Sure: nobody wants to die, but when our time does finally arrive, we should have organised our departure from this life to the best of our abilities – and this fraught exit can even be cool, as this documentary about Eric Wrede and his funeral home team demonstrates. The taboos surrounding death and grief are in need of a radical change. Less reticence and avoidance, more honesty and empathy. But how do professional undertakers act when they have to handle cases that affect them personally and emotionally? Subtly and concisely captured, Michael Schwarz’s film follows the funeral team in action. DER TOD IST EIN ARSCHLOCH celebrated its premiere in 2025 at Max Ophüls Film Festival in Saarbrücken and has been screened successfully at numerous festivals since.

“If you spend a day with Eric Wrede (…), death loses some of its terror.” (Süddeutsche Zeitung)

Born in Nuremberg in 1979, after completing his A-levels Michael Schwarz worked for a host of film and television productions. After film and theatre studies in Mainz, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Mainz, completing his degree with the diploma film KURSDORF. Since then, he has worked as a freelance director, author and producer. Together with Alexander Griesser, in 2009 he founded the production company nachtschwärmerfilm. Their feature-film debut DIE KANDIDATEN premiered in 2019 at Max Ophüls Film Festival.

Filmography (selection): 2008 DOLCE VITA, 2011 KURSDORF (both short films), 2018 DIE KANDIDATEN, 2021 INNdependence (short film), 2025 DER TOD IST EIN ARSCHLOCH

Awards: “particularly valuable” rating from German Film and Media Rating (Wiesbaden 2025)