Can I Get a Witness (2024) Movie Script
1
[]
[fire raging]
[insects buzzing]
[birds singing]
[insects buzzing]
[Ink Spots' "I Don't Want to
Set The World on Fire" plays]
I don't want
To set the world on fire
I just want to start
A flame in your heart
In my heart I have
But one desire
And that one is you
No other
Will do
I've lost all ambition
For worldly acclaim
I just want to be
the one you love
And with your admission
That you feel the same
I'll have reached the
goal I'm dreaming of
- [knocking at door]
- Believe me...
[Mom, Ellie] Kiah?
Are you dressed yet?
- Set the world on fire...
- [door opens]
Hey... this is my present.
- [stops record]
- I was wondering where it was.
I didn't know you
liked old-timey music.
Kiah?
Kiah, you can't go
out dressed like that.
You have to wear something
more respectable.
It's your first day.
You don't want to draw
attention to yourself.
[Ellie rummages in closet]
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
You're kidding.
No holes!
It looks, like, a
hundred years old.
Well, it is all vintage, baby,
but this is in... it's
in perfect condition.
I'm not putting that on.
[sighs darkly] No.
Are you sure you
want to do this?
What do you think?
[headband hits shelf]
You don't have to, you know.
Yeah, what, like,
so I can I choose
military service instead?
Some option.
I mean, you don't have to now.
What else would I do,
hang around and...
Well, you could
hang out with me!
That's all I ever do.
Yeah, but...
...I'm not gonna
be around forever.
[bell dinging]
No, I'll get it.
You just... uh,
you finish up here.
Mom?
What?
Seriously, I feel
like I'm gonna barf.
[quietly] I don't
know if I can do this.
You'll be okay.
[bell dinging]
You... hair.
Better.
[knocking at door]
[quiet shock] Oh, my
god, my refrigerator.
My refrigerator!
[delivery person] We
had shipping issues.
Big backlog at the warehouse.
But... better late
than never, right?
"Better late than never"?
[snorts]
"In the nick of time," I'd say.
I was expecting this
nearly two weeks ago.
Oh... it's that late?
Well...
a couple of days are
better than nothing.
Okay. Connected.
Go ahead... open 'er.
She's clean.
[fridge hums]
[exhales deeply] Oh, my god!
Oh...
oh, it's already cool!
[sighs] I miss electricity.
Yeah, me too.
Yeah, I got a thing or
two back at the house...
it's totally off the grid.
My father used to
be a mechanic, so...
[knocking at door]
It's open!
Come on in and join the party!
[shuts door]
[sets shoes down]
Ellie Novulo?
Yes?
Hi. I'm Daniel Boyer.
I'm here to pick up Kiah...
and to give you this.
Oh. Yes.
Thanks. Um...
you know, have
a... have a seat.
You know what? Uh...
[cupboard clatters]
Shouldn't you put that
in the refrigerator?
[chair scrapes floor]
It's a bit early
for the champagne.
Well, technically, it's late,
but we wanted to coordinate
it with the refrigerator.
I meant, to drink.
It was a joke.
Oh...
I know it's very late.
It's still appreciated.
- We're gonna take off.
- Oh.
Thank you for your service.
Oh, thank you, no, thank
you for your service.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
[door closes]
You're doing great.
Is, um, Kiah ready?
[sighs heavily]
[pointedly, loudly] Late...
[normal voice] ...as usual.
Oh... she has a good excuse.
Oh, you know... I'm so sorry.
Excuse the mess.
Um...
our water doesn't turn
on until 3:00 p.m. today.
You didn't have time for
breakfast this morning,
am I right?
Oh, I can practically hear
your stomach rumbling.
Why don't you try a piece
of, uh, Kiah's birthday pie?
I know, uh...
cake is more traditional, but...
Kiah really loves my pie.
[unconvincingly] No, I
can't, ma'am. It's okay.
Oh, come on! Please,
don't be so formal.
I don't know...
how are you gonna take
care of my daughter
if you...
can't take care of yourself?
You're right. I'm
sorry about that.
I was in a rush.
I usually never miss breakfast.
Oh! [laughs] Yeah,
I believe you.
Oh, my god, that's delicious!
[laughing] Thank you!
Strawberry and rhubarb,
from the garden.
What i-is that, um...
that-that, that thing...
Oh, is it sweetness?
Yeah, yeah!
Applesauce.
My last Fujis from last year.
Mm. That's so good!
Ahem. So, um...
Uh... you don't
have to explain.
I know the drill.
Are you sure you don't
need to see these?
- I can...
- No.
...Leave one?
Save them.
I was in Alpha Doc.
[words catch]
[stammers]
[in awe] First cohort?
Mm-hmm.
Wow, that must've
been something.
We were all less...
[sighs] ...evolved, back then.
Mm, so much work back then, I...
Yeah. That too.
Um...
I'm just gonna leave
one of these anyway.
Protocol.
Do they check?
Things may have changed
since you did this.
Is that you?
Oh! Kiah did it.
Wow, she's really good!
Oh, let me show you some
of... some of her other work.
She's been practising.
May I...?
- Oh, of course!
- Yeah.
[fridge hums]
It's a four-star eco-model
from 30 years ago.
I mean, it's beautiful.
I've never seen one like it.
[Ellie] I really
missed my fridge.
Uh, no bells and whistles,
but it's got a
really good rating.
Hi. I'm Daniel.
Ohh!
It's, uh...
fake.
Cool.
Well, uh...
we're running a little late, so,
I'll have to explain
things on the way.
It's okay.
I get it... it's
your first day.
Sweetheart...
I packed you a lunch.
It might be a long day.
I'm really not hungry.
[sets dishes on counter]
Sorry about interrupting.
We've got to be going.
[bike chain clicking]
Good luck, Kiah!
I'm so proud of you!
I'll see you at dinner.
Have a great day. I love you.
Say it back.
Love you, too, Mom.
[quietly] Nice.
Bye!
[Daniel] So, I've
been doing this
for about a year and a half now,
and you gotta learn
to go with the flow.
Everything has been prepped
before you get there.
You don't actually
have to do anything.
Well, you don't have
to sell anything.
They just expect you to show up.
It's like surgery...
you just watch one, you do one,
then you teach one.
It's simple.
Surgery is simple?
It's just a saying.
Trust me, you'll
get the hang of it.
[]
[bicycle bells ring]
[]
[]
[knocking]
[knocking harder]
[knocking]
[singing from backyard]
[singing continues]
[man singing] I only wish
that you were here with me
Thank God it's Friday...
[humming]
Thank God it's Friday...
[humming]
[man] That day was really
hard to take, my dear
[humming]
When it blows the
leaves up above the tree
[humming]
[winded] But now
The weekend's
getting very near
[Daniel] Beautiful garden!
[man stops abruptly]
Thanks.
How is it that you're
able to keep up this lawn
in this heat?
I mean, you're not
allowed to water.
Apartment-dweller?
Oh.
Follow me.
[birds singing]
[man] See?
The old gutters?
Go in... to the cisterns.
[Daniel] Oh!
There's one for the
house greywater,
another for the garden...
there's plenty for the veggies,
and I figure having
a little lawn
won't hurt anybody.
Now, this one...
that's my baby!
The wind-assisted,
compost-turning device.
The wind comes through here,
spins this wheel
counter-clockwise,
which initiates
this drive shaft,
and triggers the gearbox.
I mean, it's amazing!
[chuckling mirthfully]
[stops chuckling]
[stormcloud rumbles]
[rain pattering]
[thunder rumbles]
[thunder booms and rolls]
What is it?
I always get a kick out of
how people feel like they
have to explain to me
how they do things, and why.
Yeah... my mum does that, too.
Passing down the
knowledge, I guess.
[]
[songbirds chirping]
[]
[]
[woman] Oh, hi!
Hang on!
[engine shuts off]
So sorry I'm late.
[Daniel] Don't worry. It's
all good, it's all good.
[opens trunk]
Thank you.
Oh! No problem. I got it.
[pencil scratching page]
Oh...
[belt unclasps]
All right.
[thump]
Okay.
Oh!
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
[]
[fluttering]
[trunk thuds]
All right? Follow me.
[wings fluttering]
Have you put any thought
into how you would like
your E.O.L. ceremony to go?
Your, uh... "End
of Life" ceremony?
The brochure is really
there for suggestions.
Just know we can personalize
any of these options,
but they provide a
pretty good template.
People particularly
like this one...
"the Formal Church Memorial".
Just know it is a
little unconventional,
in that we have the
memorial service
as the E.O.L.,
but, this way,
you get to hear all
the wonderful things
people have to say about you.
You won't be able to
participate, though...
you'll be in the coffin,
but...
it might be nice for your son?
You know, the church is
wheelchair-accessible.
Some people get claustrophobic
and prefer to transition
when the cover's open.
Best practice is to
keep your eyes closed.
It's hard, but...
trust me... it's a lot
easier on the attendees.
I say this from experience.
You know, I'm Muslim.
It's an interfaith building.
Um... [unfolding brochure]
...as you can see here...
the Islamic E.O.L.
protocol is number three.
And, don't worry,
I'll talk to my superiors
about bathing,
shroud, et cetera.
Now, would you want the
washing to be done before...
or after?
[testily] I'd rather
be dead, thank you.
Yeah. Well, you know,
it's no pressure.
[woman] Can I have my
other children here?
Uh... I can ask about
travel vouchers, but...
you may be a bit
low on your points
because of the personal
passive transportation.
Uh, the... the car.
Of course.
I realize you're already
being very generous.
Oh! Hey, no, it's not me.
No, it's the government.
But, generally, you just
get the one E.O.L. perk.
Oh, wait, hold on.
Yeah, no, I didn't
see this note.
Um, looks like your
daughter, Nehal,
is taking stewardship
over... Ali, is it?
Yes.
