My friend Sam.

Sam Frears is thirty nine and was born with the rare genetic disorder, familial dysautonomia (FD), a condition almost exclusively affecting Ashkenazi Jews. Originally Sam was given only a fifty percent chance of making it to his fifth birthday. This film follows him during his everyday life as he attempts to achieve his dreams of becoming an actor and finding the love of his life. As the son of director Stephen Frears and mother Mary-Kay Wilmers, the Editor of the London Review of Books, Sam lives a privileged life in terms of not having to earn money and being part of a close-knit London circle. However, the condition is progressive and Sam's sight, in particular, is deteriorating. Interspersed with Sam's everyday life, his family and friends recount his childhood and describe his achievements and struggles. Particularly poignant is Sam's struggle over whether or not to tell a female friend Joanna about his feelings for her at the risk of losing her friendship. The programme ends as Sam enjoys his 39th birthday party.