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Logline

How I Learned to Die follows teenaged Iris’ somewhat messy journey of self-discovery. When Iris learns she must undergo a high-risk surgery with a 60% chance of dying, she plunges into a whirlwind of “firsts.” Her often-humorous path takes viewers on a reflective ride through love, mortality, relationships, and the passage from adolescence to womanhood—with surprising twists along the way.

Synopsis

Inspired by a true story, How I Learned to Die is a coming-of-age, comedy-drama seen through the eyes of Iris, a 16-year-old girl. The film opens with Iris discovering she must undergo a high-risk surgery with a 60% chance of dying by the end of the school year. But instead of collapsing under fear, Iris does something far more daring: she decides to live.

Armed with a neck brace, a razor-sharp sense of humor, and a best friend who tries to keep her out of trouble, Iris creates a bucket list for what might be her final weeks of adolescence, plunging her into a whirlwind of “firsts” and teenage shenanigans.

But as surgery looms, relationships strain, Iris and her parents struggle, and the performance of bravery begins to crack. In her candid, offbeat narration to the audience, Iris reflects on the messy beauty of life with refreshing humor and honesty. Brave and overflowing with soul, Iris’s journey isn’t about escape or survival; it’s about the courage to face life with eyes wide open.

Firmly cemented in the indie pop-saturated era of 2012, Iris lets us into her interior world, creating connective tissue between her and her audience, where we are given access to the anthems, style, and heart that guides her unfiltered journey.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Amy Kaufman — Producer
Amy started her career in film working in international distribution at Miramax Films and then Good Machine International, where she executive produced Alfonso Cuaron’s Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN. Amy then ran acquisitions for the newly formed Focus Features. At Focus, she oversaw 21 GRAMS, LOST IN TRANSLATION and THE CONSTANT GARDENER among others. With Primary Productions, Amy produced SIN NOMBRE for Focus Features directed by Cary Fukunaga (Best Directing, Best Cinematography 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Jury Prize Deauville Film Festival. Best Foreign Film of 2009, The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association, Austin Film Critics Association. Nominee, 2009 Best Foreign Language Film, Broadcast Film Critics Association, NAACP. Nominee, 2009 Film Independent Spirit Awards, Best Feature, Best Director, Best Cinematography) Amy also produced THE WHISTLEBLOWER (Laryssa Kondracki) starring Rachel Weisz and Vanessa Redgrave, AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS (David Lowery), starring Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck and Ben Foster, and BEASTS OF NO NATION (Cary Fukunaga), starring Idris Elba and Abraham Attah (Peabody Award. Marcello Mastroianna Award. Best Young Actor. NAACP Image Award. Nominee, 2016 Independent Spirit Awards, Best Feature). Amy most recently executive produced the four-part documentary series VOW OF SILENCE: THE EXECUTION OF ANNIE MAE for Onyx Collective (Humanitas Prize for Documentary, Docuseries, Single Episode. Nominee, 2026 Film Independent Spirit Award, Best New Non-Scripted/Doc Series.)

Riva Marker — Producer
Riva Marker is a Tony award-winning producer of film, television, and stage and the CEO of Linden Productions. For film, Linden has Aleshea Harris’ directorial debut IS GOD IS for Orion Pictures first wide release. Marker is also a consulting producer on Julia Loktev’s documentary MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART 1, and she produced Tina Satter’s Peabody award-winning film REALITY starring Sydney Sweeney for HBO Films. Prior to Linden, Marker co-founded Nine Stories with Jake Gyllenhaal. Some of her previous credits include BEASTS OF NO NATION, THE GUILTY, STRONGER, RELIC, HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS, THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME, WILDLIFE, and THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT. For the stage, Marker’s shows have received 29 Tony nominations including Best Play for David Adjmi’s Tony award-winning STEREOPHONIC which Marker produced under Linden Productions. Linden also currently is producing Joe White’s play BLACKOUT SONGS running at MCC. Other productions include: SLAVE PLAY, SEA WALL / A LIFE and SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE.

Jocelyn Blockinger — Producer
Jocelyn Blockinger is an NY-based producer with experience in production, production management, talent management, and independent film sales. Prior to moving into producing full-time, she spent three years at Cinetic Media working across departments including Management, Sales, and Tracking. She is currently producing her first feature, the feature adaptation of the short film How I Learned to Die, written and to be directed by Manya Glassman, which premiered at Tribeca in June of 2025. Most recently, Jocelyn worked on the team for the Sundance Institute’s 2026 Catalyst Forum andcontinues to work with Catalyst on their 2027 program.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact [email protected].