"Look for the Diamonds"

13 April 2023

12 mins 35s

Blood pact.

Joel Goldberg is a man with four kidneys in his body, but none of them work. Every day the Liverpudlian is hooked up to a dialysis machine for two hours and eight minutes—enough time to decide how he wants to spend the other twenty-three hours and fifty-two minutes.

Goldberg has seen too many people let kidney failure define them, so he chooses to spend his energy on music, art, and flights of fancy. Director James Slater does a lovely job with these day dreams, as Goldberg embraces his inner ninja and stars in the music video for 'Went to Bed Ugly and I Woke Up Handsome'.

The result is a warm and relatable insight into one man, four kidneys, and near-unlimited possibilities. Though the film never shies away from the reality of kidney disease (close-ups of Goldberg's dialysis arm may upset some viewers), it never shies away from the joy of living either.

UK

Short Film