Personal Stories
Learning from Each Other’s Stories
Stories about our mortality, illness, grief, caregiving, dying but also love, sacrifice, the human spirit, beauty and joy. The videos and films offered here were made over the years for Both Sides, Now. They range from animations to short films, and talks, all of them testaments to a journey on living well, and leaving well.
Grief and Coping
Stories discussing grief, coping, and finding solace after loss.
Some Things Lost, Some Things Gained
How do children deal with losing someone or something dear? How do they cope? In this short film by filmmakers Nooraini Shah and Jasmine Ng, we invite you to listen to the musings of children. In taking on a childlike perspective, perhaps you too may find new ways of looking at loss and in the process, discover new sources of hope.
A Young Doctor Learns to Grieve – featuring Dr Joseph
This short film features Dr Roy Joseph and his encounters with death as a doctor and how he learns to deal with loss and grief.
Swing: An interview with Sally from A&E
This short film features Sally where she shares her experience in the A&E. She shares about her experience processing grief, and helping family members who cannot accept their loved one’s deaths cope with their loss.
Radio Dukacita Letters: Struggling alone with grief of a mother’s passing…
DJ Big reads intimate stories of loss and love and speaks to a participant who shares her story about losing her mom.
Radio Dukacita Letters: Coming to terms with losing a child as a parent…
DJ Big reads intimate stories of loss and love and speaks to a participant who expresses her longing for her mother.
Personal Journeys
Individual stories navigating illness, acceptance, personal growth, fear of death and end-of-life conversations.
Float Free 悠游自在
A collaboratively scripted short film portraying stories of three seniors who overcame their fear of water to learn swimming at an older age. They share the community they found at Yishun Swimming Complex, the freedom water provides in old age, and reflections on life and death. Made and scripted by Chia Yim Fong, Koh Tong Cheng, and Michelle Sim with Salty Xi Jie Ng.
Santha’s Story: Dealing with Death, Dealing with Dying
This short film features Santha Thangavalu and her journey working in the mortuary. She shares about overcoming her fear of the deceased and becoming used to seeing dead bodies. When thinking that death and dying are normal, Santha had to deal with her mother’s passing and had to process the grief even though she was extremely calm and organised when arranging the afterlife procedures.
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes: Dr Wong & the Cook
This short film features Dr Wong Sweet Fun where she shares a story of her patient Mr Wong. She shares about Mr Wong who has lung cancer and did not want to receive treatment even though it was still at a treatable stage. She also shares about his interactions and contributions to his family while having to fight cancer.
Instructions for My Wife / Letter to My Mother
This short film features Kenneth Lam where he shares his experience dealing with his mother’s sickness and death and his takeaways from that incident. Kenneth shared about his mother’s struggles in the 2 years after she suffered from a stroke, and how this encouraged him to think more about planning to leave well with dignity.
Reflections on Legacies
Stories highlighting personal reflections on legacies people aim to leave behind and their contributions to society or loved ones.
Recollection 忆
A friend of Michelle, whose husband had a sea burial, speaks to her beloved when she is by the sea or other bodies of water. Recollection is a poetic short film sharing poignant accounts and reflections on living and leaving, collected by Michelle and told through her lens. Made and scripted by Michelle Sim with Salty Xi Jie Ng.
Akan Datang Trilogy
This trilogy shares the stories of three participants from Chong Pang on their outlook on life and death.
Grandma and Grandson Go Shopping with Tan Choon Hui and Ken
Ruku’s Photo Album with Ruku R. N.
Susie’s Void Deck Voices with Susie Ng
Departing
This animated short film features Dr Wong Sweet Fun and her story of losing her father due to cancer. In this video, Dr Wong shares about her interactions with her father in his last moments, and her reflections upon being asked three questions by her father.
Time of Our Lives
A video installation that features the stories of different individuals and their perspectives on life. Is life measured in minutes or memories? In this video, read the body like a book to reveal the story of a life.
Remember, to Eat
This cooking series looks at food as a remembrance of a person’s life and asks people to select recipes they would like to be remembered by. The video features 4 cooks from Telok Blangah who shared their favoured recipes and stories through cooking.
Expert Insights
Videos featuring professionals offering guidance, advice, or information on end-of-life matters.
Panel Discussion on Grief & Loss
This panel discussion references Sukar (Melepaskan) | Ep 3: Goodbye / Selamat Tinggal that was part of the Kata-Kata Kita variety show.
The guest speaker is Ms Halijah Bte Jantan, Senior Nurse Manager/Educator at St Andrews Nursing Home (Taman Jurong).
Panel Discussion on Advance Care Planning
This panel discussion references Sukar (Melepaskan) | Ep 12: Health Scare / Cuak that was part of the Kata-Kata Kita variety show.
The guest speaker is Ms Zahara Mahmood, Principal Social Worker at PPIS Family Service Centre.
Panel Discussion on Legal Matters
This panel discussion references Sukar (Melepaskan) | Ep 156: Money / Duit that was part of the Kata-Kata Kita variety show.
The guest speaker is Mohammad Rizuan Bin Mohammad Yasin, Joint Managing Partner at Emerald Law.
Community Voices
“It is powerful to model vulnerability and give others space to do the same.”
