Director Vanessa Gould in attendance at the September 26 screening!

Selected as a Top 10 Audience Favourite of the Festival 

What makes someone notable enough for an obituary from the writers of the New York Times? In this fascinating fly-on- the-wall documentary, we are offered a glimpse inside the daily challenges of the Times writers who eulogize celebrities, politicians and those who have lived remarkable lives. While some of the writers face the grim task of predicting which celebrities will die soon (in order to create draft obituaries), others argue with editors on which recent deaths are notable enough to warrant column space.

A wry, touching documentary, Vanessa Gould’s OBIT portrays the writers of the Times as dedicated to the elegant and respectful discussion of people’s lives, rather than just their deaths. Through intense research and journalism in a world where newsprint itself is dying, it reminds us that everyone has a remarkable story of their own.

Short Before Feature: ANIMATED DAILY (JOURNAL ANIMÉ)