The Sea Inside is a 2004 Spanish drama film written, produced, directed and scored by Alejandro Amenábar, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It is based on the real-life story of Ramón Sampedro (played by Javier Bardem), who was left quadriplegic after a diving accident, and his 28-year campaign in support of euthanasia and the right to end his life.

The Sea Inside explores Ramón’s relationships with two women: Julia, a lawyer suffering from Cadasil syndrome, who supports his cause, and Rosa, a local woman who wants to convince him that life is worth living. The joys and frustrations of Ramon’s life are presented in beautiful intimate detail but really the film is a dialectic about the right of one person to end his life. The fact that Ramon Sampedro was a real living person gives this film additional power, not that it needs it with the stunning performance from Bardem.

125 minutes