The Family Plot Blog
Wait, The Wizard of Oz is a Mortality Movie?
I’m so excited to be going to see enhanced, interactive version of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere in Las Vegas soon! It had been a while since I’d seen it, so I scheduled it for a Mortality Movie Night at my home. Is this children’s classic a Mortality Movie? You bet your ruby red slippers it is! Think about it - dead witches, the Munchkin Coroner making the pronouncement, the hourglass with the red sand which spells doom for...
Podcast: Greg Barnsdale on Do Not Ignore Your Mortality
On The Doyenne of Death Podcast: Facing the Inevitable, a Conversation with Greg Barnsdale If there’s one thing in life we can all count on, it’s death. And yet—despite a 100% guaranteed outcome—most of us prefer to treat it like that awkward relative at Thanksgiving: ignore it and hope it goes away. Spoiler alert: it won’t. That’s why I’m thrilled to share my latest episode of...
Mortality Movies About Medical Treatment and End of Life Issues
Mortality Movies can be sorted into many different topic areas. Some films cover multiple categories. Today’s list covers Gail Rubin's recommendations for films related to medical treatment and end-of-life issues. Subscribe to her Substack column, Mortality Movies with The Doyenne of Death® to be kept up to date on new recommendations! YouTube clips available online are also included, so you can get a feel for these Mortality Movies. If you...
Gail Rubin at TEDxABQ 2025: Exploring Curiosity in All Its Dimensions
On Saturday, September 27, 2025, TEDxABQ will return with a bold new theme: Curiosity. This year’s event will be held at Albuquerque’s immersive Electric Playhouse, transforming the traditional TEDx experience into a multi-sensory journey of ideas, perspectives, and human connection. And one of the speakers will be Gail Rubin! From 1:00 PM to 6:30 PM, 15 speakers will share thought-provoking talks that challenge assumptions, spark dialogue, and...
Mortality Movies Featuring Funerals and Funeral Directors
The Doyenne of Death loves movies! I love how they can be used to get people to discuss death and hopefully take action to plan ahead for our 100% mortality rate. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing my lists of films, starting with those involving funerals, funeral directors, and the mortuary business in general. Got any additions to add to the list? Post in the comments! Also included are selected film clips that can give you some...
Seeking Voices: Share Your Experience with Death and Dying in a Complex World
Death Experience Survey Have you experienced the death of someone close to you in the past year? Would you consider sharing your thoughts on what makes a "good death"? If so, the Organization in a Complex Future project invites you to take part in an important new survey that explores personal experiences and perspectives around death and dying. This initiative is part of a broader effort to better understand how individuals navigate the...
New Video: Being, Doing, Feeling – Eight Deaths. One Talk.
A personal journey through deaths, grief, love, hospice, and human vulnerability— with a few laughs along the way. When you make a career out of talking about deaths, people often assume you're emotionally bulletproof. But I’m here to report: nope. Over 24 months, I experienced eight deaths in my family. That includes my beloved husband, both my parents, my in-laws, my cat (yes, she counts), and two unexpected losses that hit hard and fast....
Lights, Camera, Mortality: The Doyenne of Death Launches Mortality Movies Newsletter on Substack
Who says talking about death has to be a drag? Gail Rubin, CT, also known as The Doyenne of Death®, has launched a new free and paid Substack newsletter: Mortality Movies with The Doyenne of Death®, bringing humor, film, and end-of-life education into one lively and cinematic package. With a unique blend of wit and wisdom, Rubin’s Mortality Movies newsletter on Substack is a one-of-a-kind resource exploring the intersection of death and film....
Join the Cool Conversations Online for Death Over Drafts June 19
On Thursday, June 19, death care professionals and death-positive folks are invited to join the quarterly online Zoom meeting of Death over Drafts. It's hosted by Stefanie Elkins, Death over Drafts Founder as well as Family Caregiver Consultant and EOL Doula with Be Present Care, along with Lisa Pahl, LCSW, The Death Deck. They are buzzed to offer quarterly Death over Drafts via Zoom in addition to events in physical locations. The special...
Funeral Consumer Alliance Conference on Funeral Poverty in Our Communities
The Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) invites you to attend their 2025 Biennial Conference: “The Cost of Goodbye: Confronting Funeral Poverty in Our Communities.” This gathering addresses the urgent challenges of funeral poverty and indigent burial. Taking place from June 26–29, 2025 in the Raleigh, NC area, this event brings together experts, advocates, and community leaders committed to ensuring equitable access to end-of-life care and...
