‘The film is not an intersectional representation of America at large, but the first steps of the journey to de-commodify and de-capitalize the culture of death’, states in the opening credits of 'From Earth to Earth: The Lost Art of Dying in America', a short documentary film that promises to leave a long-lasting impression on the audience. Upon acknowledging the film's premise for the first time, one could immediately say that it's about time someone gathered the courage to explore a subject that hasn't been present in this form of expression before or in any storytelling form whatsoever.
Set against the backdrops of the Vermont woods and the meadows of central New York, 'From Earth to Earth' introduces us to the people who learned to swim against the current and aim to revolutionize the way we perceive death and think about the whole death-denying culture. The charismatic and erudite protagonist, Michelle Acciavatti, also known as ‘Tiny Death Witch’, wants us to stop and think for a moment about what she’s presenting. Even though the whole concept might seem a little bit overwhelming, we, as viewers, realize that we’re in the safe hands of someone who has thought of everything.
Acciavatti is an advocate for natural burial; she believes that people will walk out of the funeral more prepared once they face death as it is, without people masking it with embalming fluids and covering it with wooden caskets of concrete walls that not only harm the soil but prevent the body from decomposing naturally.
On one occasion, Acciavatti says, 'We are going back to the way things were hundred and fifty years ago'. As a result, she says, ‘People are much more prepared for walking away’. More importantly, Acciavatti’s intentions are not fever dreams. On the contrary, with the support of like-minded individuals and thanks to her tireless devotion and passion, Acciavatti managed to change the Vermont State Law in 2017, which now permits burial depths of 3.5 feet, making natural burial possible.
The documentary crew introduces us to other natural burial advocates, cemetery managers and elderly people who have lost their significant others recently. They all share their thought-provoking, intimate stories and how they’ve managed to deal with loss. The idea of performing natural burial healed their wounds a little bit, and prepared them for what came next. Death wasn’t a stigma in their interactions with loved ones; it was something to understand and accept, something they wish more people would realize before it’s too late.
The filmmakers behind 'From Earth to Earth' seem to deeply understand what it truly means to say goodbye. They look at death with a warm, almost nostalgic smile; their lens captures the ephemeral beauty of the last moments, scents that no longer exist or have transformed, and lullabies performed while the body is laid into the ground gently. The cinematography is stunning in the juxtaposition of endless landscapes against the intimate interiors. The palette of warm colours brings us closer to the advocates and their stories; the montage is subtle and unobtrusive. The graphical explanations that serve as superimposed appear only when necessary so they don’t overload the narrative with information. The filmmakers want us to figure out some stuff on our own, so they indulge in quiet moments that discreetly foreshadow the event taking place in the final part.
'From Earth to Earth' doesn't want to theorize only; it ends with a powerful statement. It invites us, the viewers, to take part in a funeral. But to make things right by the natural burial advocates and the filmmakers, we must forget about all the preconceived notions of what a funeral means. Our past experiences don’t matter. This doesn’t have to do anything with religion or culture; our backgrounds are not important.
What’s important is to embrace how the family of the deceased say their final goodbye - how the advocates, among them Acciavatti, give the grieving ensemble comfort in the fact that death is a natural, meaningful process and not an administrative transaction. The body of the deceased becomes one with nature, and the cycle continues; death is not an end but a new beginning. Ultimately, it might sound cliched, but 'From Earth to Earth' won't be for everyone's preference. That said, the documentary would communicate more effectively with a niche audience that recognizes the quality of storytelling and the effort of the filmmakers to take them on a journey they have never anticipated.
The film wants this niche audience to reinvent themselves and their perception of death, tradition and the funeral industry. At the same time, with its gentle and caring approach towards an immensely sensitive and personal subject, the documentary allows us to discover new things about ourselves. It lets us grow as individuals; it wants us to share the filmmakers' perspectives and talk about the film for days after watching it for the first time. It is said that cinema is about changing the world for the better. Well, look no further, as 'From Earth to Earth: The Lost Art of Dying in America' is a documentary that promises change.
Written by Dimitar Dimoski