Facing Death

A Film Review of the work of META Affiliate, MICHELE PETICOLAS
by META member, DON SCHWARTZ

Many Suns ago – around 2001 – I had the pleasure of meeting a beautiful young woman by the name of Michelle Peticolas. She informed me that she was  working on a project about death.  Immediately I thought of the seventies, and of a few authors: Stephen Levine, Ram Dass, and an inspiration for Bob Fosse’s “All That Jazz”, Elizabeth Kübler-Ross. I thought, as I still do, ‘death’… about as taboo a topic you cannot hear, addressed in mainstream media or pop culture – except for the above-mentioned “All That Jazz."  Wonder what she’s going to do?

Dr. Peticolas did it. She produced and directed "Facing Death," a 26 minute docu-mentary featuring people speaking frankly as they, to put it simply, are facing their imminent death. I’m in total admiration and respect for Peticolas’ intentions and accomplishments. With camera work by filmmaker, Bob Mohr, Peticolas firmly but gently knocks on the door of our defensiveness to the topics of death and dying. I especially appreciate Michelle’s decision to put herself in the mix as she describes, with utter vulnerability, her responses to her parents’ passing.

"Facing Death" is the first in a series called" Secrets of Life and Death."  The second work, "Caring for Dying,"  has been released, and there are at least two more in the works. Visit her web site at:  www.secretsoflifeanddeath.com

Don Schwartz, Ph.D., an actor/writer from Larkspur, California, received his doctorate in Integral Counseling and Psychotherapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies.   Wendy Weir, his business partner, and he have written two spiritually-based adventure fantasy scripts.