One Big Bag reckons with end-of-life care for the newly deceased and those who love them. A death doula (performed by Lindsay Rico) guides us through a mobile toolkit of everyday items used to clean and care for corpses. The film conveys the complex realities and communal possibilities of caring for the dead while highlighting important debates around end-of-life practices, including the high costs of funerals—a death industry that curtails individual agency—and inequalities in medical care.
One Big Bag was on view at the Whitney from February 17–20, 2023. The film is available here until EveryOcean Hughes: Alive Side closes on April 2, 2023.