[Daniel] Yeah, well...
[relieved chuckle]
No, then that's...
that's totally
within the protocol.
Yeah, no, she can just
come down with the others,
and take him back.
I'm sorry if I gave you a start.
My husband used to play.
Do you play?
Only a little.
Would you... play something?
I'd love to hear it
used one more time.
I really can't...
[begins to play Chopin's
"Prelude in E minor Opus 28"]
[plays softly, somewhat off-key]
[]
[masterful rendition plays]
[tentative playing resumes]
[stops abruptly]
Uh, that's all I can remember.
[chokes up] It was
his favourite piece.
My husband left many years ago.
[Daniel] You know, your son
will be well taken care of...
there's no worrying about that.
[shakily] I know.
[sobs softly]
[sighs]
[exhales]
[munching]
[breathing deeply]
[Kiah's stomach growls]
Didn't you have any breakfast?
I'm surprised your
mom didn't prep you.
I mean, she almost forced
me to have some of her pie.
But, hey, I'm glad
she did, though...
it was delicious!
I wasn't hungry.
Sounds counter-intuitive,
but you got to have
something in your stomach,
especially the first
time you witness, or...
it can be quite painful.
Plus, you won't
be able to focus,
and we can't have the rumbling.
It's, like...
it's, like, so wrong.
So, come on, come on!
Let's fix that!
[buzzing]
[]
[]
[whimpering wearily]
[]
[pills rattle]
Cool bag.
Yeah. It's my mother's.
Yeah... that was my mother's.
She only left me one thing,
and somehow it was that.
Your mother's already gone?
Yup.
[plays a chord]
Uh, no more sad songs, please.
[she closes the lid]
So...
so far, so good, huh?
What's up?
I'm seein'... dark thoughts...
How many children
does that woman have?
Well...
let's see.
[deep breath]
According to her chart...
[slurping]
...Mina Mosleh has...
four children.
It looks like they were born
before the one-child amendment.
Her older children
had to be relocated
because this area was
already over-prescribed.
Normally, they would be given
to the local community to raise,
but, uh...
[flips page]
...they live in
Northern Saskatchewan.
It looks like most work
on the Oil Sands
Reclamation Project.
She got to keep Ali because
of his special needs and...
she's actually
trained as a nurse,
so, it helps everyone out.
Well, if she already
had three children,
then why would she
have another one...
so late?
Whoa!
[exhales deeply]
That's a little harsh.
[closes folder]
I mean, that's a whole
philosophical discussion.
I didn't take
philosophy in school,
I took shop.
We're not here to judge, Kiah.
We're here to witness.
This isn't a...
a cookie-cutter kind of thing
we're dealing with here.
This is life.
Life is messy.
But...
that's why we're here, you know?
To make sure things
don't get messier.
[sighs deeply] Okay.
[]
[birds chirping and singing]
[]
[birdsong]
Hello, Anna, Peter...
I'd like to introduce Kiah.
She's our artist.
Hello, Kiah.
Nice to meet you.
[Daniel exhales]
Wouldn't it be easier
to just take a picture?
[Daniel] Oh, uh...
No, sir. We actually don't use
photographic equipment anymore.
Digital files degrade
over a couple-decade span,
and, uh, printing is
out of the question.
The chemicals are
just way too harsh.
So, pencil and paper
is the way to go.
[dryly] You don't say.
Is she your girlfriend?
- [laughs] Oh, no!
- No?
No, no.
[takes a deep breath]
[hushed] Don't freak out.
They're just trying to make us
feel a little more comfortable.
I know... it's weird, though.
Listen, kid.
I just want to say,
for the record,
I was never down
with this mandatory
E.O.L. bullshit.
There are other alternatives.
Peter. We agreed not
to bring this up.
Water under the bridge.
Breathe in... [inhaling]
Breathe out... [exhaling]
Here we are.
[chuckling]
[whisking matcha]
[slurping softly]
Ahh.
[sniffles]
[speaking Japanese]
[wind rustling leaves]
[slurping softly]
[chuckles sadly]
Come on!
[birds singing]
You start.
[Peter groans lightly]
You always gotta get
the last word, huh?
Why change things now?
Tch, Anna...
[chuckles sadly]
...it has been such a privilege
to spend this time
here, with you.
You made every day
seem like a lifetime.
What?
A lifetime of learning...
and... wonder...
and joy.
You've made me
the person I always
wanted to be.
Mm.
I only hope I can,
in some small way,
reciprocate for
the love and care
you've given me every day.
You amaze me, and
I love you so much.
I bless you, kind sir...
as I am blessed by you.
And I would like to
thank everyone present...
...mm, the birds,
and the bees,
and the trees...
[breeze rustling in trees]
...especially the trees.
And I want to say how much
I've loved being here.
And I pray that this
wonder we call our world...
can continue to be
enjoyed for ever...
and ever.
[sobs]
[sniffles deeply]
[forces a chuckle]
Peace... and, always, love.
[deep breath]
- [bird sings]
- [Kiah sighs shakily]
[wind whispering]
[click]
[wind rustling leaves]
[Kiah begins sobbing]
[weeping louder]
[sobbing continues]
[sobbing]
Don't forget to draw.
[Kiah tries to stifle her sobs]
[sobbing harder]
[]
[shovel begins striking
ground repeatedly]
[sobbing]
[Daniel] I'm gonna
need some help here.
Come on, if we do it together,
we can place them, respectfully.
Otherwise, I'll just
have to drag them.
I'll grab this end.
[]
[shovel hitting dirt]
[retching]
[gagging and coughing]
[wheezing]
[scratching wood]
[chain clattering]
[tire whizzing smoothly]
Just remember, Kiah...
we're doing the
right thing here.
We're helping them out.
We're helping the planet out.
We're not making
anyone do anything.
I-It was so fast.
They were so...
beautiful.
I mean, how could
they be so calm?
Trust me, they said all
their real goodbyes before.
This is just for formality.
For the records.
You know, this one
was a little bit of an
out-of-the-ordinary case
because Anna Saito-Noble
didn't have to leave yet.
She was only 49.
She didn't want to
live without him.
She didn't...
want to die alone.
I would've taken the year.
They didn't have children?
[deep breath]
Nope.
I'd never want children, either.
Why's that?
Well, why bother?
They're just gonna die...
after watching you die.
I mean, it's awful.
Yeah,
it's that darn life
thing, I guess.
Can I see?
They're...
they're not... all great.
It's your first day, Kiah.
Trust me, you'll get
in the swing of it.
You obviously have talent,
or they wouldn't have
made you a Documentor.
I'd rather be digging.
Well, it'll put some muscle
on you, that's for sure.
You know, my last
partner did the digging.
She was a lot stronger than me.
Really?
Oh, yeah!
'Cause you, uh, seem
kind of strong to me.
Well...
that's why you're
doing the drawing now.
So, you draw, too?
Mm-hmm.
Come on, let me show you.
Let me show you...
[exhales dramatically]
Now, no peeking.
All right.
[paper rustles]
[pens scribbling]
Definitely not as
good as you, though.
I mean, you're amazing, Kiah.
I hope you know...
you've got a real gift.
My mother taught me.
She's a real artist.
Why do you put yourself
down all the time?
Doesn't suit you.
What "suits" me?
Anything you want.
The world... is your oyster.
[chuckles]
Doesn't feel like it sometimes.
Ever.
Hey, where do you get
these oldie sayings from?
Oh, you know...
...from my good, old
"oldie sayings" drawer.
[laughing]
Unbelievable.
Ha!
[cracking up]
Oh! Where did you train?
Okay.
Not bad.
But, uh...
my nose is not that big.
Mm...
I say it is.
What's this from?
Hmm...
my seam.
An accident?
You could say that.
I was born with a hole
in my heart big enough
that they had to give
me open-heart surgery
when I was a newborn.
They didn't know if I
was gonna make it or not.
My mother didn't.
She had a heart attack
during my birth.
It's crazy, right?
What are the chances of that?
You lost your mother at birth?
God, that must be awful.
Yeah, but I never
knew her, so...
I never really lost her,
if that makes any sense?
But, uh, yeah,
I was in the incubator
for about six months
and no one was
allowed to touch me.
I needed five more operations
in my first two years of life,
and five more,
until I was 13 and
ran out of operations.
Wait. How can you "run
out" of operations?
Well, that's all you're
allowed on The Plan,
and that's a lot.
But I'm doing great now.
I mean, I work out a lot...
which really helps.
The digging helps,
believe it or not.
I haven't had any
real problems, really,
since my last operation.
Mm.
Yeah.
Should last me a few
years at least, I figure.
Or...
it could give out...
[gasps and chokes]
...now!
[coughs and sputters]
[laughs]
[Kiah fumes]
You don't seem very worried.
[chuckles] I mean,
what's to worry?
Seriously, I'm alive.
I mean...
worry is bad for me...
it's really bad.
Anxiety gets my blood
pressure more than exercise.
Hey, it reminds me...
are you doing your
TM in the morning?
My spidey-sense says no,
but I hope you know, it
makes a lot of difference.
[owl hooting]
What are you doing?
Thinking ahead.
[]
Oh, hold on.
There we go.
There. All right.
You lead.
Come on.
"Watch one, do one, teach one."
Okay?
[Sam] Hope you
guys are hungry.
[Sam rustles in cooler]
Eat up, Kiah.
Homemade.
[beverage pours]
Mm.
Mm... [munch] ...mm!
Uh, Daniel... don't
forget your friend.
Oh. Sorry.
I don't suppose
you kids ever hung out
at the track, did you?
Oh, yeah... yeah, the track...
yeah, no, I-I love it there.
"The track."
Where they used to
have horse races?
Jockeys!
Those little guys on
top of fast horses,
race around a track?
- Why?
- Ah, never mind!
I just wanted you to understand
the context of my joke.
