Alumni Digest / U of T / Ideas /
Sarah Hime turns pain into a film
The UTM actor wrote, produced and starred in Alice is Fine, drawing on her experience of chronic pelvic pain.
Sarah Hime, right, plays Alice during a scene from Alice is Fine.Photo: Frances Juriansz
The context
Where the work begins
Sarah Hime's first filmmaking project grew from years of chronic pelvic pain and frustration with medical care. In the 2025 short Alice is Fine, she plays a woman seeking help while confronting gender bias. Hime wrote and produced the film as well as taking the lead role.
The takeaway
What follows
The 2017 UTM theatre and drama studies graduate recruited former classmates she trusted. Bryn Kennedy co-produced the film, and Ben Steele Caldwell plays a medical student. Hime credits campus experience in acting, stage management, costumes and props with preparing her for multiple responsibilities. She also built humour into the story's difficult encounters, hoping patients would recognize their own experiences.
Source reporting
Sarah Hime turns pain into a film
Original summary by Alumni Digest, based on public source reporting. This independent publication is not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Toronto. Source image retained for editorial review; rights clearance is still required before any broader reuse.
