Architecture of Death: The Inner World of Dying Screening and Panel Q&A

Director Johanna Lunn narrates this third chapter in the When You Die trilogy, which continues to address our mortality head on. She guides viewers through fear and into honest conversations about what really happens at the end of a person’s life. Architecture of Death: The Inner World of Dying seeks to answer: What happens as we are dying? What could the final months, weeks, and days of life look like for the person who is dying? And for the people who love them?

The film explores the physical aspect of dying, as well as the unseen felt experiences that can occur, such as: the changing roles within a family, the potential to heal old wounds, deathbed visions or dreams, messages to loved ones from the dying or recently passed, and a host of other phenomena. Professionals and leading clinicians share their extraordinary stories, as Director Johanna Lunn takes viewers by the hand to explore what death might look like.

Experts featured in the documentary: Sue Brayne, MA; Dr. Paige Moorehouse, MD; Dr. Penny Sartori, PhD; Dr. Ann Marie Chiasson, MD; Dr. Anthony Bossis, PhD; Dr. Peter Fenwick, MD; Rev. David Maginley, MDiv; Dr. Andrew Holecek, DDS; Jill Shock, MA; William Peters, MA, MEd, MFT; Julie McFadden, RN.

An award-winning producer and director, with more than 35 years of film and television experience, Johanna is using her lifelong curiosity about the death and dying process to bring documentaries about, "What happens when we die?" to life.

“At a young age I witnessed a number of significant deaths that completely cracked my world apart. Because it was taboo to talk about death at the time, I felt terribly isolated. Looking back on those experiences, and with the wisdom of having done much research on dying, I have learned that death, like birth, is one of the most extraordinary events in life, and it is critical that we learn to talk about it."

By talking about death and exploring what happens with curiosity and compassion, Johanna hopes to reduce our fear around death, making it a more accessible part of life - one movie at a time! Johanna lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband Steve.

Olivia is a Death Midwife, Interfaith Minister, Master Teacher and Founder of Sacred Crossings: The Institute for Conscious Dying. Olivia is renowned for her transformative Death Doula and Death Midwifery training programs held both virtually and in-person. In 2016, Olivia founded the Sacred Crossings Alternative Funeral Home in Los Angeles specializing in home funerals, green burials, and full body sea burials.

For over twenty years Olivia has been guiding individuals toward a conscious dying experience and empowering families to care for their loved ones after death with a vigil and funeral at home. One way she has helped families is through her digital planning booklet called the Advance Death Care Directive, which can be found at deathcaredirective.com. Further information for both the school and the funeral home can be found at Sacredcrossings.com

Nancy is a Registered Nurse, Founder of the HeartSync™ Wellness Center, and specializes in the prevention and recovery of Compassion Fatigue and Burnout for health professionals and caregivers. As a practicing health professional Nancy experienced multiple shared death experiences (SDE’s) with both patients and family members.

She is a member of the Shared Crossing Research Institute research team and currently serves as a researcher and research Project Coordinator for the Shared Crossing Project. She is passionate about sharing her personal SDE’s with others to raise SDE awareness and to enhance end-of-life care for patients and their families.

In 2019, Diane found herself drawn to the work of death and dying, inspired by a deep awareness of loss and change on both personal and collective levels. She founded "Best Life Best Death" to serve as a death doula, end-of-life educator, and podcast host, helping others navigate the profound journey of mortality. With over three decades of teaching experience, Diane approaches these sensitive topics with both heart and insight, inviting honest and meaningful conversations about life’s final stages.

The last conversation you want to have shouldn’t be the last one you do have. The When You Die Project is here to facilitate a cultural dialogue most often avoided — one that begins at the end. From existential afterlife questions such as “What happens when you die?” to palliative care, and the nuts-and-bolts of preparing for end of life. If it has to do with death, we’re talking about it.

Check out www.WhenYouDie.org for podcasts, resources, social media pages, and our award winning documentaries: Chapter 1 In the Realm of Death & Dreaming ; Chapter 2: Saying Goodbye: Preparing for Death; and Chapter 3: Architecture of Death: The Inner World of Dying .

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