Short Film Program

Rooftop Selects: Cemetery Shorts

It’s hard to face the end of life’s long journey. Linger with us a little while longer, and experience a thoughtful collection of films that surprise, mystify, and stir the soul.

Tickets

Sat Jun 8 7:45 PM

When confronted with death, it’s difficult to know whether to look forward or think back. Here, you can do both! Come for our annual gathering in Green-Wood Cemetery, where together we’ll dive into family drama at a funeral, carve into the meaning of life with a headstone sculptor, and hang out with nuns who just can’t wait to die. With this collection of short films, we’ll experience how death can bring heartbreak, humor, clarity, and sometimes, nothing at all.

The Films

Bob's Funeral

Jack Dunphy | US | 18

Searching for the root of generational trauma, the director sneaks a camera into his estranged grandfather’s funeral.

Confessions

Stephanie Kaznocha | US | 8

After the death of a friend, two nuns in their golden years contemplate what their future holds. One confession leads to another and before they know it, they're embarking on an adventure.

Diary of an Illness

Mika Ruskin | Not Specified | 4

The film portraying a woman's confrontation with cancer: her fears, isolation, and the peculiar beauty that emerges amidst the agony.

End of the Road

Ivana Todorovic | Serbia | 19

Zeljko and Viki sacrifice all they have to ensure a gentle end of life for discarded horses on their small plot of land. End of the Road examines mortality and the need for compassion, empathy and dignity to be extended to all living beings for the entirety of their lives' journey.

Live From the Clouds

Mackie Mallison | US | 16

A kaleidoscopic journey through the imaginations of the director’s Japanese-American family and their longings to find home.

Stone Dead

Freddie Gluck | US | 6

Meet Rex, a sculptor who engages in philosophical musings about mortality — verbalizing his abandonment of fear to his headstones.

Tennis, Oranges

Sean Pecknold | US | 11

A robotic vacuum in a pandemic hospital quits its repetitive job. It travels to Chinatown looking for meaning. Befriending a rabbit trapped in repetition, the vacuum discovers community and purpose beyond programmed cleaning.

Why Are You Image Plus?

Diogo Baldaia | Portugal | 9

A local Saint controls the realm of the abyss, making it impossible for dead people to talk to their loved ones who are still living.

Performer

Kitba

Kitba, the eponymous musical project of singer-songwriter and harpist Rebecca Kitba Bryson El-Saleh, is the product of a lifetime of musical and artistic development. Based in Brooklyn, Kitba makes exhilarating, deeply personal music that explores the nuances of interiority, communication, mental health, and love. They can be heard on recordings from artists such as Half Waif, mmeadows, and Cassandra Jenkins, as well as frequently performing with a wide range of artists and groups in NYC. Kitba’s debut self-titled album, co-produced with Zubin Hensler, was released in 2023 on Ruination Record Co.

Event Details

7:45 PM

Doors Open & Pre-Show Reception Begins

8:20 PM

Live Music from Kitba

8:55 PM

Science on Screen® Presentation by Gabrielle Gatto of Green-Wood Cemetery

9:15 PM

Films Begin

10:45 PM

Q&A with Filmmakers, followed by Post-Show Reception

This event is part of the Rooftop Selects series!

At least once a month, Rooftop Selects screenings highlight a special indie gem. The best part? Rooftop Members attend free!

Join today to access the offer—and so much more.Screening presented as part of the Alfred P. Sloan Science on Screen® series.

Grief is not only a spiritual journey, but one for the mind and body to undergo as well. The brain often plays tricks on us we don't have rational answers for, but neuroscience reveals explanations that could provide comfort in those times of confusion. Uncovering these truths of how and why the brain has a difficult time navigating loss, can increase our literacy and awareness about how we process death, dying, grief, and loss. Join Gabrielle Gatto of Green-Wood Cemetery for A Mourning Mindset: What Neuroscience Can Teach Us About Grief.

Venue

Green-Wood Cemetery

500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232