“Last Flight Home”: A documentary about the value of life
Written by Ally Abruscato. Photo courtesy of Ally Abruscato.
I walked into “Last Flight Home” without any idea what it was about apart from, “Make sure you are prepared and got tissues.” This was not necessarily what I was looking for at 11:30 in the morning, but I was still here for it. By the movie’s end, I completely understood why the tissues were necessary, and wish I had brought some of my own.
“Last Flight Home” documented filmmaker Ondi Timoner’s family as her father passes away. The movie mainly covered the last fifteen days of Eli Timoner’s life as he and his family prepared for his scheduled departure. Eli was once a financially successful philanthropist who started the airline company Air Florida. After a stroke that paralyzed his left side, Eli experienced ableism in many ways and struggled to provide for his family. Unfortunately, his life was never the same, and he developed heart issues with age. As his health worsened, Eli came to terms with his death and decided that he wanted to end his own life.
Throughout his last fifteen days, Eli said goodbye to his loved ones in anticipation of the end. Although he struggled physically, Eli continued to joke and give advice, as he constantly worried about those around him. The film follows Eli to his death and demonstrates the complexities of life, death and relationships. Although his family feared his loss, they decided to listen to Eli and help him be at peace.
Overall, it was a very intense and emotional story that can be relatable to all audiences. As much as we don’t want to talk about it, everyone is impacted by death and is, at some point, forced to deal with its unpleasant reality. This documentary exposed those feelings and displayed what families go through before, during and after death.
The film’s creator and daughter of Eli, Ondi Timoner, spoke after the showing about the experience. Although she did not know she was making a film while recording her father’s final days, it became important to her after the fact. Filming and editing the documentary was Ondi’s “most transformative experience of [her] life.” While it might seem overwhelming to film while grieving, Ondi found that it “allowed [her] to be fully present, it gave [her] a mission.”
In the end, the film became a sort of therapy for Ondi and the audience. As I heard sniffling throughout the theater, it was clear that “Last Flight Home” deeply impacted many. The documentary was incredibly poignant and moving and taught us to value life, face death and appreciate the people we love.
As Editor-in-Chief, Ally Abruscato leads and supports a talented group of staff and contributors in pursuing their creative endeavors. At SCAD, Ally majors in Photography and minors in Advertising & Branding. She regularly offers pop culture insights through movie reviews, articles and her weekly column, “I’m Booked.” When she’s not writing or taking photos, Ally’s probably outside, reading or running.
