Within the storied walls of The New York Times, a team of writers is entrusted with reflecting upon the lives of luminaries, icons, and world leaders of our day. Often hours before newspaper hits doorstep—and the world's eyes devour words marking the end of a momentous life--endless detail is gathered and impossible choices must be made. Vanessa Gould's fascinating documentary, Obit, introduces us to the unseen women and men responsible for crafting the unequaled obituaries of the NYT. As we're taken through their painstaking process of digging through years of accomplishments, we learn about the particular pressures that accompany a career spent trying to elegantly and respectfully shape the story of a life for an audience of millions. From notorious politicians and beloved musicians to unknown personalities who have advanced the worlds of science, literature, and sports, the obit writers are in the unique and often unenviable position of spotlighting individuals whose impact and influence is near impossible to measure.
—Liza Domnitz
Tribeca Film Festival Information
Premiere: World
Cast & Credits
Director: Vanessa Gould
Producer: Caitlin Mae Burke, Vanessa Gould
Editor: Kristin Bye
Associate Producer: Josh Wick
Cinematographer: Ben Wolf
Executive Producer: Pamela Tanner Boll, Geralyn Dreyfous
Composer: Joel Goodman
Consulting Producer: Kenn Rabin
Cast: Bruce Weber, William McDonald, Margalit Fox, Jeff Roth, William Grimes, Jack Kadden, Daniel Slotnik, Paul Vitello, Douglas Martin
Contacts
Press Contact
Adam Kersh
Brigade Marketing
New York, NY 10001
Phone: 917 771 7021
adam@brigademarketing.com
Print Source
Will Cox
Final Frame
New York, NY 10011
Phone: 212 691 2580
caitlin@finalframepost.com
US Sales Contact
Linzee Troubh
Cinetic Media
New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212 204 7979
sales@cineticmedia.com
International Sales Contact
Linzee Troubh
Cinetic Media
New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212 204 7979
sales@cineticmedia.com
About the Director
Vanessa Gould is a filmmaker, editor and camera operator in Brooklyn. Her first film, Between the Folds, premiered on PBS’s Independent Lens and continues to be broadcast in numerous languages around the world. It received a Peabody Award in 2010. The death of one of its subjects led to Obit.