Oh! Jokes?
Yep! I love jokes.
Good. Because I got
a good one for you.
There's this horse... Dieter.
Now, Dieter is a good horse,
and he is a fast horse,
and he's been
racing all his life,
but he's never won.
Now, this one night,
before a big race,
Dieter has this amazing dream,
where he finally wins a race,
and he wakes up
feeling incredible.
He's smiling from ear to ear...
which is a big smile
on a horse's face!
So he goes down to the track,
and the other horses,
they notice this,
so, his best
horsey-friend... Werner...
goes up and says, "Hey, Dieter,
there's somethin'
different about you today,
me and the other
horses noticed."
So Dieter told Werner
about his dream.
Werner goes, "Ah, Dieter,
you're a good horse,
you're a fast horse,
you deserve to win.
I really hope you win."
So they give, like, a
high-hoof to each other,
and they go get ready to race.
Dun-da-dun-da-dun-da-dun...
[continues humming
"Call to the Post"]
So they're in the
starting gates,
the gates open,
and Dieter just bolts
off, like a rocket!
Quarter-way down,
he's got this huge lead,
he's feeling great.
Half-way down,
the lead's even bigger,
there's no one around.
Three-quarters of
the way around,
he's home-free!
He's gonna win his race...
he can see the finish line!
And all of a sudden, he hears
this "clomp, clomp,
clomp," behind him.
Looks over his right shoulder,
and there's Werner,
gaining on him...
[gasps, thumps cooler]
...clomp, clomp, clomp!
There's Werner, neck and
neck... clomp, clomp, clomp!
There's Werner, passing him...
clomp, clomp, clomp!
There's Werner, crossing the
finish line ahead of him!
Oh, my god, Dieter's
not gonna win his race!
But he's determined, he
says, "if I'm not gonna win,
I'm gonna at least
finish second."
So he musters all his effort,
he's ready to give
one last push,
and then he hears a huge amount
of clomp-clomp-clomp-
clomp-clomp-clomp!
Looks behind him... ah!
It's the whole
field catching him!
[gasps] It's the whole field,
neck-and-neck with him!
It's the whole
field passing him!
Oh, my god, it's the whole field
crossing the finish
line ahead of him!
And Dieter finishes dead last,
even after his dream,
and he is devastated.
Now, Werner feels
really bad about this,
so he goes over to
Dieter and says,
"Hey, Dieter... the way
you started that race,
the way you were running,
the way you took off,
I thought, for sure,
you were gonna win!
And I was rootin' for ya.
But then, all of a
sudden, as I was running,
I felt this strange
burning in my ass,
and it made me run really
fast and I beat you, man,
I'm really sorry, buddy."
And the rest of the
horses feel terrible, too,
so they come up to him
and say the same thing.
"Aw, Dieter, we felt this
strange burning in our asses,
we just ran really fast,
and we really beat ya,
and we're really sorry, buddy."
Now, there's a dog-racing track
just across the way,
and this greyhound heard what
the horses were saying...
'cause dogs have
really good ears...
so he comes lopin' over
and he goes, "Hey, horsies,
I couldn't help but overhear
what you were saying,
with my great dog ears,
and the same thing
happened to me...
I've been running
around that track,
chasin' that rabbit for
years and years and years,
and never caught it.
But today, I was runnin',
and I felt this strange
burnin' in my ass
and I ran really,
really, really fast,
and I finally
caught the rabbit!"
Dieter finally stirs,
looks up at the dog...
looks over at his
horsey friends,
and he says,
"Hey, guys, can you believe
it? It's a talking dog!"
[laughing]
[he pounds the
cooler, cracks up]
Ah, I love that joke.
Wh... did the dog
hurt the rabbit?
[Sam laughs]
The rabbit was fine. [laughs]
Ah, ha.
Okay, I got another one for ya.
Um, there's these two friends,
Mickey Mack and Doodah...
and they both get jobs
at the bus company.
Okay, now, Mickey
Mack's the driver
and Doodah is the conductor...
Sam?
I-I don't want be rude...
but I think it's time
for your E.O.L. event.
Yeah, you know, I'm...
I'm not sure I'm ready
to do that today.
Oh, but you have to.
[Sam] Do I?
I mean, can you just
decide to change the day?
Why not?
[confused] Yeah, why not?
Well, it's...
sort of a process
that you can't...
[Sam laughs]
I'm just kidding!
Of course, I'm gonna do it.
Take one for the team.
Team World.
Yeah...
"Team World."
[]
[]
[]
[]
[whooshing]
[]
[]
[hull scraping shore]
[water splashing loudly]
[]
- There you go.
- Thanks.
What if someone really
doesn't want to go?
What do you mean?
Nobody really wantsto go, but...
it's in the Universal
Constitution
of Human Rights and
Responsibilities...
you've got to go.
But what if someone,
like, tries to...
Kiah, is that what you're
worried about here?
You know, we don't actually
have to do anything, right?
We're just witnesses.
Doesn't anybody try to escape?
[chuckles lightly]
Like, run?
Like, in science-fiction?
It's a pretty small planet.
Where are you gonna run to?
I mean, you can't run
from your conscience...
you can't run from death.
[scoffs] "You can't
run from death."
Yeesh.
All right, let's go, we're late.
[rustling]
[grunting]
[sighs]
[exhales uncertainly]
[inserts plug]
[power-up chime dings]
[exhales deeply]
[Carla] It was... awful.
We walk in, and, like...
right in the middle
of a huge argument.
Hello, Daniel...
welcome, welcome.
Ah, this must be Kiah.
Yes.
I am Justice, this is Frey.
Welcome to Group.
I'll introduce you
to the rest later,
but first, I'd like to
encourage Carla to continue
with her story.
[Carla] She was
screaming at him
and I just didn't
know what to do!
He had forgot to call her sister
to tell her this was happening,
he got the wrong
type of dessert,
and I just said,
"Whoa...
last moments on Earth here...
you don't want to leave angry."
I... didn't think
it was that bad.
You know, I just said,
"It doesn't really
matter. You do you."
I mean, you don't want them
to think it's a big deal,
so, you fight at the end.
It's just, for some people,
it's a big part of life.
[Justice] Okay.
Interesting perspective, Philip,
but I think what Frey
and I are concerned with,
is that you feel that
you should engage at all.
There are protocols for this,
and we have Compliance
Officers to take care of this.
Right? Bereavement
specialists.
[Frey] Justice is right.
If you ever feel
uncomfortable, just leave.
Because often, at these
End-Of-Life ceremonies,
people aren't able to fully
empathize with others,
but it's human and
we don't judge it.
Anyway...
what do we do if we
don't feel comfortable?
[Documentors] "Leave
it to Compliance."
Mm-hmm!
Jack, go ahead... you don't
need to raise your hand.
[Jack] Oh, okay.
So I get to the place for
the introductory session
and, um, this guy opens the door
and is... totally
surprised to see me.
I hand him the box, which
he's confused about,
and I pull out the
sheet for him to sign,
saying that he'd received it,
and... it's not him.
I mean, the guy
doesn't look anything
like his picture.
I'm about to walk away,
when I see the piece of paper
attached to the back of the form
from his plastic surgeon,
saying that he'd had
all this work done
and that his biological
age was really...
[overlapping astonishment] 65!
[Jack] It blew me away.
And I was like, "Man...
you almost got me."
And, uh, he was...
pretty cool about it.
Yeah, I guess he was just happy
he got all those extra years
for looking good.
I had a person try and
tell me they were only 44,
and I would've believed them...
their passport,
their job records,
everything said
they were only 44.
Maybe they were 44?
Well...
someone found their
old social timeline.
- Wait, what's that?
- Oh, well,
people used to put out
information about themselves
online for everyoneto see it.
[May, shocked] Everyone?
[Justice] Yeah,
anyone in the world,
prior to 2025.
On the face of it,
totally democratic,
but you could never
really erase it.
Too bad computers were so
hard on the environment.
[Frey] That is
putting it mildly!
See, first, it was the
means of production...
um, third-world
labour, e-waste...
and then it just came
down to electrical usage.
[whispers] I don't know
what any of this means.
Oh, I think he explained
that last week... I forgot.
[Frey] See, people
were online 24/7.
[Justice] Which made us
incredibly vulnerable.
Incredible.
Hey, wait, what's
a "third world"?
[Justice] Uh, actually, it's
referred to, historically,
as the "developing" world.
It used to be,
before the End-of-Life
policies were agreed upon,
that there were
places in the world
where people were
poorer than others,
people had shorter lifespans,
higher disease rates.
Sometimes, that
disparity existed
even amongst people
of one country.
Oh, it was... it
was really awful.
I didn't know.
[Frey] Well, good
that's all gone now.
[hushed] Don't
forget that, Kiah...
when it seems hard,
the world is a better place
because of our Constitution.
Before, it was carnage.
"Carnage"?
Wars... Kiah.
Human beings were
killing each other
for resources...
food, water, land,
money, knowledge,
even worldview.
Human behaviour has
altered our environment
for thousands of years.
"The Great Acceleration"...
barely a hundred years ago...
it started to have
an outsized impact
on our global ecosphere.
So much so...
that we entered a
new geological time,
also known as...
"The Anthropocene".
[Frey] ...The Anthropocene.
This threatened not
only our own survival,
but the survival of
the entire planet.
See, humans are
problem-solvers, right?
So, what we did
is we created these
advanced technologies
in order to help us.
But what happened
is these technologies
studied us...
they completely scrubbed
our digital data.
First, it was our science,
but then, it was our
personal thoughts...
our poems, our
likes, our dislikes.
The technology
became just like us,
because we created it.
It became almost
indistinguishable from us.
But the scariest part
is that it was faster than
us and it was better than us.
So, eventually...
we had to pull the plug.
Do you know why?
Why?
Because...
Okay.
