Audrey’s Children
Director Ami Canaan Mann’s holistic lens commemorates the true story of a real medical marvel.
A fighting chance: Natalie Dormer
Image courtesy of Blue Harbor Entertainment.
There are few phrases more devastating than ‘childhood cancer’. Despite the heavy portent of those two words, the human body is capable of seemingly impossible feats, as are the minds that make others’ well-being their mission. Paediatric oncology has made great strides in modern times, yet remains (bewilderingly) one of the least funded areas of cancer research. In the face of this, the caregivers and medical professionals who take on the task of healing children struck by the C word are tried and true heroes. One such hero was Dr Audrey Evans, whose compassion and dedication were nothing short of revolutionary in the field. In Audrey’s Children, director Ami Canaan Mann, producer Julia Fisher Farbman, and an incandescent Natalie Dormer, bring Evans’ true story to the screen with sensitivity and heart. The Mother of Neuroblastoma wanted to be remembered as a woman who cared and the screen story of her life is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Set in 1969 Philadelphia against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and uncertain times, Dr Audrey Evans (Natalie Dormer) is a remarkable woman making her mark in the male-dominated medical world. With a sharp intellect and a fierce compassion for her young patients, Evans defies expectations — and protocol — in her fight to make a difference. A kind of medical Mary Poppins, Evans' approach to care is rooted not just in medicine but in an unwavering belief that even the smallest comforts can make a profound impact for children and families facing the unimaginable. She understood that her role was about more than merely fighting disease; creating light in the darkest of circumstances was just as vital. It’s fitting then that Audrey is shown early on carrying a lamp. "If you ever need light, come find me.” Indeed.
Much like the woman at its centre, Audrey’s Children is endowed with extraordinary care and compassion. Natalie Dormer’s Evans radiates quiet strength and emotional depth, capturing her heroism and the real, fallible human being whose passions sometimes get the best of her. Never indulgent or saccharine, the respectful and honest approach is perhaps most evident in a particular scene where Audrey gently discusses mortality with a child. The narrative also finds space to humanise Evans’ fellow doctors, enriching the character study without pulling focus. The institutional barriers Evans faces — and the resilience required to overcome them — demonstrate how even the most well-intentioned systems can impede progress. Supported by a team of creative women and male allies, Audrey’s Children feels both timeless and urgent. Its long journey to the screen seems validated by the timing (2025 marked Evans’ centenary) and care poured into each frame. The conclusion — an interview with Audrey herself — feels less like an ending and more like a beginning.
CHAD KENNERK
Cast: Natalie Dormer, Clancy Brown, Jimmi Simpson, Brandon Micheal Hall, Tony Robinette, Evelyn Giovine, Julianna Layne and Staci Dickerson.
Dir Ami Canaan Mann, Pro Julia Fisher Farbman, Bradley Gallo and Michael A. Helfant, Screenplay Julia Fisher Farbman, Ph Jon Keng, Pro Des Amber Unkle, Ed Matthew Ramsey, Music Genevieve Vincent, Costumes Sarah Maiorino.
Emblem Entertainment/Amasia Entertainment/Resonate Entertainment-Blue Harbor Entertainment.
110 mins. USA. 2024. US Rel: 28 March 2025. Cert. PG.
