Experiencing Interruptions?

The Death Notice of Eamonn McCarty

With just one day left to live, a man scrambles to fulfil his life’s ambitions while stuck on the phone to customer care.

In a near dystopian past, all Irish citizens are given a six month notice in advance of the date they will die. Officially called an “Expiry Notice” (and unofficially nicknamed a “Death Notice”), they are administered by a recently formed branch of the civil service – The Public Notice Office. All notices are mailed to the relevant citizen’s, including Eamonn McCarty. Unfortunately, his got lost in the post, arriving with only one day left before his expiry date.

Peeved at the error and hell bent on getting it rectified, Eamonn calls the Public Notice Office Citizen Care Line, only to be greeted by Geraldine, a rookie on her first day manning the phones. Can Geraldine help Eamonn fix the issue in the short time he has left?

  • Aaron Chalke
    Director
  • Aaron Chalke
    Writer
  • Aaron Chalke
    Producer
    Shadowban, Flutter
  • Louise McCabe
    Producer
  • Michael McElhatton
    Key Cast
    "Eamonn McCarty"
    Game of Thrones, Intermission
  • Hannah Mamalis
    Key Cast
    "Geraldine"
    Good Boy, Baby Steps
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Ireland
  • Country of Filming:
    Ireland
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Arri
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Aaron Chalke

Aaron Chalke is an Irish writer, producer and first-time director from the west coast of Ireland. His subject matter leans into dark drama, delivered by comedic and sci-fi genres in screenplays and short stories.

He started his career in advertising, writing and producing commercials in 2010, eventually founding Foe in 2017, a creative studio working across a spectrum of film and commercial projects. Through Foe, he produced “Shadowban”, the multi award-winning short horror, followed by “Flutter”, another award-winning short drama, both written and directed by his business partner, Shane W. Brennan.

“The Death Notice of Eamonn McCarty” is Aaron’s directorial debut. He is currently developing this title as a feature film.

Aaron is a graduate of Dublin City University with a BSc. in Multimedia, and recently received a distinction while studying a postgraduate diploma in Advanced Producing for Film and TV at Technological University Dublin (TUD), backed by Screen Ireland. Aaron also sits on the board of Epilepsy Ireland and chairs their Communications & Fundraising Sub-Committee.

Aaron lives in north Mayo and is currently developing a slate of films and short stories.

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Director Statement

“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes” (Benjamin Franklin)

We all know that death is a part of life, a certainty we cannot escape. Strangely, perhaps ironically for self-preservation, we choose to ignore that fact as much as possible. But what if we couldn’t ignore it, how would that change how we approach the time we have left? For example, if you knew this was your last day alive, would you do something different to what you are doing right now? Would you stop reading this, instead using the time to speak those you love, just one last time? Would you appreciate that coffee a little bit more, knowing it is your last? At some stage, we will have a series of ‘lasts’ – a last coffee, a last Monday, a last conversation.

It was this fascination with the world of ‘lasts’ that has inspired “The Death Notice Of Eamonn McCarty”. The film is the exploration of the question – “What if we did know when we would die?”. In treating a concrete date of your death as being as certain as an expected due date, I was able to play with how we look at, or more accurately, choose to ignore one of life’s few certainties.

“The Death Notice of Eamonn McCarty” is an reflection on life. In the spectre of death, this film explores a life lived, decisions made and regrets harboured. Through this, I was able to explore the fact that every moment still alive is a gift, and there to be cherished and spent wisely – no matter how many or little of these moments you have left.

Eamonn is the summation of a life lived by going through the motions. Of living his life in a manner he thought he was ‘meant to’, resulting in a husk of a life, empty beyond the carefully manicured veneer. In contrast, Geraldine is youthful, energetic and naïve. She has one goal, to help people while they still have time left. Their call together and growing connection set the scene, resulting in a zest for life, to grab each moment by the scruff of the neck, and a knowledge that it is never too late to live life to the full.