Now, Kiah, we don't
want you to think
this is a history class.
I am sure you've all received
the background materials,
though Frey and
I are always here
to go through any parts
of the Constitution.
But, mainly, we are here
to support each other.
Now, this is a very important,
and not always easy, job to do.
We're always looking
for ways to improve
the working situation,
or the E.O.L.,
for all involved.
Would you mind sharing?
[quietly] Yeah.
Yeah. Um...
today was my first day.
Um...
I'd never seen a dead
body before, so...
that was different.
You did an E.O.L.
on your first day?
Wow.
That's intense.
Kiah was great.
She even played
one of our Stage 2
Participant's pianos.
[Justice] Oh!
That's a really lovely
personal touch, Kiah.
It brings you closer,
so when you do
share End of Life,
it's more comforting for them.
[May] Oh, my gosh, I so
remember my first time.
I was, like, so in shock.
But you know what
really helped me?
Zoolander.
It's a movie.
You can get it at the archive.
You have to book ahead.
I really like Duck
Soup... it's pretty wacky.
That's an excellent idea.
[Kiah] Do you do that often?
Oh, yeah.
It really helps to
air out the issues,
compare notes, release stress.
Group talk is once
every two weeks,
and you also get
free yoga classes
and acupuncture,
because, come on, let's face it,
it's a stressful job.
If we would've
gotten there on time,
we would have been able to make
the group meditation session,
but, tch, we've all
got to do it, you know.
This way... we
can make it safe.
We need a lot of
mental flossing.
Listen, you don't have
to do this tonight, Kiah.
The film, you can
see it any time.
No, no, no, I-I... I want to.
It's important, right?
You gonna watch it, too?
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
It's part of your orientation.
It's just...
we've run late, and, usually,
we stop before dinnertime.
[clock ticking]
[knife scraping plate]
[]
[lights clunk on]
[clunk]
[]
Hey. Come on.
[lights clunking on]
[]
[clunk]
Right this way.
[]
[Daniel exhales]
What is it?
Oh, it's a projector.
Are we watching Zoolander?
Oh, you have to book
that in advance.
We have to order the print.
I'm afraid we only had
that on DVD in the system,
and digital media
degraded substantially
when we had the
magnetic polar shift
of 23 degrees.
So, at this location,
we can only show 16-millimetre
celluloid acetate films
from the 20th century.
Have you never seen one?
Enjoy!
[projector clicks on
and begins whirring]
[crackly brassy theme rises]
[]
[Kiah] Is it supposed
to look like this?
[Daniel] They're called
"the Marx Brothers".
[Kiah] Are they
really brothers?
Yeah... they got
really, really old.
Into their 80s.
Whoa.
There were way less
people back then,
and you could do that.
After...
in the late-20th century,
the health-care
system was horrible.
People got really old and
really, really sick...
and millions of
dollars were spent
on keeping some people alive,
while others couldn't
even afford a doctor.
It was unbelievable.
Do you think that's wrong?
Yeah.
Don't you?
I mean, do you think it's wrong,
wanting to live longer?
How much time is enough?
[projector whirring]
[]
[tender, jovial
piano theme plays]
[]
[door opens, shuts]
Kiah?
[footsteps]
You hungry?
[click]
[fridge humming]
[click-click]
It's the refrigerator...
that's the sound of
the compressor cooling.
People listened to that
noise all the time?
It's pretty nice to
have things cool.
Yeah, but why would you waste
all that energy to do that?
[sighs]
For things like...
this.
Mom...
I know!
But a little sip won't hurt.
[foil crinkling]
We have to celebrate.
Celebrate?
It's your first day!
It's a very big thing
you've commenced on.
Not everybody has the skill.
Not everybody has
the constitution.
[cork creaks]
- [pop]
- Ah!
[Ellie laughs in delight]
[exhales contentedly]
To my beloved daughter.
[crystal chimes]
[Kiah gulps, suppresses a gag]
That's it?
[sets glasses down]
So, how'd it go?
[defeated] How do you think?
[sighs wearily]
My brave girl.
It's always hard at first,
but remember, you'll
get used to it.
Everyone does.
[voice cracks]
Like I'd want to.
What's that, sweetheart?
Maybe I don't want
to get used to it.
I mean, you could've told
me what it'd be like...
No, I couldn't. It
wouldn't have helped.
It's different for everybody,
you just have to do it.
That sounds like something
Daniel would say.
Oh? Daniel...
Ah, he's cute!
[groaning] Ugh!
Yes, Daniel!
So, what's he like?
Did you like working with
him? Tell me everything!
- Why?
- Oh, come on!
I want to know.
Is he a good teacher?
Did you feel supported?
He's okay...
but he is so annoying.
Annoying?
Well, he seemed like the
most polite young man...
He's so... sure.
What do you mean?
He's so sure!
A-And dead people?
Don't even bother him.
Dead people,
who we were talking to
one minute before...
no problem!
Kiah, he's had practice.
There's nothing more
natural than dying.
What you are doing... what
you are witnessing is a...
[deep breath] ...a
rite of passage.
[crickets chirping]
Did you watch Duck Soup?
How'd you know?
Oh... everybody
watches Duck Soup.
Well, I thought I was
gonna see Zoolander, but...
- Well, you had to book ahead.
- ...you have to book ahead.
Yeah, I didn't find it funny.
Well, it's an
important allegory.
It's a... an absurdist comedy
about the very worst
of human nature,
and it was made at a time
when you could say anything...
even if it wasn't true.
Yeah, I don't think I got that.
Okay. Take a look at the
names of the countries.
Right?
You have "Freedonia"... a
country named after Freedom,
and "Sylvania"... a
country named after Peace,
except Freedonia
is ruled by a corrupt dictator,
played by Groucho... you know,
the guy with the moustache?
And Sylvania is
trying to stage a war.
See?
Uh, you have Freedom
and-and-and Peace,
but they're willing
to destroy everything
for money and power.
Yeah, I don't understand...
why would people say things
if they weren't true?
It's a satire.
Mom...
I-I, um, I wanted
to see Zoolander.
Hey.
How about... a few patches?
Hmm?
Seriously?
Yeah, come on! We're
almost finished.
I've been collecting things
from when you were
a little girl.
What's this?
Oh... remember?
This was your favourite dress
that got eaten up on the
clothesline by that deer.
Hmm? Oh!
You loved your "Thursday" socks.
This is a piece of
your baby blanket.
Aw, and this...
[deep breath]
...this, I saved
from all those curtains
that got so sun-bleached.
That first summer we were here,
it was so hot,
we kept them closed
the whole time
and had to sleep
in the basement?
Why would I want
a quilt of that?
[forced cheer] It's a...
it's a memory quilt, silly.
I don't have anything from
when I was growing up.
I wish I did.
[quiet, desperate]
Kiah, please.
Hmm, I love that.
Honey, come here.
Yes, come here.
Okay, it's okay.
- [sobbing]
- It's okay.
- Come here.
- [hyperventilating]
It's okay, it's okay.
It's okay, it's okay.
I got you.
[Ellie begins humming softly]
...You'll never know, dear
How much I love you
Please don't take
My sunshine away
[gravel crunching]
I was hoping you'd
be late again today.
Why?
So I could have another
piece of your mother's pie.
It was amazing!
My mother finds you attractive.
Gross.
If you are saying that so I
won't want more of her pie,
it's not working.
Ugh. Double-gross.
Okay! Well...
let's blast off!
[]
[]
[knocking at door]
[knocking]
Hello?
Emmett?
Yeah.
Are you ready?
Today's the day.
Absolutely.
Now, I understand you've
chosen "Pastoral: C"...
"A Sunrise Transition"?
Shall we go outside?
There's no rush.
Um... where did you get that?
I'll go...
but you're gonna
have to shoot me.
Emmett, I can't do that.
- [snaps]
- Then she can.
I will not "go gentle
into thy good night".
I'll go...
but you're gonna
have to make me.
You know, we can't
have any violence
during End of Life.
It... reverberates.
"Reverberates"?
To who?
You?
The ones making sure I die?
Well, I ain't ready to go.
Isn't it more
violent to make me?
We're not making you, Emmett.
We're just... witnesses.
I'd say it's a type of
violence to the planet
to stay.
Compliance.
Listen, how about, uh...
we just come back tomorrow?
[deep breath] Yeah,
it's no problem.
I'll just, uh...
change the schedule.
Just give you a
little more time.
Dawn is an awesome time to go.
I mean, people really think
it's the evening, but...
I mean, man...
saying goodbye to
the sun rising up,
that is...
that is powerful.
So, do we get Compliance?
Aren't we supposed
to get Compliance?
What if he does the
same thing tomorrow?
Don't worry.
He might have a gun,
but there's no way
he has any bullets.
Compliance can be...
kind of rough.
I don't want anyone
to go out like that.
I don't want people
to be coerced.
[sighs] It's usually
not like this.
You've really seen it all.
[gunshot fires]
[bikes crashing onto ground]
[]
[]
[sniffles deeply]
[]
[inhaling]
[muffled sob]
[sobbing softly]
[weeping]
[sighing deeply]
[]
[quartet of musicians
begin playing]
[]
[woman] I don't want
To set the world
On fire
I just want
To start
A flame in your heart
In my heart
I have but one
Desire
And that one Is you
No other will do
I've lost all ambition
Of worldly acclaim
I just want to be
the one you love
And with your admission
That you feel the same
I'll have reached
The goal I'm dreaming of
Believe me
I don't want to
set the world
On fire
[knocking]
This is a tough day.
[jogger] Shit. Shit. Shit!
Oh, I completely forgot.
Hey, it's all good.
[wheezing]
It's okay.
- Oh, are you sure?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- [wheezing]
[woman rummages in cupboard]
[gulps]
[exhales deeply]
I hope you like rainwater,
'cause it's all I've got.
