of the women you meet in this film illustrates that the breast is far more than just an organ, it contains within it the history, suffering and power of female identity.