Educational Media Reviews Online

“Siblings help us know ourselves…they offer a mirror to our uniqueness both as an individual and as a family.” What do we know and what can we know when this mirror is suddenly shattered as a result of an unexpected death of a sibling? This documentary film provides some answers and allows the viewer to journey through the stages of grief with Lois, Jerry, and Claire—three individuals who have experienced such a death of a sibling. Each describes what happened, the early days of grief, the family dynamics, and the feelings of guilt and anger. Following this, each concentrates on suggestions for what might help and emphasizes ways to continue the connections to “remember and honour the life of their loved one.” The descriptions are not held as a conversation with Lois, Jerry and Claire talking to each other but with each providing answers to questions that we do not hear but directed toward an invisible interviewer which allows a very provoking and compelling memory as viewers listen.

The accompanying haunting music in the introduction, the lower case letters for the entire title, and the nature scenes displayed as a backdrop against the opening comments set the stage for the emotional discussion of the film. Allowing the viewer to move quickly but thoroughly by listening to the thoughts of the three individuals recount their experiences of grief and love provides a realistic, documented conversation that will bring insight to the grief process and provide suggestions for helping those in grief. The novel approach of allowing each to speak as if answering questions from the invisible interviewer places the viewer in touch with the intensive emotional discussion. None of us knows exactly how another feels but by sincerely listening through the sharing process, we can allow this sharing to bring us to a level of understanding to provide empathy for the experience.

This film is part of the four film grief and bereavement series from Fanlight Productions. Highly recommended!