Fort Collins Cinema to Screen Documentary on Medical Aid in Dying Law

The Lyric in Fort Collins will screen "Other Side," a documentary about a terminally ill woman's legal challenge that led Vermont to become the first state allowing non-residents to access medical aid in dying, on November 7.

The single-night screening follows the woman's end-of-life journey while documenting her groundbreaking legal battle. Vermont removed its residency requirement for medical aid in dying in 2023, making it the only state to permit out-of-state access to the program.

Colorado's End-of-Life Options Act, passed by voters in 2016, requires patients to be Colorado residents. Both Colorado and Vermont laws mandate patients be at least 18 years old, diagnosed with a terminal illness expected to result in death within six months, and capable of making their own healthcare decisions.

Vermont enacted its Patient Choice and Control at End of Life Act in 2013 through legislative action, becoming the first state to authorize medical aid in dying through its legislature rather than by ballot initiative, according to Vermont Ethics Network. The law requires two oral requests separated by at least 15 days and one written request witnessed by two people.

Colorado's law, which took effect December 16, 2016, includes similar safeguards with two physician confirmations, waiting periods, and requirements that patients self-administer medication.

The Lyric, an independent cinema operating in Fort Collins since the 1940s, regularly features documentary screenings addressing social and medical topics. The venue schedules single-night documentary events to facilitate community discussion and filmmaker engagement, often including question-and-answer sessions following screenings.

Tickets for the November 7 screening are available online at the theater's website or at the concessions counter.