*Identical twins Marvin and Melvin Morgan spent more than 20 years caring for New York City’s dead. Now, a documentary explores how their extraordinary careers shaped their understanding of life, loss and their own mortality.
“The Morgue Twins,” directed by Bronx-born Nicaraguan-American filmmaker Rebecca Blandón, premieres October 19 as part of Black Public Media’s “AfroPoP Digital Shorts” series. The film follows the retired mortuary technicians as they reflect on collecting bodies, assisting with autopsies and helping families through some of the city’s darkest moments, per the news release.
Melvin worked at Elmhurst Hospital, which became an epicenter of New York City’s COVID-19 crisis. Marvin served at the city’s Medical Examiner’s Office, including during the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and the American Airlines Flight 587 crash in Queens…