One of the facts that we all have to accept at some point is that life just sometimes isn’t fair – and few stories portray this more vividly than that of Sandra Massart, the 7-year-old Belgian girl who was diagnosed with an extremely rare condition called metachromatic leukodystrophy (also known as MLD), a brain condition that gradually causes her vital functions to deteriorate, causing her to have a life expectancy of only a couple of years. Her heartbreaking story is the subject of Save Sandra (Flemish: Red Sandra), written and directed by Jan Verheyen and Lien Willaert, who tells the story of Sandra and her parents, William and Olga, who fight tirelessly to help their daughter by trying to find a cure, which they know is on the horizon, since it has been widely reported than an experimental new drug is being developed that can help treat MLD. Save Sandra is a film about the value of life, told through some truly heartbreaking storytelling – the directors capture the beautiful but deeply sad story of the race to save a young girl who has barely begun her life before she is told that it will end very soon – and like many social issue dramas, this film is filled to the brim with rebellious anger towards the institutions that see human life as expendable, leaving it up to those furious enough to do whatever it takes to get results. The result is an achingly beautiful film that carries a deep and unflinching message about the value of cherishing life, and not giving up the fight for what we truly believe is right, joining the ranks of many astonishing films that tell the story of tenacious individuals fighting the system with every fibre of their being, solely to ensure their loved ones remain with them for as long as possible.

Considering the subject matter of Save Sandra, you’d be quite correct in anticipating a relating run-of-the-mill social drama, the directors coming armed with all the conventions you’d expect from such a narrative. An abundance of emotions, both tear-jerking and joy-inducing, an endless stream of societal angst, and a lot of commentary to the state of the world. It joins a long lineage of human interest stories that are translated to the screen, Verheyen and Willaert taking a particular fascination with the story of Sandra, and her parents that fight for her survival, which is very clearly fertile ground for a deeply moving character study that gives the filmmakers the opportunity to place emphasis on the proverbial “little people” who take on the major corporations, in this case the maniacal pharmaceutical industry, which has become something of a malicious spectre in both real life and in literature, particularly those that define the idea of capitalistic greed. Save Sandra is very conventional, and it frequently seems to be drawing from a familiar set of ideas that can be easily found in any similar film. The difference here is quite simple – while it doesn’t do anything particularly different in terms of the story it tells, its approach is where it finds most of its depth. Going into this film, you can immediately tell that this is one aiming to pluck out a few tears from even the most cynical viewer – but it never feels manipulative, constantly keeping a level of sophistication that not only respects the audience (giving them credit as viewers, rather than believing we’re just a homogenous mass that will sob over the slightest emotional provocation), but also honours the subject of the film, whose journey is one that is heartbreaking but inspiring, and therefore required a film that adequately told her story without descending into the same trite melodrama we’d expect from such a film.

Save Sandra is a profoundly human film, and therefore a lot of attention can be drawn to the performances at the heart of the film – Sven De Ridder and Darya Gantura did not have an easy task when it came to portraying the parents of the titular character, since these are layered characters that required gifted actors who could run the gamut of emotions. De Ridder in particular is absolutely incredible in the film, playing William Massart with the kind of brutal honesty that not many actors would be able to evoke in such situations. William’s tireless quest to save his daughter’s life by any means necessary easily made him not only the embodiment of an excellent parent, but the definition of a hero, the image of tenacity and perseverance – and without the actor’s spirited performance, it’s highly unlike Save Sandra would’ve been nearly this effective, since so much of what makes it effective comes from this performance. Gantura is more passive, but is not any less impressive, playing the shattered mother who is doing her best to save her daughter’s life, albeit in a very different form – instead of continuously seeking out options that will help cure Sandra of this debilitating disease, she instead tries to give her a normal childhood, providing her with as many experiences as she can possibly muster, in the hopes that, in the case that they can’t save her, that this innocent child will at least pass away knowing she was truly loved. The film is a beautiful exploration of both the relationship Sandra had with her parents, as well as their experiences with one another, who prove to make this film a heartbreaking but effective glimpse into the lives of these characters who are doing their absolute best to work through what is likely the most difficult experience of their entire lives.

It’s undeniable that Save Sandra can be somewhat exhausting, at least on an emotional level. The year-long odyssey that saw the main character’s parents desperately searching for a means to save her life was filled with unexpected twists and turns, and the film does well in representing both the peaks and valleys of this difficult period for the family. It looks at both the very traditional aspects of the story, chronicling their efforts to find a cure in terms of the actual events, as well as touching on the psychological impact of such an experience, the two components working in tandem to create this vivid and heartbreaking drama. There comes a point where Save Sandra stops being a very traditional drama and starts to play like a psychological thriller, with the mounting tensions and deep existential despair felt by the main characters being tangible, especially as William inches ever closer to the faceless corporations, confronting their figureheads directly, standing his ground even when he knows he is not going to get the resolution he desperately wants. The directors manage to evoke the feeling of immense frustration and hopelessness a character in his position would feel – and any film that can make the audience just as furious as the people depicted on screen warrants attention, at least in terms of establishing a particular atmosphere, which is difficult to do without defaulting to becoming an overwrought jumble of emotions. Grappling the tonal boundary was vitally important in the development of this film, which frequently (and without much hesitation) tells this heartfelt story without needing to rely on the manipulation of the viewer to feel these emotions. Everything is authentic and emerges from a place of deep honesty, which makes a profound difference in such a film.

If there is a message at the heart of Save Sandra, it’s the fact that even when one knows they are fighting a losing battle, there is merit in tenacity. There isn’t much of a happy ending to this film, with the postscript indicating that the revolutionary stem-cell surgery did help prolong the life of Sandra, but who ultimately succumbed to pneumonia years later. However, it’s a matter of perspective – considering this film was centred on characters racing against the clock to save the life of their daughter who was rapidly deteriorating before their eyes, the fact that she managed to have nearly another decade of life is a miracle in itself. This is why Save Sandra is such a powerful film – even at its most heartbreaking, there is a sense of hope – we might not always see it, since our instinct is to resolve every problem to as close to completion as we can. It’s human nature, but it can often rob us of the smallest moments, which should be cherished, since not every problem can be solved in the way we’d expect. Save Sandra is an absolutely beautiful film – built from the heartbreaking but inspiring story of a young girl faced with a horrifying diagnosis, and her parents, who are motivated to do whatever they can to prevent losing their beloved daughter. Impressive performances, a strong screenplay and a really heartfelt approach to putting it all together easily makes this film one of the year’s most powerful stories, one that will undoubtedly touch viewers, who will in turn likely be holding back tears for the duration of this stunning, genuinely moving ode to the power of tenacity and standing up for one’s fundamental human right, which is essentially broken down to the fact that everyone should be given the opportunity to experience the intricate beauties of life.