When their two-year-old daughter, Chiyo, is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Rhiana and Kaz Ehara’s world is turned upside-down. From late night blood sugar checks to counting every single carbohydrate their daughter ingests, they live with the constant fear of missing a hypoglycemic episode that could take Chiyo away from them forever. Filmmakers themselves, Kaz and Rhiana decide to embrace their difficult circumstances through the familiar, by making a film. But it soon becomes clear that Kaz, a cinematographer by trade, is avoiding painful moments with Chiyo and Rhiana by taking refuge behind the camera, placing the entire burden on Rhiana’s shoulders. It’s a dynamic that can’t last. As the family rebels against the camera and his marriage starts to break down, Kaz realizes he must put himself on the other side of the lens if he wants to be a real part of this family and their story.
Founded in 2010 by Sarah Spring and Selin Murat, Parabola Films operates as a boutique film production company, producing high-quality author-driven documentary projects for festivals, theatrical releases, and television. Working CBC POV Docs, Documentary Channel, Société Radio-Canada, and internationally with Sundance and Eurimages among others, Parabola Films has released seven titles internationally in six years. Sweet Dreams for Chiyo is Parabola’s latest film. info@parabolafilms.ca