"Smile for the Dead" – Haunting PBS Doc Explores the Paranormal World of 1800s Spirit Photographs

By: PRLog

September 21, 2025 at 12:22 PM EDT

Award-winning spooky film will air on MPT in time for Halloween

WASHINGTON - Sept. 21, 2025 - PRLog -- Smile for the Dead: An Examination of Spirit Photography, a captivating new documentary directed by Hamilton Ward, premieres on PBS and MPT on October 19, 2025, at 4:00 PM. With an encore airing on MPT2/Create on Friday, October 31st at 8:00 PM, the film delves into the life of William Mumler, a 19th-century spirit photographer who famously captured ghostly images of deceased loved ones during America's post-Civil War mourning period.

Blending history, the paranormal, and emotional storytelling, Smile for the Dead has already won 35 prestigious film festival awards and is set to leave a lasting impact on audiences worldwide. The documentary explores photography's role in grief and healing, highlighting the psychological and emotional effects that these spectral images had on those who believed in them.

The film, which started as a successful Kickstarter campaign, also marks a key moment for the growing interest in paranormal storytelling and its cultural significance. With the PBS premiere and subsequent encore broadcast, Smile for the Dead is poised to engage viewers interested in both the historical aspects of spirit photography and the more supernatural elements of this intriguing subject.

Directed by Hamilton Ward and produced by Charlie Puritano of 309 Films, Smile for the Dead uncovers one of history's most fascinating figures in the world of photography, shedding light on how Mumler's work provided a form of solace for grieving families while stirring controversies that still resonate today.

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