End of Life Conversations Podcast Interview with Gail Rubin
Today, the End of Life Conversations podcast published an interview with Gail Rubin, the Doyenne of Death. It's a 30 minute episode with hosts Rev. Annalouiza Armendariz and Rev. Wakil David Matthews, MA. Among the topics they discussed: Her creative approaches, including the use of humor and film clips, to engage people in conversations about death. Her personal experiences with loss and the challenges she faces in her work, advocating for...
Mortality Movie Nights at French Funerals & Cremations: Exploring Life and Death Through Film
If you’re seeking a unique and thought-provoking way to explore the deep, often unspoken aspects of life and death, Mortality Movie Nights at French Funerals & Cremations is an event you won't want to miss. Hosted by Gail Rubin, a well-known death educator and advocate for bringing death out of the shadows, Mortality Movie Nights offer a safe, open space for reflection and discussion on life’s most inevitable topic: death. The next...
Scott’s House in Santa Fe Social Model Hospice Home
Scott's House, located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a one-of-a-kind non-profit organization offering a unique social model hospice dedicated to providing free end-of-life and respite care in a home-like setting. As the only facility of its kind currently in the state, Scott's House offers a compassionate environment for individuals nearing the end of life or in need of temporary respite care. In this interview with Gail Rubin, Scott's House...
Veterans Can Share Their Life Stories Pre-Need with Keeper Memorials
Keeper Memorials, an award-winning digital memorialization platform, has leveraged their Living Memorial profiles to expand Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM), empowering Veterans to share their own stories and preserve their legacies for future generations. This feature, called “Your Story, Your Legacy,” is powered by Keeper’s online memorial platform and was developed through a collaborative partnership between the U.S. Department of Veterans...
Before I Die Festival Day Four Videos on Unexpected Death
The 2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival took place November 1 through 4 in different locations around Albuquerque. The fourth day’s topics focused on the theme of Unexpected Deaths. Presentations provided enlightenment on the Bernalillo County Unclaimed Indigent Cremation Program, the Office of the Medical Investigator (OMI) in New Mexico, Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) in New Mexico, advance funeral planning, and an interactive session titled,...
Before I Die Festival Day Three Videos on Planning for Death
The 2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival took place November 1 through 4 in different locations around Albuquerque. The third day's topics focused on the theme of Planning for the Inevitable: end-of-life preparation, working with death doulas, downsizing, and living funerals. The day’s presentations took place at the offices of Death Doula Professionals and Conscious Crossroads End-of-Life Services. Here are the videos of speakers and...
Before I Die Festival Day Two Videos on Hospice and More
The 2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival took place November 1 through 4 in different locations around Albuquerque. The second day focused on hospice, Medical Aid in Dying (MAID), grief insights, advance medical directives, and veterans benefits. The day's presentations took place at the headquarters of Bosque Trails Hospice. Here are the videos of speakers and activities from that day. Hospice 101 and MAID Rachel Rankin, MD, Medical Director...
Chptr Brings Life-Affirming Obituaries to Local Broadcast TV Stations
I recently had the opportunity to talk with Rehan Choudry, founder and CEO of Chptr. We discussed how his company provides a unique communications service of value for families and funeral homes. What is Chptr and what services do you provide? Chptr is a B2B platform that connects community storytelling with local broadcast media. We specialize in creating, distributing, and broadcasting memorials and death notices. Our platform helps funeral...
Video: Better Place Forests Offers Eco-Friendly Funeral Options
Learn About Better Place Forests Jessica Wakefield, CFSP, Director of Partnerships, Community & Education with Better Place Forests, talks to Before I Die New Mexico Festival participants about their memorial forests. The company offers eco-friendly memorial options for placement of cremated remains and natural organic reduction compost at conservation forests in California, the Midwest, the Northeast and the Southwest. The company works...
Video: Learn About Eco-Friendly Funerals with Passages International
Darren Crouch, President and CEO of Passages International, talks to Before I Die New Mexico Festival participants about consumer trends toward making funerals more eco-friendly. Since 1999, Passages has provided biodegradable, sustainable and eco-friendly funeral products to funeral homes in the U.S. and internationally. Passages hosted the first day of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival at their headquarters in Albuquerque, NM. Watch the...
Celebrating the Life of the Remarkable Ruth Rubin
Ruth Rubin was my mother. As a Certified Funeral Celebrant, I was honored to write her obituary and create this graveside service for her. Here is my script for the service, so you can see the elements of Recognize, Remember, Reaffirm and Release that comprise every good funeral or memorial service. Music (Adonai Li) Welcome. We just listened to Adonai Li, the High Holiday rendition of the last stanza of the song Adon Olam. The translation is...