Host a Screening
Screening &
Discussion Guide
Everything you need to host a screening of The Art of Grieving — with tailored discussion questions for therapy groups, classrooms, faith communities, and general audiences.
Where to watch
The Art of Grieving is streaming free on Tubi, Amazon Prime, and Plex. Also available on Apple TV.
Before you press play
The film follows filmmaker Preston Zeller as he processes the death of his brother Colin — an Army veteran who died from a drug overdose at age 35 in February 2019.
Over the course of one year, Preston created 365 daily acrylic paintings, each carrying forward one non-primary color from the previous day.
The final paintings were rearranged into a 10×20-foot mosaic that depicts what it feels like to move through grief — not chronologically, but emotionally.
The film explores art therapy, cultural attitudes toward grief, veteran reintegration, and what it means to grow around loss rather than get over it.
Tips for hosting
Set the tone beforehand
Let attendees know the film deals with loss, death, and substance abuse. Frame it as a space where emotions are welcome and no one needs to have the “right” response.
Leave space after the credits
Don’t rush into discussion. Give the room 60–90 seconds of quiet after the film ends. Let people sit with it.
Start with an open question
Begin with “What stayed with you?” rather than jumping to analytical questions. Let the group find its own entry point.
Have tissues and water available
This sounds small, but it communicates that crying is expected and okay — not something to apologize for.
End with action, not analysis
Close with the creative exercise or a simple prompt: “What’s one thing you want to do differently after watching this?”
For any audience
1.What was your first reaction when the film ended? What image or moment stayed with you?
2.Preston says “you grow around grief — it doesn’t shrink.” What does that mean to you?
3.Have you ever felt pressure to “get over” a loss? Where does that pressure come from?
4.Why do you think creative expression helped Preston process his grief differently than talk therapy alone?
5.The mosaic is arranged emotionally, not chronologically. Why do you think that choice matters?
For therapy & support groups
1.How does the film illustrate the difference between grief as an event and grief as a process?
2.Preston describes the canvas as “a mirror.” How might creative expression serve as a therapeutic mirror for your own clients or group members?
3.What role does the “color forward” rule play? How does imposing creative constraints change the emotional output?
4.How would you adapt Preston’s one-painting-a-day approach for someone who doesn’t consider themselves an artist?
5.What does the film suggest about the relationship between grief and identity?
For classrooms & universities
1.How does the documentary use visual language to communicate emotional states that are difficult to verbalize?
2.From a filmmaking perspective, how does Preston navigate being both subject and director?
3.The film touches on veteran reintegration and substance abuse. How does it avoid reducing Colin’s story to a statistic?
4.Compare Preston’s approach to art therapy research you’ve encountered in this course. Where does lived experience challenge clinical frameworks?
5.How does the mosaic’s emotional arrangement challenge linear narratives of healing?
For faith communities
1.How does the film handle questions of meaning and purpose in suffering without prescribing a single answer?
2.Preston describes grief as something that “needs to find a home.” How does your faith tradition create a home for grief?
3.What does the film reveal about how Western culture handles — or avoids — conversations about death?
4.How might creative expression complement prayer, liturgy, or pastoral care in your community’s approach to loss?
5.The final painting uses Colin’s ashes. How did that moment land for you? What does it say about honoring the physical in grief?
15–20 minutes · Paper, any drawing/painting supplies (markers, crayons, and pencils work fine)
Post-Screening Creative Exercise
Take a moment of silence. Think of someone or something you’ve lost.
Choose one color that represents how you feel right now about that loss.
Without planning, fill the page. No rules about what it should look like.
When you’re done, write one word on the back that describes what you made.
If comfortable, share your word (not your image) with the group.
Want Preston in the room?
Book Preston to lead the discussion in person.
The documentary has been used in educational curriculum across art therapy, psychology, and film programs. Lectures can be paired with a screening and tailored to your context.