Ryan Bouman and Michael Janke | Capturing Grief on Film

Explicit content warning

02/25/20 • 98 min

In this final episode of Season 1, I was joined by Ryan Bouman and Michael Janke, two filmmakers out of Calgary. They recently released a powerful short-form documentary film on grief called We, The Bereaved. In this meditation on grief, their goal was to show solidarity for those who are grieving and permission for those who felt they were never allowed.

From the beginning of our conversation, Ryan and Michael demonstrated deep vulnerability. Both men shared their initial trepidation about taking on the awesome responsibility of telling other people’s grief story. They revealed how tackling this topic was a shift from their more commercial work and how it challenged them to think, act and structure the entire process in a new way.

Their approach to conveying the stories of the 10 individuals they captured on film was a beautiful example of what ideal grief support looks like. They showed up, they let go of any direction or sense of authority, and they just listened.

The impact of their choices for the film were profound. You can feel how much the bereaved felt safe and supported to share both their experiences and the wisdom they’ve gained on their journeys. The outcome for these filmmakers has been a deeper confidence in showing up for themselves and others in their grief journey.

About the show

If you love deep, honest, authentic conversations, get ready to love Grief is a Sneaky Bitch. Host Lisa Keefauver, is a grief and empathy activist who holds an extensive grief resume herself, as a social worker, narrative therapist, grief guide, and widow. From CEOs and social workers to best-selling authors, educators, filmmakers, and stay-at-home moms, her guests open up about the complexity, confusion, and even confidence they have gained by navigating a grief journey of their own. To learn more about the show and how Lisa Keefauver is reimagining grief, sign up for her not-so-regular newsletter, follow on Instagram and Twitter or visit www.lisakeefauver.com today!

If you like this series, please make sure to leave a rating and write a review TODAY on Apple Podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

About the show

If you like this series, please make sure to leave a rating and write a review TODAY on Apple Podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Krissy Teegerstrom | A Grief Journey Delayed

In today’s episode, I was joined by Krissy Teegerstrom, an Austin-based artist and creative consultant at Featherweight Studio, and podcast host of Beyond and Back Podcast.

Krissy bravely explores how her father’s death due to addiction when she was 11, a condition her family never discussed, profoundly impacted her life. She reveals how her mother’s insistence on not talking about it, virtually removing traces of his existence from their home, taught her some damaging lessons about love, grief and loss. Krissy illuminates what her grief work has looked like, a journey she says she only began a few years ago, nearly 3 decades after her father’s death.

She explores the power of a good question to break open the embodied trauma she had been carrying around since childhood. Krissy reflects honestly and openly about the various paths she has traveled to find healing. She is putting into practice a commitment she made recently on her healing journey, to use her voice.

About the show

If you like this series, please make sure to leave a rating and write a review TODAY on Apple Podcasts.

On the next episode of Grief is a Sneaky B!tch, I was joined by international filmmakers Ryan Bouman and Michael Janke who created a beautiful short-film documentary called We, The Bereaved. I highly encourage you to watch it now before their episode airs on February 18th, 2020.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Host Lisa Keefauver | There for His Last Breath (originally aired as guest on Death Dialogues Project)

BONUS EPISODE

I set aside my title as host and took a turn as a guest on The Death Dialogues Project, a podcast hosted by the talented and generous Becky Aud-Jennison. Much like the work I’m doing Reimagining Grief, Becky is seeking to do the same with death.

As the guest, on the other side of the microphone, we shared a deeply honest, reflective, and emotional conversation about the experience of losing my husband when I was 40 and our daughter was just 7. I share what it was like to be holding Eric for the last 9 hours of his life until he passed in my arms. You will hear the surprising self-discovery I make on-air as I explain why being with my friend Joe a few years later when he died was actually a gift. One that brought a greater sense of peace to the memories of being by Eric’s side.

I KNOW it can feel frightening to think about that moment. I get that it feels that if you bring it up, you will somehow manifest it into existence. The truth is I learned first-hand, that the only thing that happens by talking about people’s wishes, about the reality of this experience, is that you are better prepared when the moment arrives and better able to be fully present.

If you want to be informed and inspired and join Becky in bringing death out of the closet, make sure you subscribe to her incredible show: The Death Dialogues Project!