| By :
Mark Etinger
Often Independent films, free from the constraints of Hollywood funding and influence, can take on issues mainstream films are unable to. The independent film community has long been praised for taking issues thought to be taboo and bringing them into the mainstream. Some good recent examples are 1990's Paris is Burning, an indie film helped which bring AIDS, the disenfranchisement of the homosexual and minority communities, and urban decay into the mainstream. Paris is Burning also taught Madonna and the rest of the world how to vogue. There is also 1988's The Thin Blue Line which brought to light racial and social inequalities in our capital punishment system, and got a man serving a life sentence out of prison. Although Dying to Live - The Journey into a Man's Open Heart is far more personal than these other indie films it still has larger social ramifications. For one, we as a society do not like to discuss issues surrounding our death. Most people get uncomfortable at the mention of death. Death is a fact of life, not talking about it won't decrease its likelihood. The silence surrounding death can be very problematic. If people do not communicate their end of life wishes and concerns it can create a good deal of turmoil for the people around them. People need to break the silence surrounding death. They need to be clear about death with the people around them or if they want to be kept alive artificially, what kind of end of life ceremony they want, and any other end of life concerns they may have. They should also draw up a will to make sure there is no doubt as to what their wishes are in regards to their finances and material goods. Too many families fight bitterly after the death of the loved one who has not left a will. Not out of greed necessarily but because they think they know what the person who had passed would have wanted. Don't let people try to infer what you want, write it down or at the very least communicate it clearly to several people close to you. Dying to Live - The Journey into a Man's Open Heart can be a good way to get the conversation started in your family. Independent films can stimulate robust debate in the public sphere as well as in the home. If you are trying to shed a healthy light on end of life issues use the indie film Dying to Live - The Journey into a Man's Open Heart. It is available on Netflix.
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