Be here now. Live in the moment. Don't fear what you can't control.
Those are three key themes explored in a new film that documents Spartacus star Andy Whitfield's ultimately unsuccessful fight with cancer.
The Welsh actor was on top of the world in 2010. The first season of the New Zealand-produced TV series was a hit and preparations were underway for a second season.
But out of the blue, the young, healthy heartthrob was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Then, after being declared cancer-free once, it returned again months later. Doctors had found a resilient subset of cells.
He was told that if he did nothing he would be dead in three to six months.
But instead of doing nothing, he decided to film his journey. The result is a documentary called Be Here Now: The Andy Whitfield Story.
It premiered in Wellington tonight at the opening of Documentary Edge -- a New Zealand international documentary film festival.
Andy's widow Vashti was there.
"For Andy, he really needed to find purpose in him. And that meant giving back or connecting with other people in some way."
Be Here Now is both confronting and deeply personal.
Vashti says having cameras present during such private moments wasn't intrusive, but actually beneficial.
"You have lots of stuff going on in your mind, but as soon as you articulate them, it dissipates," she says. "So for Andy and I, it was incredible supportive."
It was directed by Oscar-nominee Lilibet Foster, who became involved after the Whitfields had already filmed some parts themselves.
"I was so enriched by the sort of beautiful and inspiring love story of the family gathering around him that ultimately that's what makes the story uplifting," Foster says.
Andy died aged 39 in September 2011 -- just 18 months after his initial diagnosis.
Vashti hopes laying his journey bare will encourage people to see challenge and adversity, as an opportunity for growth.
Be Here Now: The Andy Whitfield Story is screening at Wellington's Roxy Cinema as part of the Documentary Edge Film Festival.
Newshub.
