Not so long ago, postmortem photography was a way to mitigate the pain of the death of a loved one. The documentary Mrs. Death seeks to delve into this tradition by connecting with contemporary caretakers of these portraits and individuals who continue to find comfort in confronting mortality through visual representation. Through these personal narratives, the film offers a nuanced understanding of the emotional and cultural significance attached to this practice.
Death causes us so much fear and confusion that we can hardly look it in the face. In our antiseptic societies, pain and suffering tend to be covered up. It was customary to photograph the dead in places all around the world, from the United States and Europe to Latin America. Why has this practice fallen into disuse and is now considered as something macabre and insensitive?
