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Funeral Convention (03:53)

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The NFDA is the largest organization of funeral directors; vendors discuss funerary products. In 2018, more Americans choose cremation over burials. Baby boomers are taking control of end of life organization.

Memorial Reef (08:39)

Leila Johnson, her mother Linda, and her aunt Brenda Johnson bring her father's cremains to the Gulf of Mexico; placing remains in a memorial reef helps replenish the sea. Leila mixes her father's ashes with concrete to place in the layer cake, before lowering it to the seafloor.

Living Wake (08:55)

Family members celebrate the life of Guadalupe Cuevas; he is terminally ill. Guadalupe Cuevas Jr. and Alicia Cuevas Gonzales reflect on their family and history. Guadalupe Sr. expresses his gratitude and love for his family.

Green Burial (10:08)

Barbara Jean discusses her cancer diagnosis and burial choice. TJ and Barbara choose Barbara's burial plot at Eloise Woods. Loved ones wrap Barbara's body in biodegradable material and place her in a shallow grave.

Space Burials (06:26)

In Sierra County, NM, 45 families memorialize their loved ones by launching their cremains into space; Up Aerospace is a mostly NASA-funded mission. Sara Snider Green discusses her father "Tuna."

Medical Aid in Dying (20:55)

The District of Columbia and eight states have death with dignity laws. Dick Shannon reviews the process with his doctor and reflects on dying. He hosts a gathering for loved ones and has a final dinner with his family before taking medication to end his life.

Celebration of Life (07:04)

Emilie and Ryan Matthias discuss their son Garrett's terminal cancer and his thoughts about a funeral. Loved ones gather to celebrate his life 10 days after his death. Emilie reflects on nontraditional endings.

Credits: Alternate Endings: 6 New Ways to Die in America (01:34)

Credits: Alternate Endings: 6 New Ways to Die in America

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Alternate Endings: 6 New Ways to Die in America

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Description

Directed and produced by Perri Peltz and Matthew O’Neill (HBO’s Axios), Alternate Endings: Six New Ways to Die in America offers a fascinating look at the varied ways Americans are choosing to celebrate life as it comes to an end. With attitudes about death and end-of-life choices rapidly changing, 2018 saw the first time more Americans chose cremation over more expensive burials, disrupting the $16 billion a year funeral industry. As the baby boomer generation approaches death, more and more are rethinking the way end of life is recognized and are deciding to take control of what will happen when they die. Alternate Endings tells six stories of people nearing death, as well as family members of the recently deceased, who have chosen non-traditional burial options, from celebrations of life and living wakes to green burials, space burials and more. Profoundly intimate and illuminating, the film explores what it means to be near death, either from age or terminal illness, and captures the healing power of honoring, giving thanks, and staying true to loved ones who have passed away.

Length: 68 minutes

Item#: BVL194661

Closed Captioned