Death As Life The Taboo of Dying
Shhh! Death is a taboo subject. Most of us do not want to discuss it. We tiptoe around it, try to circumvent it, or use euphemisms. Our loved ones did not die; they "passed away," "went to a better place," or "moved on to their great reward." Maybe we think we can avoid death, but no one can and death is not limited to physical death. It comes in many forms. We can experience the death of a dream, the death of a relationship, the death of our youth, the death of our health, and any number of significant changes that force us to grapple with impermanence. If we do not face and accept death, though, we fear it, and fear is an even heavier load to bear than death, because fear saps the energy out of life.
No matter who you are or what stages of life you are in, Death as Life is made for you. In the midst of life's constant changes, Death as Life is a friend who is here to make living a little easier.
Running Time
71 mins
Year
2012
Kanopy ID
1122581
Filmmakers
Subjects
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Comments (1)
A woman I interviewed for my film, Death as Life, recounted the story of a family vacation she sacrificed and saved her money to take. On the way home from the airport and comfortable in the car service that picked them up, her heart was full—filled with memories from the trip. Within minutes ...Read more
A woman I interviewed for my film, Death as Life, recounted the story of a family vacation she sacrificed and saved her money to take. On the way home from the airport and comfortable in the car service that picked them up, her heart was full—filled with memories from the trip. Within minutes of texting her brother to let him know they made it home, a driver too drunk to be behind the wheel of a car, caused an accident that killed her son, her daughter, and grandson. Her husband left with brain damage. Death is that way. Its devastation doesn’t always come with a warning. In an instant, our lives can drastically change.
Are we ever prepared for a loss? Why doesn’t our culture embrace death as part of life? How much energy does it take from living to keep the fear of death out of our conscious mind? These are among the many questions I had when I contemplated my fear of mortality, which prompted me to make the film, Death as Life. The film is an intermingled conversation with death experts and laypeople that are dealing with death. The mix of people and circumstances makes the film about such a sensitive subject relatable and eye opening. When we combine death with life, our lives have more meaning.
Anytime I am asked who my audience is for Death as Life, I laugh to myself, because to me, the answer is so obvious—everyone!
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