Gail Rubin, CT, host of Mortality Movies.
‘Mortality Movies,’ a new television series hosted by Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and The Doyenne of Death®, delves into death education through curated film and television clips. Each 30-minute episode tackles different themes related to death, funerals, grief, and a host of end-of-life issues.
Each 30-minute episode has a different theme and supporting clips:
- Discussing Death Won’t Kill You: Patch Adams, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Coco
- Cultural Landmark Films about Death: The Seventh Seal, Harold and Maude, Defending Your Life
- Medicine and Mortality: Wit, Checking Out, Critical Care, The Descendants
- Funeral Planning: The Queen, The Living Wake, Six Feet Under, The Kominsky Method
- Funeral Shopping: The Loved One, The Kominsky Method, About Schmidt, The Big Lebowski, Six Feet Under
- Woody Allen on Death: Love and Death, Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters
- Viking Funerals on Film: Beau Geste, The Vikings, Rocket Gibraltar, Eulogy, First Knight
The series will premiere on Xfinity’s Channel 27 in Albuquerque in early July 2024 and will also be available on YouTube via Gail Rubin’s channel (@GailRubin). Additional episodes on cremation, personalized funerals, estate planning, grief, and other related topics are in production. The program is filmed at Studio 519 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Rubin emphasizes the series’ unique approach, saying, “Through ‘Mortality Movies,’ we aim to encourage open discussions about death and empower viewers to plan ahead, ultimately easing the burden on their loved ones after they die.”
After debuting on Channel 27, episodes will become available on YouTube – search for ‘Mortality Movies’ on the @GailRubin channel. Most of the video clips on YouTube will be accessed through links in the description box. The program will also be offered on other cable access channels through PEGMedia (https://app.pegmedia.org/), a clearinghouse for free programming on cable systems across the country.
The experts joining host Gail Rubin to discuss the video and film clips are all based in the Albuquerque area:
- Danielle Slupesky, Death Doula with Conscious Crossroads End-of-Life Services, offering end-of-life guidance, vigil planning & holding, downsizing and peer grief companionship (DeathDoulaDanielle.com).
- Jane Westbrook, Death Educator with Generational Solutions, providing eight-week classes on planning ahead for end-of-life issues.
- Genna Reeves, Ph.D., Grief Coach/Peer Counselor, Certified Grief Educator, Community Liaison, HeartLight Center, and Death Doula with Invictus By Genna: Grief & Loss Services (InvictusByGenna.com).
Mortality Movies Film Clip Contest
Each ‘Mortality Movies’ episode features curated film and video clips related to death in the opening and closing credits. Viewers can participate in a film clip identification contest by emailing Gail@AGoodGoodbye.com with their list of clip sources to win exclusive ‘Mortality Movies’ merchandise. There are 12 sources in the opening credits and five in the closing credits. See if you can identify all the clips in these videos:
Mortality Movies Open
Mortality Movies Close
Tune in July 1!
Tune in to the premiere episode of ‘Mortality Movies’ on YouTube on July 1, 2024, on the @GailRubin YouTube channel, and subscribe for updates on each new episode.