Synopsis:

Ethan Sisser, a young man with terminal brain cancer, sits alone in his hospital room. When he starts livestreaming his death journey on social media, thousands of people around the world join to celebrate his courage. Still, Ethan envisions more – to teach the world how to die without fear. To do that, he needs to film his death.

Honoring Ethan's wish, his doctor Aditi Sethi transports him to an idyllic house in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. What unfolds next is a story rarely glimpsed: how a community of strangers helps a young man die with grace.

A sensory immersion into leaving the body, “The Last Ecstatic Days”reveals a man who will not let us forget him – even after he’s taken his final breath.

Post-Screening Discussion:

Gay Dillingham, Director of "Dying to Know"

Gay Dillingham is the founder of CNS Communications, LLC and is an award-winning producer/director. Her feature documentary titled, "Dying to Know: Ram Dass & Timothy Leary" narrated by Robert Redford recently completed its run on Netflix.

Gay co-founded and managed two environmental IP technology companies. The non-toxic consumer products (CPG division) of Earthstone International, LLC was successfully sold in late 2019. She continues with Earthstone (dba Green Engineered technology), developing its' break-through patented technology in additional areas such as green building materials and runway arrestor systems.

Gay has served the public and not for profit organizations most of her life. She chaired the Environmental Improvement Board in charge of environmental management and consumer protection for the state of New Mexico for 8 years passing landmark regulations. She served six years on the Bioneers BOD and is currently on its' Honorary Board. She currently serves the BOD of Wild Earth Guardians and Chairs the Santa Fe Film Commission

Scott Kirschenbaum, director of The Last Ecstatic Days

Scott L. Kirschenbaum’s films include the Alzheimer’s documentary “YOU’RE LOOKING AT ME LIKE I LIVE HERE, AND I DON’T,” which aired on PBS’ Emmy award-winning program Independent Lens, and serves as a teaching tool for nonprofits, universities, public libraries and conferences; the speaker series “A SOAPBOX IN HAITI” which was featured on ABC World News, premiered on Haitian television stations on the one-year anniversary of the earthquake and is taught in Haitian studies programs; the birth documentary “These Are My Hours,” which was called “the most cinematic birth documentary ever” by No Film School and has been distributed and taught in birth courses worldwide; “ELEMENTARY COOL,” about a young Sudanese refugee girl’s first day at an American elementary school, which premiered nationally at Playworks’ PlayOn Conference; and “JUMOR: A JOURNEY THROUGH JEWISH HUMOR,” a documentary about lovely (and curmudgeonly) old Jews.

To learn more about our 2024 impact and outreach campaign, please visit: www.givebutter.com/thelastecstaticdays

A Virtual Screening of "The Last Ecstatic Days" with Director Gay Dillingham ("Dying to Know") and Director Scott Kirschenbaum