“Let’s talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs.” -Shakespeare
A cemetery is not merely a place to grieve–it is also a place to celebrate the great loves of our lives, remember lessons we have learned, and to contemplate how each of us arrived at this point in time. The thought-provoking films in this program come from all over the world and offer very intimate and personal perspectives on death, dying and memorialization. For some, the loss of a loved one is a catalyst for national change; for others, an occasion to clean out their closets; and there are those moved to cling tightly to the past and to preserve memories in amber. These films resonate because they present relatable perspectives on loss, but they don’t try to argue that there is one appropriate way to wrestle with the end. Presented on the idyllic grounds of Green-Wood Cemetery.
The Films
Hildegarde’s Piano
Alexander W. Lewis | US | 3
Hildegarde’s piano belonged to her late husband - a music lover and an amateur pianist. At 93 and no longer able to take care of herself, Hildegarde must leave the New York City apartment they had lived in for the past 55 years. She cannot take the piano with her. In this mostly visual piece, Hildegarde watches as piano movers meticulously disassemble and remove this beloved object, confronting her with change and loss.
In the Absence
Yi Seung-Jun | US, South Korea | 29
When the passenger ferry MV Sewol sank off the coast of South Korea in 2014, over three hundred people lost their lives, most of them schoolchildren. Years later, the victims’ families and survivors are still demanding justice from national authorities.
In a Lion (Wnetrze Lwa)
Karol Lindholm | Poland | 12
In a Danish zoo, you could learn that that the animals are beautiful on the inside too--but not all of the spectators succumb to the magic of such a show...
Obon
Andre Hörmann & Anna Samo | Germany | 15
Akiko Takakura is one of the last survivors of the atomic bomb explosion of Hiroshima. During Obon she receives the spirits of her parents and is haunted by memories. Akiko’s childhood consists of constant rejections and beatings. Finally Akiko experiences fatherly love in the midst of Hiroshima’s ruins.
Orbit
Tess Martin | Netherlands | 7
The Sun’s energy circulates through the Earth, feeding the cycle of life. Everything is connected in a natural loop, which repeats, like the circular discs of magical optical toys. This perfectly balanced rhythm is disrupted by human excess, throwing the cycle out of orbit and temporarily stopping the circulation of energy in nature. The natural cycle can and will continue, only without the human race in the mix.
Past Perfect
Jorge Jácome | Portugal | 23
"Many cities or countries have a distinct malaise. They are places that could be Portugal, so sunk in a painful longing of the past, and where each tension of the present is only the tip of an iceberg that is explained in successive retreats that can go straight until origin of the species, at least. This feeling common to many latitudes is often presented as a diagnosis, a denial of a painful present as opposed to the desire to return to a glorious past." -Pedro Penim
Event Details
8:30 PM
Live Music from Ami Dang
10:30 PM
Q&A moderated by Amy Cunningham, Green-Wood Cemetery's Death Educator
No refunds. In the event of rain, show will be rescheduled. No outside alcohol is permitted.
Venue
Green-Wood Cemetery
500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232
