Been making films for 25+ years, but think it’s the first time I’ve ever gotten thank you cards from my doc subjects…!! That’s what happens when you collaborate with a team of incredible psychedelic therapist/palliative care clinicians, so loving, inspiring & connected to their hearts…

Film is not finished! But just back from Boston doing a work in progress screening for the research team, invited by Yvan, the principal investigator on the hospice/psilocybin study (he booked a theatre- including popcorn!) A lot of tears & emotion, especially since most of the patients we followed in the film are gone now…

But not all: I got to visit Joanne, the last patient in the film, who’s still going strong… and screen the film for her in her living room, with her friend Janice (she has an amazing circle of friends who are her chosen family, and have shown up for her in such a big way…)

Hasn’t been easy making this film (and has taken so much patience and openness from the patients, and the study team-!) but been such a profound and humbling experience witnessing these end-of-life journeys, and the depth of people’s experiences using this sacred medicine (psilocybin). So grateful to be part of this work. Can’t wait to share these stories.

(Also: they got me a mushroom pillow! 😊 )

howtodie #psilocybin #endoflife #dying #documentary #lifedeathlife

@danafarber @caredimensions @harvardmed

Watch an NFB Q&A with Robin McKenna, Dr. Gabor Maté, Natalie Eskenazy, and moderated by Jelena Popović on the subject of the Thanadoula.

OPENS IN NEW YORK CITY ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11
NOTE: WITH SPECIAL ADVANCE SCREENING WITH AUTHOR LEWIS HYDE & DIRECTOR ROBIN MCKENNA IN-PERSON ON THE EVENING OF THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10
Quad Cinema
34 W. 13th Street, New York, NY 07470

OPENS IN LOS ANGELES ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11
Laemmle’s Monica Film Center
1332 2nd Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401

OPENS IN PORTLAND ON FRIDAY, OCT 18
Regal Fox Tower
846 SW Park Ave, Portland OR 97205