Grief on screen

Daffodil 1 month ago

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with His Three Daughters, NadiaEG!

Thank you also for explaining the complexity of the topics covered. Yours is perhaps similar to the reaction Laura and I had to the series Big Boys, and it is good to know that there are lighter and wholesome moments in His Three Daughters that balance out the film.

Many thanks again,

💛 Anke

Bonnie 1 month ago

Edited by Bonnie 1 month ago

Thank you so much for creating this thread and starting a conversation around grief on screen, Anke.

I recently went to the cinema to see Bridget Jones too. Like your friends, I was also not sure what to expect.

Watching someone navigate life without their loved one is never easy, but I think they managed to do so in such a realistic and sensitive way.

I’m going to watch some of the other shows that have been mentioned next.

Thank you again Anke, and I look forward to hearing what other members of our Online Community are watching too 💛

Angharad 1 month ago

Thanks for sharing Anke. I watched Bridget Jones just because I knew that it dealt with themes of grief - not even realising that there'd been two films in between since I watched the first one!

You mentioned that your friends may not have watched if they had known, which is an interesting thought... for some, I suppose it could be quite triggering and an unexpected way to be confronted with your grief in a public setting but equally, I think it's a good way to get people thinking and talking about grief when they may try to avoid what some people find quite an awkward topic.

I'll keep an eye out for other suggestions on this thread to watch.

Daffodil 9 days ago

Thank you for your thoughts, Angharad! I agree that a film or programme can be a great way to start a conversation, with oneself or with others, about grief.

I must say that in the cinema, I was not the only one shedding some tears in some moments - and laughing out loud in others. Even going to the cinema alone can make me aware that I am part of a community where others have also had experiences of loss. I found it strangely comforting.

Also, I have just thought of a film that really impressed me in the way it went through the rollercoaster of emotions that can come with complex bereavement: Avanti (1972), a film by Billy Wilder featuring Jack Lemmon and Juliet Mills as a man who tries to collect his father's body from Italy, and the woman whose mother was - unbeknownst to the son - the father's lover, also recently deceased (no plot spoilers). I do not think I would have appreciated the film if I had seen it 'just' as a comedy, before I lost my father. The plot is funny, absurd, sad, angry, detached, and life-affirming at times, and the characters are (for me) very relatable, although I have not had any of the specifics of their experiences.

I look forward to more recommendations from others - this thread will be open for additions.

Burnsie66 6 days ago

I find that call the midwife, deals with so many aspects of grief and loss but at the same time has so much content that is uplifting too.

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