Films About Sick Children
Films about sick children often explore themes of resilience, hope, and the emotional turmoil that accompanies illness, not only for the children but also for their families. These films can evoke powerful emotions, highlighting the fragile nature of life and the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. They often provide a platform for heartwarming stories, tragic experiences, and the bonds that form between characters as they navigate the challenges of illness together.
List of Films About Sick Children
“The Fault in Our Stars”, 2014
Director: Josh Boone
Based on John Green's best-selling novel, this romantic drama follows the story of Hazel Grace Lancaster, a teenager with terminal cancer, who falls in love with Augustus Waters, a charming boy in remission. Their journey together explores love, loss, and the search for meaning in life.
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Laura Dern, Sam Trammell, Nat Wolff, Willem Dafoe, Lotte Verbeek, Ana Dela Cruz, Randy Kovitz, Toni Saladna, David Whalen, Milica Govich, Allegra Carpenter, Emily Peachey, Emily Bach, Tim Hartman, Mike Birbiglia, Bethany Leo, Alexis Hodges, Jean Brassard, Carly Otte, Lily Kenna, Silvio Wolf Busch, Viviana Cardenas, Jordan Drexel, P.J. Rosotto, Tanner Boatwright, Cheyenne Hurley, Jennifer Kline, Carole Weyers, Lauren Blumenthal, Nikki Lipinski, Sebastian Dean, Alexander Murph, Taylor Detorre, Josh Potter, Steven Edmonds, Cindy Zeng, C.J. Evans, Daniel Booko, Jacqueline Piñol, Sitara Attaie, Jim Pirri, Jean Gilpin, Joey Richter, Nicholas Guest, Danielle Hartnett, Matthew Wolf, Dina Morrone, Sophie Guest;
Production year: 2014;
Genre: drama, melodrama;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 133 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,7;
More information about the film “The Fault in Our Stars” on the website imdb.com
“A Walk to Remember”, 2002
Director: Adam Shankman
Another adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel, this film tells the story of Landon Carter, a popular teenager who falls in love with Jamie Sullivan, a quiet girl with a secret. As Jamie reveals that she has leukemia, their relationship deepens, teaching Landon about love and sacrifice.
Starring: Shane West, Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote, Daryl Hannah, Lauren German, Clayne Crawford, Al Thompson, Paz de la Huerta, Jonathan Parks Jordan, Matt Lutz, David Andrews, David Lee Smith, Xavier Hernandez, Marisa Miller, Paula Jones, Erik Smith, Al Butler, Seth Howard, Julia Ann West, Frances E. Davis, Dean Mumford, Anne Fletcher, Robin Clark, Vivian Cherry, Arlene Martell Martin, Nikki Gregoreff, Elaine Caswell, Diva Gray, Cassidy Ladden, Janie Barnett, Gordon Grody, Kevin Osborne, Jason Paige, Janette Andrade, Charles E. Bailey, Sheila Brothers, Kelly Cole Childers, Jason Cicardo, Jenny Gulley, Spencer Kayden, Kevin Lapsley, Tony Moore, Ryan Sweeney, Chip Thomas, Robert C. Treveiler;
Production year: 2002;
Genre: drama, melodrama;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 101 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,3;
“My Sister's Keeper”, 2009
Director: Nick Cassavetes
This emotional drama revolves around Anna Fitzgerald, who was conceived to be a genetic match for her sister Kate, who suffers from leukemia. As Anna grows older, she grapples with her role in her sister's life and ultimately seeks medical emancipation, raising ethical questions about family and sacrifice.
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Sofia Vassilieva, Alec Baldwin, Jason Patric, Evan Ellingson, Heather Wahlquist, Joan Cusack, Thomas Dekker, Walter Raney, Nicole Marie Lenz, Paul Butler, Olivia Hancock, Jeffrey Markle, Emily Deschanel, John DeRosa, Marcos A. Ferraez, Noni Tulk-Perna, Matthew Barry, Annie Wood, Chris Kinkade, David Thornton, Elizabeth Daily, Rico Simonini, Frank Cassavetes, David Bortolucci, Olivia Jade Fine, Andrew Schaff, Brennan Bailey, Andrew Shack, Angel Garcia, Frank Peluso, Daniel Guzman, Paul Olguin, Rick Salomon, Mimi Fletcher, Lin Shaye, Eric Cueto, Lexi Kiana Ryan, Nina Barry, Ellia English, Mary Jo Deschanel, Jonah Johnson, Rob Giles, Kaiulani Kimbrell, Dylan Showalter, Jarred Tibbetts, Precious Hanley, Michael Chow;
Production year: 2009;
Genre: drama, family;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 109 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,3;
More information about the film “My Sister's Keeper” on the website imdb.com
“The Cure”, 1995
Director: Peter Horton
This drama follows two boys, one with HIV and the other a healthy boy, who form a friendship that transforms their lives. As they embark on a quest to find a cure for the illness, the film explores themes of friendship, hope, and the impact of disease on youth.
