Camp Widow

By: Jennifer Vintzileos

There’s no way about it: death is a difficult process. We will all lose someone at one point or another, death is an inevitability for us all. But what about those who grieve the loss of a spouse and are confused about the path forward? How does one process that loss or make light of such a dark situation? Directed and Produced by Laura Green and Anna Moot-Levin,  the documentary film Camp Widow addresses the grief process for those who have truly loved and lost their better half. And somewhere along the way, finding solace in others who are walking the same path as them.

It is another meeting hosted by Camp Widow, an organization created by fellow widow Michele Neff Hernandez. Many have turned out for what feels like a grim event: gathering to share in the loss of their spouse. For some like Angel and Cory, their spouses lost their lives due to medical conditions. And then there are those like Juanita, losing her spouse to a head-on collision with a drunk driver. As the day goes on, workshops and roundtable discussions are initiated about the various topics that plague those who are still processing their grief: sudden loss, mental health, anger and for many the loss of intimacy. Stories and laughs are shared, but the message is clear to each attendee – they are not alone.

Camp Widow has found a way to make light in the face of one of the darkest moments. Green and Moot-Levin have presented this message in a thoughtful, yet realistic way. Where many are not quite sure how to process the thoughts and feelings associated with the loss of a spouse, Camp Widow shows that there is another path forward…and in a process that creates the space for grief and hope to co-exist. Most importantly, the camp itself has provided the one thing many of us need in light of such a dark situation – others who feel that loss just as deeply in their own lives. Even though each attendee walks their own path, there is no judgement or one-upping. Instead, they use their own stories to educate and lift others…and sometimes to make one another laugh.

One moment that truly stuck out in Camp Widow was even in an event that made all the attendees relive some of their most painful memories, a party is held in celebration. Each person that attends dresses up in their finest and celebrates with dancing and new-found friends. After bearing their vulnerable selves to a room full of strangers, a connection is made…even if only for a day or two. For just a little bit, everyone remembers that there is life beyond loss and that their story does not end here just yet.

Death does not always mean the end and those who have lost still have more to live for. The message of Camp Widow is simple: there is still room to live even when we feel profound loss. Because when pain can be embraced, the healing can begin. For more information on Camp Widow, please visit www.campwidow.org.

Covered at SXSW 2025