I prefer it.
Okay.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Well, I'm not
gonna go like this,
so I'll be back
in a minute, okay?
[muttering to
herself] Shit. Shit.
Shit...
Okay. Can you be a dear
and phone everyone on
this list for me, please?
Thank you.
Okay, shit.
[running up stairs]
[shower running]
[calling up] So it looks like
you're going with Option Three...
a few friends on the beach,
glass of champagne, some music?
- [woman] Yes!
- [shower splashing]
[quietly] Is she really
taking a shower now?
I mean, what a waste!
Like, why?
- [sobbing]
- [shower splashing]
[weeping]
[refrigerator humming]
They usually get a couple
of weeks of electricity
to prepare things for the end.
[glasses clinking]
Hey, why don't you
make those calls
while I get this
stuff together, okay?
[door softly thudding]
That, right there,
is a "land line".
What's that?
Well, that phone
is connected to other phones
by wires that run in the ground.
[receiver clicks, dial
whooshes and clatters]
Didn't know people
still had them.
[phone dialing]
I think this could've
been a communication hub
after they turned
everything off.
[dial rumbles]
I bet the people on that
list are part of a network.
I think we're dealing with
the end of an old family here.
- [line rings]
- It's gonna be interesting.
Hello?
Uh, uh, this is Kiah
Novulo, E.O.L. Documentor.
Um, I-I'm calling for...
Oh, "Nancy Fontaine".
I'm calling on behalf
of Nancy Fontaine.
We'll be at the south
end of Pebble Beach in...
Um...
about, like, half an hour?
...In about half an hour.
Can you make it?
Great.
"What it's about..."?
Well, it's her E.O.L. ceremony.
Well, you're on the guest list.
I thought...
Oh...
um...
I-I see.
I-I'll see you then.
Her daughter.
She didn't know it was today.
[quietly] You have
to put the phone back
on the receiver, Kiah.
[clunk]
[footsteps]
How do I look?
You look amazing.
Why do people even
like this stuff?
It's for special occasions.
Still.
Weird that they
didn't finish it.
It's not unusual.
A lot of people
don't even touch it.
It's like a hangover
from the past...
they just like to pop it open.
I guess it brightens the mood.
My mom gave me a sip last night.
Did you like it?
Ugh.
Tastes like socks.
[chuckles]
[splashing]
[chuckles]
- [shattering]
- You can't do that!
I just did it.
[rages]
[glass shatters]
- [grunts]
- [gasps]
Am I hurting you?
[coughs]
Does your heart hurt?
[exhales]
[forced] Um...
No... no... no.
Not at all.
[inhales sharply]
[exhales tensely]
You sure you don't ever
want to have a kid?
[scoffs] Gross.
You'd get, like, 34 years,
if you got busy now.
Ugh, gross!
You?
I don't know.
My life's pretty great.
I'm glad I get to be here.
Even without knowing a parent?
Yeah.
Even without that.
We've got enough
people here already.
[sighs] Yeah...
We're not here for long, though.
Not now.
Check that.
I'm so sorry you
had to work today.
No, no, no.
This... This is better.
This makes everything...
better.
How could anybody
forget their E.O.L. day?
It's funny, it
actually happens a lot.
People don't want to remember.
They just want to keep
living their life.
It's not fair.
What?
Having to leave here at 50.
Well... no, no, no, no, no.
No, you see, that's
where you're wrong.
It's the most fair
thing in the world.
It's fair to all
other human beings,
it's fair to all other species.
Every life is equal, Kiah.
No one is more important
than anyone else.
Yeah, but some people love
more than other people.
Oh, that's the biggest
piece of bullshit
I have ever heard.
[laughs]
She didn't even
tell her daughter.
Her daughter just...
didn't know.
[gently] Maybe she did know.
Maybe she just didn't
want to face it.
I am not ready.
Doesn't matter. I mean...
...here we are.
Here we are.
I should go.
Kiah. I just...
Kiah, I'm not ready, either.
None of us are ready.
[]
[]
[owl hoots]
[hooting]
[hoots once more]
[children calling out
and playing, in distance]
[indistinct playing continues]
[whoosh]
It's finished.
I'm sorry, Mom.
I'm sorry I couldn't
be here today, I...
You're here now.
And we have a few hours.
And I have another
present to give to you.
How could you be thinking of me
at a time like this?
Are you kidding?
[chuckles]
I have been thinking about
you every second of your life.
You know that thing they say...
when you have a kid,
it's like having
your heart walk around
outside your body?
No.
[chuckles] Well,
they say that.
And it's true.
Besides, this is a part
of your birthday present.
It's your birthday week.
Yeah, worst birthday week ever.
It'll be memorable...
for sure.
Go ahead, open.
- What?
- It's not what you think.
[clasps clacking]
[laughs] Oh!
Yeah, I saved it for you.
I made this when I was your age.
[gasps]
[Ellie] I know you know,
but just in case...
Open it.
[unzipping]
[Kiah chuckles]
[Ellie] You know,
if you want them.
Hmm?
Oh...
What's this?
It's a smart phone.
Why-Why do you have this?
Don't worry. It-It's
not connected.
We all had one.
And I saved mine for...
...for this.
What am I supposed to do?
Oh.
They're all on here.
Just go like that.
[Kiah gasps]
[stunned laugh] Oh!
[sobs and laughs] Oh, Mom!
You look amazing!
Who are these people?
Well, heh, that's me...
...that's my mother,
and my dad...
these are your grandparents.
Well, where are you?
None of this looks like here.
Well, that's when we
could still travel.
Why would you travel?
Oh, Kiah, you know,
I'm not from here,
- you know I travelled.
- No, no.
I know, but why did you travel?
To see the world.
To learn about myself.
For fun and adventure.
I don't get it.
[sadly] I know.
[laughing] Who's this?
That's, uh, me
and, uh, my best friend, Kiah.
Hmm?
This was the Rabbit
Mountain Fire
of 2025.
We were both smokejumpers.
[chuckling, impressed]
Where is she now?
Is she still alive?
No.
She was a kick-ass smokejumper,
but she died in a fire.
A lot of us died...
trying to do the right thing.
The whole world was like this.
[Kiah gasping]
[Kiah sobs softly]
[tenderly] Look at these.
Look at them.
Don't pass by them.
Look at them.
I want you to look at them.
[Kiah continues gasping]
W-Why are you
showing me this? I...
I want you to know there
is a reason we do this...
why we live the way we live...
a reason we give
our lives at 50.
This... can't happen again.
Baby, so many people died.
Our world...
...was burning.
The water was...
unstoppable.
People couldn't live
where they were living...
it was uninhabitable.
And this was the best idea
you could come up with?
Yes!
We stopped it!
We stopped.
We...
We eradicated global
poverty. We did it!
We stopped the mass
extinction of...
[sighs] We made
the Declaration of
Rights and Freedoms
for All Beings.
We agreed!
[sighs]
We agreed,
and all we have to do...
is leave at 50.
We get to leave
the way we choose,
surrounded by the
people we love...
or not...
if we choose.
What am I supposed
to do with this?
Listen... listen to
me, listen to me.
I love you
so, so much,
and every day I got
to be with you...
Yeah, but it's not enough!
It's not enough.
I'm not ready.
No one is ever ready.
Mom, I...
[cuts her off] I know.
[Kiah sobs]
I know.
So much to say.
Nothing to say.
Shouldn't you be drawing this?
Okay. Let's do it.
[]
Don't know where
the path goes
Well, it seems
like I'm not alone
Spend years tilling
all this ground
Well, some day it
will all be stone
Look to stars
and tarot cards
To find peace and
deeper meaning
While the world around me
Sinks into comfort
and convenience
Well, I waste so much
time Yeah, it's true
Well, I waste so
much time Yeah, I do
Well, I waste so
much time Well, I do
One day I'll
plant a garden
That I might build a life in
With all my
favourite flowers
I'd lay in it for hours
I'd lay in it for hours
But now I'm just too tired
[]
[fire raging]
[insects buzzing]
[birds singing]
[insects buzzing]
[Ink Spots' "I Don't Want to
Set The World on Fire" plays]
I don't want
To set the world on fire
I just want to start
A flame in your heart
In my heart I have
But one desire
And that one is you
No other
Will do
I've lost all ambition
For worldly acclaim
I just want to be
the one you love
And with your admission
That you feel the same
I'll have reached the
goal I'm dreaming of
- [knocking at door]
- Believe me...
[Mom, Ellie] Kiah?
Are you dressed yet?
- Set the world on fire...
- [door opens]
Hey... this is my present.
- [stops record]
- I was wondering where it was.
I didn't know you
liked old-timey music.
Kiah?
Kiah, you can't go
out dressed like that.
You have to wear something
more respectable.
It's your first day.
You don't want to draw
attention to yourself.
[Ellie rummages in closet]
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
You're kidding.
No holes!
It looks, like, a
hundred years old.
Well, it is all vintage, baby,
but this is in... it's
in perfect condition.
I'm not putting that on.
[sighs darkly] No.
Are you sure you
want to do this?
What do you think?
[headband hits shelf]
You don't have to, you know.
Yeah, what, like,
so I can I choose
military service instead?
Some option.
I mean, you don't have to now.
What else would I do,
hang around and...
Well, you could
hang out with me!
That's all I ever do.
Yeah, but...
...I'm not gonna
be around forever.
[bell dinging]
No, I'll get it.
You just... uh,
you finish up here.
Mom?
What?
Seriously, I feel
like I'm gonna barf.
[quietly] I don't
know if I can do this.
You'll be okay.
[bell dinging]
You... hair.
Better.
[knocking at door]
[quiet shock] Oh, my
god, my refrigerator.
My refrigerator!
[delivery person] We
had shipping issues.
Big backlog at the warehouse.
But... better late
than never, right?
"Better late than never"?
