Topera

My Sweet Child(nl)

Filmmaker Maarten de Schutter attempts to reconstruct the lost memories of his mother, AIDS activist and feminist anthropologist Martine de Schutter. Ten years after she was killed, he explores her life and their relationship in order to thoroughly connect with what is left behind. The film is a disassembly of memory, motherhood and loss, driven by the infinite love between mother and child.

Going Alone(de)

Every year, five to ten percent of all deceased Berliners are buried by the authorities because no relatives are found. Most of them are put into the ground by mortician Bernd Simon going alone. But sometimes companions do turn up and say goodbye in their very own way. An observational documentary about an undertaker who actually wanted to become an entertainer, a bizarre city portrait and a mirror of how we deal with death, mourning and commemoration.

Cannibal Island(fr)

A disturbing chapter in Russian history is explored in this documentary. In 1933, Joseph Stalin sent 6000 "unwanted" citizens of Moscow and Leningrad to a desolate Siberian island - with no food or clothes to speak of. Decades later this documentary returns to the island.

W milczeniu(pl)

Color of My Father(pt)

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my Soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my Soul to take.

Autopsy(es)

Mondo-style docudrama about a war correspondent who comes back home and has a spiritual crisis about his own mortality. Surreal fantasy sequences are mixed with graphic real autopsy footage.

The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened?(en)

The Death of 'Superman Lives': What Happened? feature film documents the process of development of the ill fated "Superman Lives" movie, that was to be directed by Tim Burton and star Nicolas Cage as the man of steel himself, Superman. The project went through years of development before the plug was pulled, and this documentary interviews the major filmmakers: Kevin Smith, Tim Burton, Jon Peters, Dan Gilroy, Colleen Atwood, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and many many more.

Documenti su Giuseppe Pinelli(it)

The film examines the death of the anarchist Giuseppe Pinelli, who fell from the fourth floor of the police headquarters in Milan December 15, 1969, after being stopped following the Piazza Fontana bombing.

Running for His Life: The Lawrence Phillips Story(en)

Feature length documentary examining the troubled life and tragic death of college football standout and talented NFL running back Lawrence Phillips, whose scars of childhood abuse and abandonment haunted him throughout his career.

Mac Dre: Legend of the Bay(en)

Bay Area rapper Mac Dre began his career at 18 and quickly became an influential force in early west coast hip-hop. In 1992 he was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank robbery when his lyrics were used against him in court. He left prison with a new lease on life, founded an independent record company, and then was murdered just when he began to emerge as a star. For the first time ever, his mother Wanda reveals the true experiences of a hip-hop legend.

After Death(en)

Based on real near-death experiences, the afterlife is explored with the guidance of New York Times bestselling authors, medical experts, scientists and survivors who shed a light on what awaits us.

My Flesh and Blood(en)

My Flesh and Blood is a 2003 documentary film by Jonathan Karsh chronicling a year in the life of the Tom family. The Tom family is notable as the mother, Susan, adopted eleven children, most of whom had serious disabilities or diseases. The film itself is notable for handling the sensitive subject matter in an unsentimental way that is more uplifting than one might expect.

Library of Dust(en)

In 2004 the Oregon State Hospital, former site of the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, revealed the existence of thousands of corroded copper urns, each containing cremated human remains. Photographer David Maisel captured these beautifully unique urns of forgotten souls on film. Exhibiting their photos revealed secrets, influenced political decisions and reunited families. This film will show how art can stimulate social change and will document the ongoing controversy surrounding a proper memorial for these institutionalized casualties.

Registros Fatais 3: Apocalypse(en)

The shocking finale of the titular trilogy, which features graphic footage of the macabre and grotesque as directed by Brazilian filmmaker Lázaro Hahn.

The Stages of Whale Decomposition(en)

Fallen whale carcasses, abundant in the deep-sea, form ecosystems of their own. As it decomposes, different stages support a succession of marine biological communities. It is these complex and fascinating stages that are here explored.

Faces of Death III(en)

The third installment of the infamous "is it real or fake?" mondo series sets its sights primarily on serial killers, with lengthy reenactments of police investigations of bodies being found in dumpsters, and a staged courtroom sequence.

Science Of Death(en)

After ignoring death for most of our history, the medical and scientific communities have begun to focus their attention on how our bodies behave on our journey to the great beyond. Often seen as an event, dying is actually a process, which, in some cases, can be stopped or reversed. Even after someone is clinically dead, life in many parts of our bodies carries on for hours, days, or even weeks.

Jon Richardson: How to Survive The End of the World(en)

Jon Richardson, one of Britain's most cautious men, is sent on a mission by his wife Lucy Beaumont, to investigate the things they are most scared about.

The Forgotten(en)

An exploration of memory after death.

Anything Can Happen(pl)

A story of life and death, featuring Lozinski's six-year-old son Tomaszek and elderly people spending time on the benches of a Warsaw park. Riding his scooter, Tomaszek asks the elderly very adult, though basic, questions, which they are happy to answer. The boy's ideas of future and life are confronted with those of men at the end of their lives.