The best short films live or die by their premise. Till Death has a beauty in that if you’ve ever had to look for a house for sale—especially here in California—you may have thought about this exact situation.
River (Kieran Roberts) and Alex Daniels (Nancy Ma) are about to welcome their first child into their family and need a bigger house. But everywhere they look, they are priced out. That is, until their real estate agent presents what appears to be the perfect place. When they arrive, the home is clearly unaffordable, but an opportunity presents itself to the couple. The owner, Mrs. Campbell (Rosie Lee-Hooks), is a very sick octogenarian widow who has a deal for them. She’ll sell the house at a steep discount, but there’s a catch. She tells them she is not long for this world and all she wants is to stay in the house until she dies.
Three years later, the Daniels have one kid and another on the way. The house is theirs. But Mrs. Campbell? She’s still there. The Pearly Gates are nowhere in sight. In fact, the woman is thriving. She’s got a spring in her step, a full social calendar, and no signs of going anywhere. River, who once welcomed her with open arms, is starting to crack. What looked like a generous act of hospitality is slowly turning into something she can’t get out of.
“She gets to stay in the house until she dies.”
The story gets right to the point. A young couple finds their dream home, and the elderly owner makes them an offer that’s too good to be true. It’s the Hugh Hefner conundrum. You’re gambling on someone’s mortality—a sure thing—what could go wrong?
Except Mrs. Campbell doesn’t die. That’s where Till Death really earns its premise by asking the question: what would you do? Can River passively let an accident play out? Oh boy, does it play out. Will she ever reach a breaking point? That’s the dark path a good comedy short must be willing to walk. You want something so badly, it’s just out of reach, and the next question—how far would you go?
Along with a relatable script, the performances are sharp, and director Yana Bille-Chung manages the tone perfectly. That moment when River makes the final compromise makes Till Death both cringey and incredible.
For more information, visit the Till Death official Instagram page.
"…It's the Hugh Hefner conundrum."
