Documentary filmmaker Ben Mittleman turns the camera on himself when confronted with the same open-heart surgery that derailed his father's life. A quest for truth, Dying to Live gives public exposure to his own fears about mortality. In the same year Mittleman's wife Valerie and mother Anne each struggle with their own life-threatening illnesses. And, it's these affairs of his heart that contain the soul of Dying to Live. A love letter to Valerie, Dying to Live reveals the raw realities of Mittleman's fight to survive and heal the women who love him. With a rare humor and spirit, an ordinary man struggles deeper into adulthood.[2]
Question: What type of surgery is Ben Mittleman confronted with?, Answer: Open-heart surgery Question: What other character's in Ben's life are struggling with life-threatening illnesses?, Answer: His mother and wife. Question: What does the film expose about Ben?, Answer: His own fears about mortality.