Synopsis

Death will always be a taboo topic, about which we tend to avoid major dissertations. Meanwhile On Earth demystifies what happens behind the scenes of the cremation chamber in the day-to-day life of an undertaker. It welcomes us into the conversations of funeral vans drivers. It reveals the dark humour that proliferates in a morgue. We discover what music the cleaning lady listens to in an autopsy room. The result is an authentic triumph of documentary cinema. Guided by an impeccable aesthetic, reminiscent of Ulrich Seidl’s work with his static and observational plans, or Roy Andersson’s humorous constructions, this set of sketches by Carl Olsson reveals the inner-life of the death industry.