The Self-Made Man

Mar 14, 2005

0h 58m

★ 0.0

Overview

Is it ever rational to choose death? On Independence Day at Stern Ranch, 77-year-old solar energy pioneer Bob Stern finds out he’s seriously ill – possibly dying. Meanwhile, an elderly in-law is dying on artificial life support. Bob decides to cheat that fate and take his own life. His family tries to stop him. Bob sets up a video camera. Daughter Susan Stern explores “rational suicide,” the “right-to-die” and the difficult end-of-life choices faced by an aging population.

Genres

Documentary

Production Companies

Bernal Beach Films

PBS

The Self-Made Man Trailers

Cast

Self

Bob Stern

Self

Susan Stern

Self

Mike Stern

Director Juan José Arias uses old family videos to try to find out what kind of person his father was. His image comes back in dreams, his voice whispers in the smell of rain and his embrace lies in an old house in the country where they used to spent the holidays. Reality, memories and dreams blur together in a poetic way.

0.0

Dief!

Jan 1, 1981

This documentary short is a portrait of Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party and 13th prime minister of Canada, John George Diefenbaker (1895-1979). Diefenbaker's political career spanned 6 decades. When he died in 1979, his state funeral and final train trip west became more a celebration of life than a victory for death.

3.5

Faces of Death III

Mar 10, 1985

The third installment of the infamous "is it real or fake?" mondo series sets its sights primarily on serial killers, with lengthy reenactments of police investigations of bodies being found in dumpsters, and a staged courtroom sequence.

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0.0

Dermot Morgan: Fearless Funnyman

Dec 27, 2013

A selection of Dermot Morgan's family, friends, colleagues and admirers, including Pat Shortt, Oliver Callan and Pauline Mc Lynn, look back on the life of the comedian, writer, satirist and actor whose savage wit belied a caring nature and reflect on his place in the annals of comedy greats.

0.0

Linee d'ombra

Oct 18, 2007

Macchie solari (Autopsy), L'etrusco uccide ancora (The Etruscan kills again), commandos are titles that refer to a category for lovers, that of B-movies, Italian thriller of the '60s and' 70s. But in the life and in the poetry of their director, Armando Crispino, there is more, says his son Francesco. Searching for a meeting with his father in the maze of his production, he finds himself investigating the world of Italian genre cinema. Finding that even in this area left in the shadows by the critical discourse we can find more, and better, than we think.

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0.0

An Execution by Hanging

Jul 6, 1898

A depiction in the hanging of Edward Heinson, an assumed criminal assault convict in Jacksonville, Florida.

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0.0

How We Die

Invalid Date

Memento Mori is a morbidly beautiful journey into the world of alternative post mortem arrangements and an illuminating meditation on death, dying and our relationship with our bodies once they are no longer ours.

6.5

Marika's Passing

Jan 29, 2021

Marika has terminal cancer, with a stomach full of tumors. It’s been 10 months since she was told she has two months to live. Her first goal was to finish the season of Game of Thrones, then to make it to her next birthday. Now at her 50th birthday celebrations, easy discussion revolves around what her next goal might be, and whether or not she should have an open coffin at her funeral. The atmosphere is the opposite of morose, as everyone is laughing and at ease.

0.0

Osteuropa zwischen Hitler und Stalin - Das große Sterben

Jun 10, 2025

Between 1930 and 1945, Eastern Europe experienced mass violence on an unprecedented scale. Hitler and Stalin exploited the vast region for their respective expansionist plans. It is estimated that around 14 million civilians were murdered—primarily Jews, Poles, Balts, Belarusians, and Ukrainians.

7.0

Jon Richardson: How to Survive The End of the World

Feb 20, 2017

Jon Richardson, one of Britain's most cautious men, is sent on a mission by his wife Lucy Beaumont, to investigate the things they are most scared about.

8.1

My Flesh and Blood

Apr 25, 2003

My Flesh and Blood is a 2003 documentary film by Jonathan Karsh chronicling a year in the life of the Tom family. The Tom family is notable as the mother, Susan, adopted eleven children, most of whom had serious disabilities or diseases. The film itself is notable for handling the sensitive subject matter in an unsentimental way that is more uplifting than one might expect.

8.0

Mac Dre: Legend of the Bay

Jun 14, 2015

Bay Area rapper Mac Dre began his career at 18 and quickly became an influential force in early west coast hip-hop. In 1992 he was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank robbery when his lyrics were used against him in court. He left prison with a new lease on life, founded an independent record company, and then was murdered just when he began to emerge as a star. For the first time ever, his mother Wanda reveals the true experiences of a hip-hop legend.

0.0

Luminary

Jan 1, 2024

A poetic portrait of a blind father with a bright perspective on life, who is strongly determined to deliver his message to the world.

7.1

Anything Can Happen

Dec 10, 1995

A story of life and death, featuring Lozinski's six-year-old son Tomaszek and elderly people spending time on the benches of a Warsaw park. Riding his scooter, Tomaszek asks the elderly very adult, though basic, questions, which they are happy to answer. The boy's ideas of future and life are confronted with those of men at the end of their lives.

4.0

Adam Sandler: Funny Guy

Jul 1, 2020

Adam remains a consistent favorite among fans who are comforted that they will always have a good time. Get the inside story on this fascinating actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer, husband, father, and forever FUNNY GUY.

0.0

7 Vidas

Jun 27, 2025

A community of cats lives in the Soledade Cemetery Park in Belém. "7 Vidas" follows these animals through a fictional letter written by one of them to his former owner. With real images of the cats among graves and trees, the film builds a sensitive narrative about abandonment, freedom and memory, revealing the poetry hidden in the coexistence between life and death.

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7.7

Dearly Departed

Dec 14, 2006

Hollywood is a hot spot for celebrities, and tour guide Scott Michaels (E!'s "20 Most Horrifying Hollywood Murders," FindADeath.com) knows their, well, haunts. DEARLY DEPARTED is an all-access tour of the "backlots" of L.A. - locations where the most infamous murders, suicides and bizarre crimes involving A-listers have taken place. The Viper Room, the site where "The Black Dahlia" was discovered, and dozens more legendary spots are explored in this funny and equally shocking ride into L.A.'s seedy underground.

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0.0

Merci, au revoir, je t’aime

Apr 4, 2022

No overview available.

6.3

The Reaper

Nov 18, 2013

Efrain, known as the Reaper, has worked at a slaughterhouse for 25 years. We will discover his deep relationship with death and his struggle to live.

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0.0

Extreme Life & Death: The Blair Witches of Shockumentaries, Part Three

Aug 19, 2000

A compilation of various accidents, mayhem, death, gore, and human feats caught on tape.

The Self-Made Man

Overview

Genres

Production Companies

The Self-Made Man Trailers