[snorts]
"In the nick of time," I'd say.
I was expecting this
nearly two weeks ago.
Oh... it's that late?
Well...
a couple of days are
better than nothing.
Okay. Connected.
Go ahead... open 'er.
She's clean.
[fridge hums]
[exhales deeply] Oh, my god!
Oh...
oh, it's already cool!
[sighs] I miss electricity.
Yeah, me too.
Yeah, I got a thing or
two back at the house...
it's totally off the grid.
My father used to
be a mechanic, so...
[knocking at door]
It's open!
Come on in and join the party!
[shuts door]
[sets shoes down]
Ellie Novulo?
Yes?
Hi. I'm Daniel Boyer.
I'm here to pick up Kiah...
and to give you this.
Oh. Yes.
Thanks. Um...
you know, have
a... have a seat.
You know what? Uh...
[cupboard clatters]
Shouldn't you put that
in the refrigerator?
[chair scrapes floor]
It's a bit early
for the champagne.
Well, technically, it's late,
but we wanted to coordinate
it with the refrigerator.
I meant, to drink.
It was a joke.
Oh...
I know it's very late.
It's still appreciated.
- We're gonna take off.
- Oh.
Thank you for your service.
Oh, thank you, no, thank
you for your service.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
[door closes]
You're doing great.
Is, um, Kiah ready?
[sighs heavily]
[pointedly, loudly] Late...
[normal voice] ...as usual.
Oh... she has a good excuse.
Oh, you know... I'm so sorry.
Excuse the mess.
Um...
our water doesn't turn
on until 3:00 p.m. today.
You didn't have time for
breakfast this morning,
am I right?
Oh, I can practically hear
your stomach rumbling.
Why don't you try a piece
of, uh, Kiah's birthday pie?
I know, uh...
cake is more traditional, but...
Kiah really loves my pie.
[unconvincingly] No, I
can't, ma'am. It's okay.
Oh, come on! Please,
don't be so formal.
I don't know...
how are you gonna take
care of my daughter
if you...
can't take care of yourself?
You're right. I'm
sorry about that.
I was in a rush.
I usually never miss breakfast.
Oh! [laughs] Yeah,
I believe you.
Oh, my god, that's delicious!
[laughing] Thank you!
Strawberry and rhubarb,
from the garden.
What i-is that, um...
that-that, that thing...
Oh, is it sweetness?
Yeah, yeah!
Applesauce.
My last Fujis from last year.
Mm. That's so good!
Ahem. So, um...
Uh... you don't
have to explain.
I know the drill.
Are you sure you don't
need to see these?
- I can...
- No.
...Leave one?
Save them.
I was in Alpha Doc.
[words catch]
[stammers]
[in awe] First cohort?
Mm-hmm.
Wow, that must've
been something.
We were all less...
[sighs] ...evolved, back then.
Mm, so much work back then, I...
Yeah. That too.
Um...
I'm just gonna leave
one of these anyway.
Protocol.
Do they check?
Things may have changed
since you did this.
Is that you?
Oh! Kiah did it.
Wow, she's really good!
Oh, let me show you some
of... some of her other work.
She's been practising.
May I...?
- Oh, of course!
- Yeah.
[fridge hums]
It's a four-star eco-model
from 30 years ago.
I mean, it's beautiful.
I've never seen one like it.
[Ellie] I really
missed my fridge.
Uh, no bells and whistles,
but it's got a
really good rating.
Hi. I'm Daniel.
Ohh!
It's, uh...
fake.
Cool.
Well, uh...
we're running a little late, so,
I'll have to explain
things on the way.
It's okay.
I get it... it's
your first day.
Sweetheart...
I packed you a lunch.
It might be a long day.
I'm really not hungry.
[sets dishes on counter]
Sorry about interrupting.
We've got to be going.
[bike chain clicking]
Good luck, Kiah!
I'm so proud of you!
I'll see you at dinner.
Have a great day. I love you.
Say it back.
Love you, too, Mom.
[quietly] Nice.
Bye!
[Daniel] So, I've
been doing this
for about a year and a half now,
and you gotta learn
to go with the flow.
Everything has been prepped
before you get there.
You don't actually
have to do anything.
Well, you don't have
to sell anything.
They just expect you to show up.
It's like surgery...
you just watch one, you do one,
then you teach one.
It's simple.
Surgery is simple?
It's just a saying.
Trust me, you'll
get the hang of it.
[]
[bicycle bells ring]
[]
[]
[knocking]
[knocking harder]
[knocking]
[singing from backyard]
[singing continues]
[man singing] I only wish
that you were here with me
Thank God it's Friday...
[humming]
Thank God it's Friday...
[humming]
[man] That day was really
hard to take, my dear
[humming]
When it blows the
leaves up above the tree
[humming]
[winded] But now
The weekend's
getting very near
[Daniel] Beautiful garden!
[man stops abruptly]
Thanks.
How is it that you're
able to keep up this lawn
in this heat?
I mean, you're not
allowed to water.
Apartment-dweller?
Oh.
Follow me.
[birds singing]
[man] See?
The old gutters?
Go in... to the cisterns.
[Daniel] Oh!
There's one for the
house greywater,
another for the garden...
there's plenty for the veggies,
and I figure having
a little lawn
won't hurt anybody.
Now, this one...
that's my baby!
The wind-assisted,
compost-turning device.
The wind comes through here,
spins this wheel
counter-clockwise,
which initiates
this drive shaft,
and triggers the gearbox.
I mean, it's amazing!
[chuckling mirthfully]
[stops chuckling]
[stormcloud rumbles]
[rain pattering]
[thunder rumbles]
[thunder booms and rolls]
What is it?
I always get a kick out of
how people feel like they
have to explain to me
how they do things, and why.
Yeah... my mum does that, too.
Passing down the
knowledge, I guess.
[]
[songbirds chirping]
[]
[]
[woman] Oh, hi!
Hang on!
[engine shuts off]
So sorry I'm late.
[Daniel] Don't worry. It's
all good, it's all good.
[opens trunk]
Thank you.
Oh! No problem. I got it.
[pencil scratching page]
Oh...
[belt unclasps]
All right.
[thump]
Okay.
Oh!
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
[]
[fluttering]
[trunk thuds]
All right? Follow me.
[wings fluttering]
Have you put any thought
into how you would like
your E.O.L. ceremony to go?
Your, uh... "End
of Life" ceremony?
The brochure is really
there for suggestions.
Just know we can personalize
any of these options,
but they provide a
pretty good template.
People particularly
like this one...
"the Formal Church Memorial".
Just know it is a
little unconventional,
in that we have the
memorial service
as the E.O.L.,
but, this way,
you get to hear all
the wonderful things
people have to say about you.
You won't be able to
participate, though...
you'll be in the coffin,
but...
it might be nice for your son?
You know, the church is
wheelchair-accessible.
Some people get claustrophobic
and prefer to transition
when the cover's open.
Best practice is to
keep your eyes closed.
It's hard, but...
trust me... it's a lot
easier on the attendees.
I say this from experience.
You know, I'm Muslim.
It's an interfaith building.
Um... [unfolding brochure]
...as you can see here...
the Islamic E.O.L.
protocol is number three.
And, don't worry,
I'll talk to my superiors
about bathing,
shroud, et cetera.
Now, would you want the
washing to be done before...
or after?
[testily] I'd rather
be dead, thank you.
Yeah. Well, you know,
it's no pressure.
[woman] Can I have my
other children here?
Uh... I can ask about
travel vouchers, but...
you may be a bit
low on your points
because of the personal
passive transportation.
Uh, the... the car.
Of course.
I realize you're already
being very generous.
Oh! Hey, no, it's not me.
No, it's the government.
But, generally, you just
get the one E.O.L. perk.
Oh, wait, hold on.
Yeah, no, I didn't
see this note.
Um, looks like your
daughter, Nehal,
is taking stewardship
over... Ali, is it?
Yes.
[Daniel] Yeah, well...
[relieved chuckle]
No, then that's...
that's totally
within the protocol.
Yeah, no, she can just
come down with the others,
and take him back.
I'm sorry if I gave you a start.
My husband used to play.
Do you play?
Only a little.
Would you... play something?
I'd love to hear it
used one more time.
I really can't...
[begins to play Chopin's
"Prelude in E minor Opus 28"]
[plays softly, somewhat off-key]
[]
[masterful rendition plays]
[tentative playing resumes]
[stops abruptly]
Uh, that's all I can remember.
[chokes up] It was
his favourite piece.
My husband left many years ago.
[Daniel] You know, your son
will be well taken care of...
there's no worrying about that.
[shakily] I know.
[sobs softly]
[sighs]
[exhales]
[munching]
[breathing deeply]
[Kiah's stomach growls]
Didn't you have any breakfast?
I'm surprised your
mom didn't prep you.
I mean, she almost forced
me to have some of her pie.
But, hey, I'm glad
she did, though...
it was delicious!
I wasn't hungry.
Sounds counter-intuitive,
but you got to have
something in your stomach,
especially the first
time you witness, or...
it can be quite painful.
Plus, you won't
be able to focus,
and we can't have the rumbling.
It's, like...
it's, like, so wrong.
So, come on, come on!
Let's fix that!
[buzzing]
[]
[]
[whimpering wearily]
[]
[pills rattle]
Cool bag.
Yeah. It's my mother's.
Yeah... that was my mother's.
She only left me one thing,
and somehow it was that.
Your mother's already gone?
Yup.
[plays a chord]
Uh, no more sad songs, please.
[she closes the lid]
So...
so far, so good, huh?
What's up?
I'm seein'... dark thoughts...
How many children
does that woman have?
Well...
let's see.
[deep breath]
According to her chart...
[slurping]
...Mina Mosleh has...
four children.
It looks like they were born
before the one-child amendment.
Her older children
had to be relocated
because this area was
already over-prescribed.
