Dead Parents Club

Dead Parents Club is a hybrid documentary blending observational footage, experimental performance, and cultural analysis to challenge the pervasive "orphan trope" in popular culture. While children's media like The Lion King, Frozen, and Finding Nemo frequently use parental loss as a narrative tool to spark a character's independence, the lived reality of grief is vastly more complex. The film follows real individuals who have lost parents as they collaborate on a unique theatre production. By stepping into the roles of iconic fictional orphans like Simba and Frodo, the cast members weave their personal stories of trauma into the scripted scenes. The resulting performance offers a poignant, absurd, and unexpectedly funny exploration of identity and healing. Moving between fantasy and lived experience, this documentary examines how we navigate profound loss, build deep connections, and ultimately learn to parent ourselves.

Director

Lara Thoms

Director

Gena Lida Riess

Writer

Gena Lida Riess