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The Fate of Human Beings

A feature-length documentary film uncovering the stories of people with disabilities and mental illnesses who are buried in unnamed graves in mental institution cemeteries across the United States.

Through archival and present-day material, The Fate of Human Beings unpacks the ramifications of these cemeteries, seeking to understand our past and present relationships with the “otherness” of those interred.

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Presenting MADNESS, a three-channel video installation with sound drawing from material filmed for @thefateofhumanbeings MADNESS features archival video, moving imagery from mental institution cemeteries, and text-on-screen detailing the number of
Lawrence Mocha was a patient at Willard State Hospital for 52 years. While at Willard, he took ownership of the hospital’s cemetery digging over 1,500 graves for his fellow patients. Despite multiple written requests, Mocha was never paid for h
In two weeks, we will be presenting excerpts from The Fate of Human Beings at Visible Evidence 2022! Our presentation, “The Cemetery as Character” will include clips from a new interview with Jenny White, who has been researching a woma
📸 Foxborough State Hospital Cemeteries in Foxborough, MA • An estimated 1,100 people are buried in these two cemeteries, former patients of the Foxborough State Hospital. • The newer cemetery is located at 20 Cross St. It is nestled bet
📖 This last month, I’ve been reading Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. Plath’s time spent at McLean Hospital during her college years has become well known. But did you know that her paternal grandmother Ernestine Kottke Plath died at t
🎉 We are so excited to announce that The Fate of Human Beings has been awarded funding from Mass Humanities, provided through the Massachusetts Cultural Council! The grant is part of the Mass Humanities Expanding Massachusetts Stories Initiative, wh

Contact us

Do you know someone buried in a mental or state institution? Are you conducting similar research on institution cemeteries? We want to hear from you!

 

The Team

DIRECTOR, PRODUCER, WRITER

Heather Cassano

CO-PRODUCER

Emily Hofelich

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Ben Pender-Cudlip

EDITOR

Adrianne Parent

ARCHIVAL PRODUCER

Heather Merrill

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER

Scott Delisle