Starring: Brad Renfro, Joseph Mazzello, Annabella Sciorra, Diana Scarwid, Aeryk Egan, Delphine French, Mona Powell, Andrew Broder, Jeremy Howard, Rosemary Corman, T. Mychael Rambo, David Alan Smith, Delia Jurek, Fran Korba, John Carroll Lynch, John Beasley, Raymond Nelson, Scott Stockton, Dale Handevidt, Nicky Katt, Craig Gierl, Renée Humphrey, Laurie A. Sinclair, Stephen D'Ambrose, Shirley Venard, Mary McCusker, Bruce Davison, Peter Moore, Rodney W. England, Bill Schoppert, Samantha Lemole;
Production year: 1995;
Genre: drama, adventure;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 97 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,7;
More information about the film “The Cure” on the website imdb.com
“The Kite Runner”, 2007
Director: Marc Forster
Based on Khaled Hosseini's novel, this film follows Amir, a boy from Kabul, who witnesses a traumatic event involving his friend Hassan, who later becomes ill. The story weaves themes of guilt, redemption, and the impact of childhood experiences on adult life.
Starring: Khalid Abdalla, Atossa Leoni, Shaun Toub, Sayed Jafar Masihullah Gharibzada, Zekeria Ebrahimi, Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada, Mir Mahmood Shah Hashimi, Homayon Ershadi, Nabi Tanha, Elham Ehsas, Bahram Ehsas, Tamim Nawabi, Mohamad Nabi Attai, Mohamad Nadir Sarwari, Mustafa Haidari, Ahmad Yasar Shir Agha, Mohammad Aman Joya, Abdul Azim Wahabzada, Vsevolod Bardashev, Murina Abudukelimu, Igor Radchenko, Larry Brown, L. Peter Callender, Josh Chamberlain, Marco Mazariegos, Shaan Price, Abdul Qadir Farookh, Peg McKibbin, Chris Verrill, Amar Kureishi, Maimoona Ghizal, Ehsan Aman, Yunus Osman, Mehboob Ali, Saïd Taghmaoui, Nasser Memarzia, Abdul Salam Yusoufzai, Mohamad Amin Rahimi, Aziz Raxidi, Khalil Ahmad Nooryan, Ali Dinesh, Hameeda Hamraz, Kaiser Doulat-Beek, Ahmad Shah Alam, Habib Zargi, Houshmand Habib, Lukas Ferreira, Saeed Meeran Farhad, Anita Argent;
Production year: 2007;
Genre: drama;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 128 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,6;
More information about the film “The Kite Runner” on the website imdb.com
“The Pursuit of Happyness”, 2006
Director: Gabriele Muccino
While primarily about adult struggles, this film features a young boy who faces adversity alongside his father, Chris Gardner, who is struggling with homelessness and unemployment. The boy's innocence and resilience serve as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by children in difficult circumstances.
Starring: Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandiwe Newton, Brian Howe, James Karen, Dan Castellaneta, Kurt Fuller, Takayo Fischer, Kevin West, George Cheung, David Michael Silverman, Domenic Bove, Geoff Callan, Joyful Raven, Scott Klace, Rashida Clendening, Eric Schniewind, Peter Fitzsimmons, Maurice Sherbanee, Zuhair Haddad, Victor Raider-Wexler, Mark Christopher Lawrence, Darryl Fong, George Maguire, Joe Nunez, Adam Del Rio, Rocky LaRochelle, Erin Cahill, Rueben Grundy, Lo Ming, John Kovacevich, Bonnie Akimoto, Stu Klitsner, Esther Scott, Tina D'Elia, Rev. Cecil Williams, David Fine, George Moffatt, Amir Talai, Mike Garibaldi, Jason Frazier, Kevin Crook, David Haines, James Finnerty, Abigail Van Alyn, Bob Greene, Robert Anthony Peters, Terri Orth-Pallavicini, John Robb, Daniel Wilder!;
Production year: 2006;
Genre: drama, biography;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 117 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8;
More information about the film “The Pursuit of Happyness” on the website imdb.com
“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”, 2008
Director: Mark Herman
This historical drama tells the story of Bruno, an innocent eight-year-old boy whose family moves near a concentration camp during World War II. His friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the fence highlights the tragic consequences of prejudice and innocence in the face of suffering.
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Jack Scanlon, David Thewlis, Vera Farmiga, Amber Beattie, Sheila Hancock, Richard Johnson, Cara Horgan, David Hayman, Rupert Friend, Jim Norton, Zac Mattoon O'Brien, Domonkos Németh, Henry Kingsman, Zsuzsa Holl, László Áron, Charlie Baker, Iván Verebély, Béla Fesztbaum, Attila Egyed, László Nádasi, László Quitt, Mihály Szabados, Zsolt Sáfár Kovács, Gábor Harsai, Orsolya Júlia Papp;
Production year: 2008;
Genre: drama, war;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 94 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,7;
More information about the film “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” on the website imdb.com
These films not only entertain but also offer a lens through which viewers can reflect on the fragility of life, the importance of relationships, and the strength found in vulnerability.
In the realm of cinema, films about sick children have the power to touch our hearts and remind us of the strength and resilience of the human spirit. These films offer a unique perspective into the lives of these young protagonists, their struggles, and their triumphs. Through compelling storytelling, powerful performances, and emotive cinematography, these movies invite us to empathize with their characters and reflect on the fragility of life. From heart-wrenching dramas to uplifting tales of hope, films about sick children serve as a poignant reminder that even in the face of adversity, the indomitable will to survive and find joy can prevail.
