Movie poster for 'Sit with Me While I Die,' featuring James Naughton and Mia Dillon sitting in profile by a large window with sunlight streaming in.

Sit with Me While I Die

A priest must reconcile his lifelong dogmatic views on suffering with real life pain, examining how we will die, the intersection of faith and death, and specifically with how we may, or may not, be called to suffer at the inevitable end. Set against the backdrop of medical aid in dying, and death with dignity.

There are many kinds of death. And some are better than others. The best are peaceful, where we leave each other in love. Memento Amoris. Remember you must love.
    — Alex Garland (Dr Ian Kelson)

July 7, 2026
5-8:30 PM

Court Square Theater
44-02 23rd St, Long Island City

A man with long gray hair tied back, wearing glasses, a blue short-sleeve shirt, tan pants, and red sneakers, standing indoors with arms crossed, near a window and dark furniture.

Brian Russell

Brian Russell is an award-winning filmmaker whose work often explores deeply human stories centered on faith, mortality, and ethical questions at life’s most vulnerable moments. His films are known for their emotional honesty and their ability to spark meaningful conversation beyond the screen.

Brian has worked with the likes of Edwards Burns, Zoe Kravitz, Arianna Huffington, and has even profiled the entire cast of Saturday Night Live. He was the cinematographer of the Tribeca Film Festival selection The Counterfeiter, which was later broadcast on ESPN. In recent years, his writing and directing has garnered dozens of film festival awards. In addition to his narrative filmmaking, Russell is also a sought-after writer and director for Fortune 500 companies and non-profit fundraising.

Filming equipment setup includes a monitor displaying a scene of a person in front of a window with sunlight, and a camera mounted above with a Hollyland 4K wireless video transmitter.
An elderly man dressed as a priest holding a small brown dog outdoors on a sunny day with trees and houses in the background.
A group of three people having a conversation on a film set, with a camera on a tripod recording the scene. The man in the middle is dressed as a priest, while the two women are standing across from him, one with gray hair in a ponytail wearing a checkered shirt and glasses, and the other with brown hair wearing a red sweater.
A panel discussion or interview setup with six people seated in a semi-circle in a room with a wooden floor, a stage with red curtains, and a chandelier. There is a camera operator filming the scene, and studio lighting equipment is visible.
Two men are sitting indoors, one is smiling and wearing an orange shirt, and the other is wearing glasses, a cross earring, and a plaid shirt, and is laughing. They are in a room with glass doors and decorative wall hangings.
Two smiling men taking a selfie inside a home, with framed pictures on the wall behind them.
Three seniors are having a conversation in a living room. The man is sitting on a sofa, gesturing with his hands, while the two women stand or sit nearby, listening. The room has framed photos, a lamp, and a crocheted blanket on the sofa.
A small brown dog with black markings stands outdoors, sticking out its tongue. It is on a red leash held by a person wearing beige pants and a plaid shirt. The background shows a clear sky and some trees.