Fourteen months after giving birth to her daughter Talula, Lori Benson received life-altering news when her doctor called (after a routine mammogram) to tell her she had breast cancer.  

DEAR TALULA began with a suggestion to start filming from Lori's husband, a documentary filmmaker, who recognized the compelling subject matter. Within days of her diagnosis, Lori's friends began videotaping her and the camera soon became an invisible yet pervasive presence in her life. The major moments and tiny details of her experience as a woman, a daughter, a friend and a new mother going through breast cancer, were all recorded.

Mixing verité footage with home movies and family photographs, this 34-minute film is an intimate portrait of a young woman who met the challenges of her breast cancer diagnosis with captivating courage and candor.

DEAR TALULA aired on HBO's Cinemax Reel Lives Series in October 2007.

Visit DEAR TALULA's page on the HBO site.

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