Normally, they would be given
to the local community to raise,
but, uh...
[flips page]
...they live in
Northern Saskatchewan.
It looks like most work
on the Oil Sands
Reclamation Project.
She got to keep Ali because
of his special needs and...
she's actually
trained as a nurse,
so, it helps everyone out.
Well, if she already
had three children,
then why would she
have another one...
so late?
Whoa!
[exhales deeply]
That's a little harsh.
[closes folder]
I mean, that's a whole
philosophical discussion.
I didn't take
philosophy in school,
I took shop.
We're not here to judge, Kiah.
We're here to witness.
This isn't a...
a cookie-cutter kind of thing
we're dealing with here.
This is life.
Life is messy.
But...
that's why we're here, you know?
To make sure things
don't get messier.
[sighs deeply] Okay.
[]
[birds chirping and singing]
[]
[birdsong]
Hello, Anna, Peter...
I'd like to introduce Kiah.
She's our artist.
Hello, Kiah.
Nice to meet you.
[Daniel exhales]
Wouldn't it be easier
to just take a picture?
[Daniel] Oh, uh...
No, sir. We actually don't use
photographic equipment anymore.
Digital files degrade
over a couple-decade span,
and, uh, printing is
out of the question.
The chemicals are
just way too harsh.
So, pencil and paper
is the way to go.
[dryly] You don't say.
Is she your girlfriend?
- [laughs] Oh, no!
- No?
No, no.
[takes a deep breath]
[hushed] Don't freak out.
They're just trying to make us
feel a little more comfortable.
I know... it's weird, though.
Listen, kid.
I just want to say,
for the record,
I was never down
with this mandatory
E.O.L. bullshit.
There are other alternatives.
Peter. We agreed not
to bring this up.
Water under the bridge.
Breathe in... [inhaling]
Breathe out... [exhaling]
Here we are.
[chuckling]
[whisking matcha]
[slurping softly]
Ahh.
[sniffles]
[speaking Japanese]
[wind rustling leaves]
[slurping softly]
[chuckles sadly]
Come on!
[birds singing]
You start.
[Peter groans lightly]
You always gotta get
the last word, huh?
Why change things now?
Tch, Anna...
[chuckles sadly]
...it has been such a privilege
to spend this time
here, with you.
You made every day
seem like a lifetime.
What?
A lifetime of learning...
and... wonder...
and joy.
You've made me
the person I always
wanted to be.
Mm.
I only hope I can,
in some small way,
reciprocate for
the love and care
you've given me every day.
You amaze me, and
I love you so much.
I bless you, kind sir...
as I am blessed by you.
And I would like to
thank everyone present...
...mm, the birds,
and the bees,
and the trees...
[breeze rustling in trees]
...especially the trees.
And I want to say how much
I've loved being here.
And I pray that this
wonder we call our world...
can continue to be
enjoyed for ever...
and ever.
[sobs]
[sniffles deeply]
[forces a chuckle]
Peace... and, always, love.
[deep breath]
- [bird sings]
- [Kiah sighs shakily]
[wind whispering]
[click]
[wind rustling leaves]
[Kiah begins sobbing]
[weeping louder]
[sobbing continues]
[sobbing]
Don't forget to draw.
[Kiah tries to stifle her sobs]
[sobbing harder]
[]
[shovel begins striking
ground repeatedly]
[sobbing]
[Daniel] I'm gonna
need some help here.
Come on, if we do it together,
we can place them, respectfully.
Otherwise, I'll just
have to drag them.
I'll grab this end.
[]
[shovel hitting dirt]
[retching]
[gagging and coughing]
[wheezing]
[scratching wood]
[chain clattering]
[tire whizzing smoothly]
Just remember, Kiah...
we're doing the
right thing here.
We're helping them out.
We're helping the planet out.
We're not making
anyone do anything.
I-It was so fast.
They were so...
beautiful.
I mean, how could
they be so calm?
Trust me, they said all
their real goodbyes before.
This is just for formality.
For the records.
You know, this one
was a little bit of an
out-of-the-ordinary case
because Anna Saito-Noble
didn't have to leave yet.
She was only 49.
She didn't want to
live without him.
She didn't...
want to die alone.
I would've taken the year.
They didn't have children?
[deep breath]
Nope.
I'd never want children, either.
Why's that?
Well, why bother?
They're just gonna die...
after watching you die.
I mean, it's awful.
Yeah,
it's that darn life
thing, I guess.
Can I see?
They're...
they're not... all great.
It's your first day, Kiah.
Trust me, you'll get
in the swing of it.
You obviously have talent,
or they wouldn't have
made you a Documentor.
I'd rather be digging.
Well, it'll put some muscle
on you, that's for sure.
You know, my last
partner did the digging.
She was a lot stronger than me.
Really?
Oh, yeah!
'Cause you, uh, seem
kind of strong to me.
Well...
that's why you're
doing the drawing now.
So, you draw, too?
Mm-hmm.
Come on, let me show you.
Let me show you...
[exhales dramatically]
Now, no peeking.
All right.
[paper rustles]
[pens scribbling]
Definitely not as
good as you, though.
I mean, you're amazing, Kiah.
I hope you know...
you've got a real gift.
My mother taught me.
She's a real artist.
Why do you put yourself
down all the time?
Doesn't suit you.
What "suits" me?
Anything you want.
The world... is your oyster.
[chuckles]
Doesn't feel like it sometimes.
Ever.
Hey, where do you get
these oldie sayings from?
Oh, you know...
...from my good, old
"oldie sayings" drawer.
[laughing]
Unbelievable.
Ha!
[cracking up]
Oh! Where did you train?
Okay.
Not bad.
But, uh...
my nose is not that big.
Mm...
I say it is.
What's this from?
Hmm...
my seam.
An accident?
You could say that.
I was born with a hole
in my heart big enough
that they had to give
me open-heart surgery
when I was a newborn.
They didn't know if I
was gonna make it or not.
My mother didn't.
She had a heart attack
during my birth.
It's crazy, right?
What are the chances of that?
You lost your mother at birth?
God, that must be awful.
Yeah, but I never
knew her, so...
I never really lost her,
if that makes any sense?
But, uh, yeah,
I was in the incubator
for about six months
and no one was
allowed to touch me.
I needed five more operations
in my first two years of life,
and five more,
until I was 13 and
ran out of operations.
Wait. How can you "run
out" of operations?
Well, that's all you're
allowed on The Plan,
and that's a lot.
But I'm doing great now.
I mean, I work out a lot...
which really helps.
The digging helps,
believe it or not.
I haven't had any
real problems, really,
since my last operation.
Mm.
Yeah.
Should last me a few
years at least, I figure.
Or...
it could give out...
[gasps and chokes]
...now!
[coughs and sputters]
[laughs]
[Kiah fumes]
You don't seem very worried.
[chuckles] I mean,
what's to worry?
Seriously, I'm alive.
I mean...
worry is bad for me...
it's really bad.
Anxiety gets my blood
pressure more than exercise.
Hey, it reminds me...
are you doing your
TM in the morning?
My spidey-sense says no,
but I hope you know, it
makes a lot of difference.
[owl hooting]
What are you doing?
Thinking ahead.
[]
Oh, hold on.
There we go.
There. All right.
You lead.
Come on.
"Watch one, do one, teach one."
Okay?
[Sam] Hope you
guys are hungry.
[Sam rustles in cooler]
Eat up, Kiah.
Homemade.
[beverage pours]
Mm.
Mm... [munch] ...mm!
Uh, Daniel... don't
forget your friend.
Oh. Sorry.
I don't suppose
you kids ever hung out
at the track, did you?
Oh, yeah... yeah, the track...
yeah, no, I-I love it there.
"The track."
Where they used to
have horse races?
Jockeys!
Those little guys on
top of fast horses,
race around a track?
- Why?
- Ah, never mind!
I just wanted you to understand
the context of my joke.
Oh! Jokes?
Yep! I love jokes.
Good. Because I got
a good one for you.
There's this horse... Dieter.
Now, Dieter is a good horse,
and he is a fast horse,
and he's been
racing all his life,
but he's never won.
Now, this one night,
before a big race,
Dieter has this amazing dream,
where he finally wins a race,
and he wakes up
feeling incredible.
He's smiling from ear to ear...
which is a big smile
on a horse's face!
So he goes down to the track,
and the other horses,
they notice this,
so, his best
horsey-friend... Werner...
goes up and says, "Hey, Dieter,
there's somethin'
different about you today,
me and the other
horses noticed."
So Dieter told Werner
about his dream.
Werner goes, "Ah, Dieter,
you're a good horse,
you're a fast horse,
you deserve to win.
I really hope you win."
So they give, like, a
high-hoof to each other,
and they go get ready to race.
Dun-da-dun-da-dun-da-dun...
[continues humming
"Call to the Post"]
So they're in the
starting gates,
the gates open,
and Dieter just bolts
off, like a rocket!
Quarter-way down,
he's got this huge lead,
he's feeling great.
Half-way down,
the lead's even bigger,
there's no one around.
Three-quarters of
the way around,
he's home-free!
He's gonna win his race...
he can see the finish line!
And all of a sudden, he hears
this "clomp, clomp,
clomp," behind him.
Looks over his right shoulder,
and there's Werner,
gaining on him...
[gasps, thumps cooler]
...clomp, clomp, clomp!
There's Werner, neck and
neck... clomp, clomp, clomp!
There's Werner, passing him...
clomp, clomp, clomp!
There's Werner, crossing the
finish line ahead of him!
Oh, my god, Dieter's
not gonna win his race!
But he's determined, he
says, "if I'm not gonna win,
I'm gonna at least
finish second."
So he musters all his effort,
he's ready to give
one last push,
and then he hears a huge amount
of clomp-clomp-clomp-
clomp-clomp-clomp!
