Short Film Program

Cemetery Shorts

Sometimes loss brings clarity. Other times, fog descends. Explore the mysteries, epiphanies, and surprises that can accompany tragedy.

Tickets

Mon Jun 19 7:45 PM

Do we fear death? Are we afraid to know what comes after? What defines a life well-lived? The filmmakers in this program offer fresh perspectives on dying, loss, grief, and all that comes with it, whether it’s dealing with the unexpressed sorrow around a parent’s passing, our futures in an unknowable galaxy, or purchasing cheap reminders of our own mortality, these shorts express the many different forms death takes in our lives. Connect with us in Green-Wood Cemetery as we contemplate and celebrate our place on this earth and our connection to the people that have come before.

The Films

A Hole

Molly Murphy | US | 10

A fable built around the time dilation that occurs in extreme gravity. Advised by esteemed physicist and graphic novelist, Clifford Johnson, A Hole looks at what would happen if the world were to be swallowed by a black hole…

Goodnight, Moon

Michael Patten | US | 18

Stephen Gailule wants closure. After hijacking his father’s ashes, he makes a suburban pilgrimage, trespassing onto the grounds of his childhood home. Things change when the new tenant takes a particular interest in emotionally-stunted Steve.

Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó (Grandma & Grandma)

Sean Wang | US | 17

Nǎi Nai is my grandma. Wài Pó is also my grandma. Together, they are a grandma super team that dances, stretches, and farts their sorrows away.

Perfecting the Art of Longing

Kitra Cahana | US | 12

Using footage from security cameras, video calls and home-video archives, this experimental short film leads us on a journey through memory, family and faith

Styrofoam Human Skull Wrapped in Plastic

Ethan Knecht | US | 3

Styrofoam Human Skull Wrapped in Plastic is a spontaneous documentary/meditation centered on late stage capitalism.

Weapons and Their Names

Melina Valdez | US | 16

Weapons and Their Names is a coming-of-age story about a teenage immigrant named Luciana, who lives in rural Florida. After the death of her American stepfather, she struggles to connect with her grieving mother and is unable to confront her own feelings of grief.

Performer

Oriental Rugs

John Shin, also known as Oriental Rugs, is a composer and sound designer that uses synthesis and acoustics to shape sound in different listening environments. His music creates ambient soundscapes influenced by minimalism, drone, krautrock, noise, avant-garde and 80’s-90’s cinema scores. His latest album Ghost Dad 2020 is a new original score to the 1990 Bill Cosby film Ghost Dad, reimagined as a Lynchian style horror film.

Event Details

7:45 PM

Doors Open & Reception

8:15 PM

Live Music from Oriental Rugs

8:55 PM

Science on Screen® Presentation by Sara Evans of Green-Wood Cemetery and Ethan Crenson of The New York Mycological Society

9:10 PM

Films Begin

10:40 PM

Q&A with Filmmakers

11:00 PM

After-Party

Screening presented as part of the Alfred P. Sloan Science on Screen® series.

How do you cope with the grief that accompanies the loss and uncertainty of our rapidly changing environment? Join Sara Evans of Green-Wood Cemetery and Ethan Crenson of The New York Mycological Society as they share a few of their antidotes: strengthening their connection to the environment through community, citizen science, and stewardship.

Venue

Green-Wood Cemetery

500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232