Death Death: A Proof of Concept Short

Upon arriving at their mother's house in Michigan for Mother's Day, estranged half sisters, Marcus and Frannie, discover their mother has killed herself. As instructed by her suicide note, the two take their dead mom to Chicago to fulfill her dying wish: to have enacted the plot of an 80s cult classic together.

  • Marissa Ruben
    Director
    Don't Say Vagina!
  • Avery Looser
    Director
  • Marissa Ruben
    Writer
    Don't Say Vagina!
  • Avery Looser
    Producer
    Don't Say Vagina!, Before We Die
  • BraveMouse Productions
    Producer
    Don't Say Vagina!, Before We Die
  • Marissa Ruben
    Key Cast
    "Marcus"
    Don't Say Vagina!
  • Brock Looser
    Key Cast
    "Frannie"
    Don't Say Vagina!
  • Avery Looser
    Key Cast
    "Lola's Dead Mouth"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Dark Comedy, Absurdist Comedy
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    July 23, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    5,600 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Marissa Ruben, Avery Looser

Marissa Ruben is an actor, writer, director with a strong focus on physical comedy and female shame resilience. Marissa wrote, directed, and starred in "Don't Say Vagina!" during her time as a fellow of the Nine Muses Lab under the mentorship of Bryce Dallas Howard. The film is currently an official selection for over six film festivals. Marissa graduated early with a BFA in Drama from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in December of 2020.
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Avery Looser is a filmmaker whose personal work has been recognized by NFFTY, AAHSFF, SXSW, Sun Valley Film Festival, Toronto International Women's Film Festival while her branded and documentary works have been featured on ABC, CBS, broadwayworld.com, and more. She is the founder of BraveMouse, a media company focused on empowering women in front of and behind the camera. Avery is currently a third year senior at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Kanbar Institute of Film and Television pursuing a BFA in Film and Television with a minor in producing.

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Director Statement

The riotous laughter that inexplicably accompanies times of grief is what DEATH DEATH is about. In this dark comedy, we watch two women rediscover what it means to really live. Stylistically, this concept-short is both a love letter and hate mail to 80s American Cinema. We love the comedic developments, but there's too much penis everywhere. That's why women in comedy (like us) need your support, and we'd very much appreciate yours.