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What if our last act could be a gift to the planet — a force for regeneration? Musician, folk dancer, and psychiatrist Clark Wang prepares for his own green burial, determined that his final resting place will benefit the earth. A WILL FOR THE WOODS is an immersive, life-affirming depiction of people coming to terms with mortality by embracing their connection to timeless natural cycles.
Capturing the genesis of a revolutionary social and environmental movement, A WILL FOR THE WOODS draws the viewer into a life-affirming and immersive portrait of people embracing their connection to timeless natural cycles.
Musician, folk dancer, and psychiatrist Clark Wang prepares for his own green burial, determined that his final resting place will benefit the earth. He has discovered a movement that uses burial to conserve and restore natural areas, forgoing toxic, wasteful funeral practices engineered to preserve the body at the ecosystem’s expense. Clark, a spirited and charismatic advocate, sets out to save a tract of forest with the help of green burial pioneers and a compassionate local cemeterian.
While he continues to battle cancer, he and his partner Jane find great comfort in the thought that his death — whenever it may happen — will be a force for regeneration. As the film follows Clark’s dream of leaving a loving, permanent legacy, environmentalism takes on a deeply human intimacy.
Two versions: 93 minutes and 61 minutes (short version)
SDH Captioning for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing
A film by Amy Browne, Jeremy Kaplan, Tony Hale and Brian Wilson
Editors: Tony Hale and Brian Wilson
Composer: T. Griffin
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"A powerful, personal testament to the 'green burial' movement … with humor, eloquence, anguish and reflection."
Sylvia Pfeiffenberger, Indy Week - Indy Pick.
"This documentary has the potential to affect not just individual viewers but the American way of death. Must see...no documentary fan should miss."
Marianna Torgovnick, TED
"The film has hit a cultural nerve."
Glenn McDonald, Discovery News
"A Will for the Woods powerfully interweaves the ecological, spiritual and economic impacts on not only those who are making the transition from this life but on their loved ones as well. This film makes a beautiful statement about a dimension of our existence about which we spend too little time pondering." "
Rev. Charles Morris, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and Philosophy, Madonna University, Board President, Green Burial Council International