SXSW Preview: A Necessary Death

Posted by Neil Miller (neil@filmschoolrejects.com) on February 26, 2008

It’s time to get this rodeo we call our 2008 South by Southwest Preview kicked into high gear, Texas style. Alright, so I am not familiar with what it means to do something Texas style, but I am excited to say that I’m about to find out. Next week myself and fellow FSR editor Brian Gibson will be road-tripping down to Austin, Texas for the SXSW Film Festival. And in order to get you (and ourselves) ready for all the action in Austin, we’ve got some pretty awesome previews on the horizon. Between now and next Friday (March 7), we will be previewing some of the films that we’re excited about. So stay tuned, it’s going to be an awesome ride.

We start today with a documentary called A Necessary Death. Producer Brian Udovich dropped me a line this afternoon, saying that it is “the most bold and touching film I’ve produced so far.” And I am ready to take his word for it, seeing as Brian has co-produced All The Boys Love Mandy Lane (which I’ve heard nothing but good things about) and The Wackness (which I saw at Sundance and absolutely loved — read my review if you don’t believe me).

A Necessary Death tells the story of a documentary filmmaker who seeks out people who plan on committing suicide and follows one of them from the planning stages to the final slit of the wrist. Its premise may frighten you a little, but I have a feeling there is some heart in there somewhere. After seeing the trailer, I’m incredibly interested in catching this one in Austin. See for yourself below:

Check out our South by Southwest 2008 Homepage for more.

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Ronin

I dont know how i feel about this documentary. On one side i think, myself being a film
maker, we should be free to tell whatever story there is to be told. As a human being i think
this is a very irresponsible thing to do.

To know someone is going to kill themselves and to watch them go through with it is
wrong, to me. I know suicide happens, there is never a good reason to take your own life in
my opinion its not up to us. I m not playing the god card here either. Im not religious but i
feel that we as a people should help eachother in our worst times. And for this film maker
to get to know whoever this person is and to know that this person will do it and to profit
from that, money , fame whatever its pretty gross.

Liz

This movie is not a documentary, and I think it's really lame that it's being marketed as such. If the movie is good, it will stand on it's own merits; if not, no amount of "Blair Witch" tactics will make it good.

Hillbilly

When I saw "Blair Witch" I didn't know it was fiction. I loved it! When I learned the big secret,
it ruined the film. The secret is what made it great. I went into "A Necessary Death" knowing
it was not a doc. I was relived to find that the film doesn't rely on the gimmick to make it
work. They used the film school documentary angle to raise questions. Rather than a
gimmick it was a tool and the film stands on it own. This is one that you will love or hate,
either way you will make you think. The great thing about it is it stuck with me. In a way I
hate that they used this format because of the BS it brings. At the same time, I think the
movie works on so many more levels because of it. This is one not to miss!

SXSW Preview: A Necessary Death

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