A Celebration of Life

Mae, 35, is dying. Her partner, Beatrice, decides to throw her one last surprise party–a living funeral. Throughout the party, Mae is confronted with the many stages of grief, and all she really wants is a giant piece of cake.

  • Elaine Menigo
    Director
  • Elaine Menigo
    Writer
  • Audrey Wick
    Producer
  • Tessa Hersh
    Key Cast
    "Mae"
  • Abra Tabak
    Key Cast
    "Beatrice"
  • Kit Hale
    Key Cast
    "Conrad"
  • Dominique Nisperos
    Key Cast
    "JB"
  • Leah Nieves
    Key Cast
    "Dana"
  • Raye Levine
    Key Cast
    "Stella"
  • Migina Tsai
    Key Cast
    "Paulie"
  • Evan Hoyt Thompson
    Key Cast
    "Zach"
  • Fatima
    Key Cast
    "Kiara"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Dark Comedy
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 27, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    2,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Stony Brook University
Director Biography - Elaine Menigo

Originally from Hayward, Wisconsin, Elaine Menigo is currently a MFA in Film thesis student at Stony Brook University in Manhattan. Prior to graduate school, Elaine worked for US Senator Tammy Baldwin. Along with engrossing herself in television and film, she can often be found reading political news and FaceTiming her nephew.

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Director Statement

You've got to nail every moment you have when you visit a terminally ill person. You better get it right, because there are no second chances. That's how I felt when visiting my old mentor and coach two weeks before he died. I felt pressure to say the right things to him, and I think he felt pressure to say the right things to me. This important, heartbreaking, awkward moment in my life inspired A Celebration of Life. Our main character, Mae, is dying. Mae's well-intentioned wife throws her a final party where all of her friends now have to face Mae, aka death, head on. Some cracks an inappropriate joke or cries uncontrollably, but all make it about them. And all the while, Mae comes to each of them with grace and gratitude, poise and positivity. This story explores these dynamics of people facing their loved ones and their mortality. This film provides an avenue for experiencing grief in a realistic way, even when it is messy. It is my hope this film and its characters resonate with folks who have lost someone important to them.