Communiqué

UNCONVENTIONAL NUN SHARES HER END-OF-LIFE JOURNEY

IN “SISTER ÚNA LIVED A GOOD DEATH,” PREMIERING

FEBRUARY 5 at 10:oo PM

Helping Others in Her Community Prepare for the Unknown, Even as She Was Dying of Cancer, Sister Úna Inspired People to Live into Their Death

A wisecracking Catholic nun with stage IV cancer teaches others to live fully until death in “Sister Úna Lived a Good Death,” set to premiere on INDEPENDENT LENS on February 5, 2024. The documentary follows the final months of Sister Úna Feeney of Sisters of Social Service—a social justice-defending “leader of the misfits” and unconventional Catholic nun—thriving with terminal cancer and teaching her community to live into their death.

“Sister Úna Lived a Good Death” will debut on PBS’s INDEPENDENT LENS on February 5, 2024, at 10 p.m. The film will also be available to stream on the PBS App.

Directed by Par Parekh and produced by Ali Hart, this tender and uplifting documentary takes us through the end-of-life journey of Sister Úna Feeney, a Boston-born, SoCal-raised Irish Catholic. She chooses to approach her death with as much originality as she did her life, planning her own funeral, checking off final adventures from her bucket list, and teaching her community to embrace dying with curiosity and humanity.

“Death is such a taboo topic in our society, but Sister Úna somehow makes it palatable,” said director Par Parekh. “When we met her in 2018, we were instantly charmed by her mischievous smile and irreverent humor, and knew we needed to share her powerful message with the world. The movie really is a celebration of life, community, and connection—the things Sister Úna valued the most.”

“Sister Úna teaches us so much, not only about preparing for our own deaths, but also how to show up for others who are dying. I hope viewers feel empowered to live and die more intentionally, and I have no doubt they’ll fall in love with Sister Úna, just like we did,” said producer Ali Hart.

Sister Úna Feeney, of the Sisters of Social Service, spent her life eschewing stereotypes. With a great sense of humor, she cursed like a sailor, smoked Camels, and wore plaid flannels like a uniform—the raconteur was a rule- breaker and feminist long before it was cool. Úna was the self-proclaimed “leader of the misfits” and her special skill was making kids, particularly LGBTQ youth, feel okay to be their authentic selves. Filmed through her hospice care, Úna got her final wish of making sure her approach to life and death could inspire generations to come.

“‘Sister Úna Lived a Good Death’ is an inspiring story about an incredible woman brave enough to embrace and dance with death,” said Lois Vossen, INDEPENDENT LENS executive producer. “Úna’s candor, light, and fight will have everyone view death differently as she teaches that there is beauty and laughter through all stages of life.”

“Sister Úna Lived a Good Death” received Open Call funding from ITVS. Visit the “Sister Úna Lived a Good Death” page on INDEPENDENT LENS to learn more about the film.