Talk about life-changing documentaries, and there have been a lot in the past few years. This is one to add to the list for sure!
May I Be Frank is a documentary about Frank, a drug addict who is morbidly obese, pre-diabetic and has Hepatitis C. Frank is not only extremely overweight, but also is on tons of medication. Frank lives in San Francisco, and one day he makes his way into Café Gratitude, a raw, vegan and organic restaurant. He strikes up a rapport and later a friendship with a few of the staff members. One day they happen to ask Frank a question, "What is one thing you want to do before you die?" Frank says he wants to fall in love one more time, but he thinks no one would love him looking the way he does.
His new friends are inspired to help him transform his life. They challenge him to a 42-day transformation. He has to agree to eat what they say (mostly raw and vegan), practice affirmations in front of a mirror, get colonics and follow "The Abounding River Logbook" (written by the owners of Café Gratitude about being abundant). In this book you practice loving life, adoring yourself, accepting the world, being generous and grateful every day and experiencing being provided for!
For me one of the important messages in this movie is that there is more to getting healthy than just changing your diet. There is a reason Frank became morbidly obese. You have to do the inside work as well as the diet and exercise!
I have personally dreamed about visiting Café Gratitude for years. Getting a glimpse of how things work there was so great. The staff is just as I had imagined them: committed, compassionate, and healthy as ever.
There is also some irony here, as I am on my own life-saving health journey. When I heard about Frank's story I knew it was going to be a monumental movie in my life. Watching Frank's transformation was close to my heart. I think there is a part of Frank in all of us. His story is soulful, sad, inspiring and funny all rolled in to one amazing documentary.
Frank and the makers of this film are traveling around the country sharing Frank's message. They chose to bring this film directly to the audiences. It was a homegrown film, made in a very holistic way, and released to the world in the same way. If you want some healthy inspiration going into the New Year, I highly recommend this one.
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In a world filled with fake "reality TV" shows, this film stands out as a real life, inspiring testimonial to the power of love and good food.
And I suspect the love and compassion provided to Frank by his friends at Cafe Gratitude was the most healing gift they offered.
We should all reach out to the Franks in the world - and to the Franks in ourselves.