One Big Bag

A millennial death doula introduces us to the world of end-of-life care. With a matter-of-fact demeanor and intense physicality, she guides us into the largely uncharted waters of corpse care—practical, political, and spiritual. She performs her knowledge within a field of props that are the tools of her trade, kept in a “mobile corpse kit”—everyday items that she manipulates to profound use. The film, drawn from workshops, research, and interviews conducted with several end-of-life doulas from different cultural backgrounds, is a skill share, threaded with humor, grief, unknowing, and a desire for justice. The doula’s work encourages us to turn towards that which we strive so hard to avoid.
by Every Ocean Hughes
with Lindsay Rico
USA / United Kingdom 2021 English 40’ Colour

With

  • Lindsay Rico

Crew

Written and Directed by Every Ocean Hughes
Cinematography Sarah Tricker
Editing Kersti Grunditz Brennan
Music Sarah Hennies
Sound Design Lynne Trepanier
Production Design Every Ocean Hughes
Costumes Montana Levi Blanco
Assistant Director JD Samson
Choreography Miguel Guitierrez
Producers Madeleine Molyneaux, Every Ocean Hughes

Every Ocean Hughes

Every Ocean Hughes (EOH), f.k.a. Emily Roysdon, is a transdisciplinary artist and writer. EOH was editor and co-founder of the queer feminist journal and artist collective, LTTR. Collaborations include music with The Knife, Colin Self, and JD Samson & MEN; costume design for choreographers Levi Gonzalez, Vanessa Anspaugh, Faye Driscoll, and the band Le Tigre. EOH’s work was featured in international biennials and group exhibitions and in solo exhibitions. From 2019 to 2020 EOH was a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University and from 2021 to 2022 EOH has been the Sachs Visiting Professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

Filmography

2005 social movement; 7 min. · POW; 2 min. 2006 Living the Sacrifice; 7 min. 2009 A Motion Picture; 23 min. 2010 Sense and Sense; video installation15 min. 2012 I am a Helicopter, Camera, Queen; 34 min. · Our Short Century; 10 min. 2021 One Big Bag

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2022