A Doc—and a Dad

A daughter's devastating accident. Her father's race for a breakthrough. The story behind a powerful new documentary.

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Kessler takes his argument for stem cell research on the road.

One reason for the delay, Kessler says, is politics. Not long after stem cells were first isolated in 1998, activists rallied in opposition, claiming that the research destroyed human embryos—and stirred up the same legal and moral issues that abortion does. In the documentary, a Catholic priest with a Ph.D. in neuroscience also argues against the research, which has been limited by President George W. Bush's restrictions on federal funding.

The film shows Kessler challenging the White House (whose position he calls "draconian") point by point and squeezing weekly public appearances into his jammed schedule. Each is a crash course on biology, as well as stem cell research and the motivation behind it. "I had always shied away from public appearances," Kessler says. "But then our president took a stance that, I think, was scientifically wrong.  I had to become an advocate." 

Finitzo, the director, says that before making the film she had doubts that Kessler would ever go on camera. "I figured he was way too busy," she says. But during their first meeting to discuss the project, she realized that the doctor saw the film as a chance to ramp up the advocacy to which he was already committed. He agreed, she says, but first his daughter had to give him the OK. And she did.

Photograph: (Film still) Courtesy of Kartemquin Films