Looks behind him... ah!
It's the whole
field catching him!
[gasps] It's the whole field,
neck-and-neck with him!
It's the whole
field passing him!
Oh, my god, it's the whole field
crossing the finish
line ahead of him!
And Dieter finishes dead last,
even after his dream,
and he is devastated.
Now, Werner feels
really bad about this,
so he goes over to
Dieter and says,
"Hey, Dieter... the way
you started that race,
the way you were running,
the way you took off,
I thought, for sure,
you were gonna win!
And I was rootin' for ya.
But then, all of a
sudden, as I was running,
I felt this strange
burning in my ass,
and it made me run really
fast and I beat you, man,
I'm really sorry, buddy."
And the rest of the
horses feel terrible, too,
so they come up to him
and say the same thing.
"Aw, Dieter, we felt this
strange burning in our asses,
we just ran really fast,
and we really beat ya,
and we're really sorry, buddy."
Now, there's a dog-racing track
just across the way,
and this greyhound heard what
the horses were saying...
'cause dogs have
really good ears...
so he comes lopin' over
and he goes, "Hey, horsies,
I couldn't help but overhear
what you were saying,
with my great dog ears,
and the same thing
happened to me...
I've been running
around that track,
chasin' that rabbit for
years and years and years,
and never caught it.
But today, I was runnin',
and I felt this strange
burnin' in my ass
and I ran really,
really, really fast,
and I finally
caught the rabbit!"
Dieter finally stirs,
looks up at the dog...
looks over at his
horsey friends,
and he says,
"Hey, guys, can you believe
it? It's a talking dog!"
[laughing]
[he pounds the
cooler, cracks up]
Ah, I love that joke.
Wh... did the dog
hurt the rabbit?
[Sam laughs]
The rabbit was fine. [laughs]
Ah, ha.
Okay, I got another one for ya.
Um, there's these two friends,
Mickey Mack and Doodah...
and they both get jobs
at the bus company.
Okay, now, Mickey
Mack's the driver
and Doodah is the conductor...
Sam?
I-I don't want be rude...
but I think it's time
for your E.O.L. event.
Yeah, you know, I'm...
I'm not sure I'm ready
to do that today.
Oh, but you have to.
[Sam] Do I?
I mean, can you just
decide to change the day?
Why not?
[confused] Yeah, why not?
Well, it's...
sort of a process
that you can't...
[Sam laughs]
I'm just kidding!
Of course, I'm gonna do it.
Take one for the team.
Team World.
Yeah...
"Team World."
[]
[]
[]
[]
[whooshing]
[]
[]
[hull scraping shore]
[water splashing loudly]
[]
- There you go.
- Thanks.
What if someone really
doesn't want to go?
What do you mean?
Nobody really wantsto go, but...
it's in the Universal
Constitution
of Human Rights and
Responsibilities...
you've got to go.
But what if someone,
like, tries to...
Kiah, is that what you're
worried about here?
You know, we don't actually
have to do anything, right?
We're just witnesses.
Doesn't anybody try to escape?
[chuckles lightly]
Like, run?
Like, in science-fiction?
It's a pretty small planet.
Where are you gonna run to?
I mean, you can't run
from your conscience...
you can't run from death.
[scoffs] "You can't
run from death."
Yeesh.
All right, let's go, we're late.
[rustling]
[grunting]
[sighs]
[exhales uncertainly]
[inserts plug]
[power-up chime dings]
[exhales deeply]
[Carla] It was... awful.
We walk in, and, like...
right in the middle
of a huge argument.
Hello, Daniel...
welcome, welcome.
Ah, this must be Kiah.
Yes.
I am Justice, this is Frey.
Welcome to Group.
I'll introduce you
to the rest later,
but first, I'd like to
encourage Carla to continue
with her story.
[Carla] She was
screaming at him
and I just didn't
know what to do!
He had forgot to call her sister
to tell her this was happening,
he got the wrong
type of dessert,
and I just said,
"Whoa...
last moments on Earth here...
you don't want to leave angry."
I... didn't think
it was that bad.
You know, I just said,
"It doesn't really
matter. You do you."
I mean, you don't want them
to think it's a big deal,
so, you fight at the end.
It's just, for some people,
it's a big part of life.
[Justice] Okay.
Interesting perspective, Philip,
but I think what Frey
and I are concerned with,
is that you feel that
you should engage at all.
There are protocols for this,
and we have Compliance
Officers to take care of this.
Right? Bereavement
specialists.
[Frey] Justice is right.
If you ever feel
uncomfortable, just leave.
Because often, at these
End-Of-Life ceremonies,
people aren't able to fully
empathize with others,
but it's human and
we don't judge it.
Anyway...
what do we do if we
don't feel comfortable?
[Documentors] "Leave
it to Compliance."
Mm-hmm!
Jack, go ahead... you don't
need to raise your hand.
[Jack] Oh, okay.
So I get to the place for
the introductory session
and, um, this guy opens the door
and is... totally
surprised to see me.
I hand him the box, which
he's confused about,
and I pull out the
sheet for him to sign,
saying that he'd received it,
and... it's not him.
I mean, the guy
doesn't look anything
like his picture.
I'm about to walk away,
when I see the piece of paper
attached to the back of the form
from his plastic surgeon,
saying that he'd had
all this work done
and that his biological
age was really...
[overlapping astonishment] 65!
[Jack] It blew me away.
And I was like, "Man...
you almost got me."
And, uh, he was...
pretty cool about it.
Yeah, I guess he was just happy
he got all those extra years
for looking good.
I had a person try and
tell me they were only 44,
and I would've believed them...
their passport,
their job records,
everything said
they were only 44.
Maybe they were 44?
Well...
someone found their
old social timeline.
- Wait, what's that?
- Oh, well,
people used to put out
information about themselves
online for everyoneto see it.
[May, shocked] Everyone?
[Justice] Yeah,
anyone in the world,
prior to 2025.
On the face of it,
totally democratic,
but you could never
really erase it.
Too bad computers were so
hard on the environment.
[Frey] That is
putting it mildly!
See, first, it was the
means of production...
um, third-world
labour, e-waste...
and then it just came
down to electrical usage.
[whispers] I don't know
what any of this means.
Oh, I think he explained
that last week... I forgot.
[Frey] See, people
were online 24/7.
[Justice] Which made us
incredibly vulnerable.
Incredible.
Hey, wait, what's
a "third world"?
[Justice] Uh, actually, it's
referred to, historically,
as the "developing" world.
It used to be,
before the End-of-Life
policies were agreed upon,
that there were
places in the world
where people were
poorer than others,
people had shorter lifespans,
higher disease rates.
Sometimes, that
disparity existed
even amongst people
of one country.
Oh, it was... it
was really awful.
I didn't know.
[Frey] Well, good
that's all gone now.
[hushed] Don't
forget that, Kiah...
when it seems hard,
the world is a better place
because of our Constitution.
Before, it was carnage.
"Carnage"?
Wars... Kiah.
Human beings were
killing each other
for resources...
food, water, land,
money, knowledge,
even worldview.
Human behaviour has
altered our environment
for thousands of years.
"The Great Acceleration"...
barely a hundred years ago...
it started to have
an outsized impact
on our global ecosphere.
So much so...
that we entered a
new geological time,
also known as...
"The Anthropocene".
[Frey] ...The Anthropocene.
This threatened not
only our own survival,
but the survival of
the entire planet.
See, humans are
problem-solvers, right?
So, what we did
is we created these
advanced technologies
in order to help us.
But what happened
is these technologies
studied us...
they completely scrubbed
our digital data.
First, it was our science,
but then, it was our
personal thoughts...
our poems, our
likes, our dislikes.
The technology
became just like us,
because we created it.
It became almost
indistinguishable from us.
But the scariest part
is that it was faster than
us and it was better than us.
So, eventually...
we had to pull the plug.
Do you know why?
Why?
Because...
Okay.
Now, Kiah, we don't
want you to think
this is a history class.
I am sure you've all received
the background materials,
though Frey and
I are always here
to go through any parts
of the Constitution.
But, mainly, we are here
to support each other.
Now, this is a very important,
and not always easy, job to do.
We're always looking
for ways to improve
the working situation,
or the E.O.L.,
for all involved.
Would you mind sharing?
[quietly] Yeah.
Yeah. Um...
today was my first day.
Um...
I'd never seen a dead
body before, so...
that was different.
You did an E.O.L.
on your first day?
Wow.
That's intense.
Kiah was great.
She even played
one of our Stage 2
Participant's pianos.
[Justice] Oh!
That's a really lovely
personal touch, Kiah.
It brings you closer,
so when you do
share End of Life,
it's more comforting for them.
[May] Oh, my gosh, I so
remember my first time.
I was, like, so in shock.
But you know what
really helped me?
Zoolander.
It's a movie.
You can get it at the archive.
You have to book ahead.
I really like Duck
Soup... it's pretty wacky.
That's an excellent idea.
[Kiah] Do you do that often?
Oh, yeah.
It really helps to
air out the issues,
compare notes, release stress.
Group talk is once
every two weeks,
and you also get
free yoga classes
and acupuncture,
because, come on, let's face it,
it's a stressful job.
If we would've
gotten there on time,
we would have been able to make
the group meditation session,
but, tch, we've all
got to do it, you know.
This way... we
can make it safe.
We need a lot of
mental flossing.
Listen, you don't have
to do this tonight, Kiah.
The film, you can
see it any time.
No, no, no, I-I... I want to.
It's important, right?
You gonna watch it, too?
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
It's part of your orientation.
It's just...
we've run late, and, usually,
we stop before dinnertime.
[clock ticking]
[knife scraping plate]
[]
[lights clunk on]
[clunk]
[]
Hey. Come on.
[lights clunking on]
[]
[clunk]
Right this way.
[]
[Daniel exhales]
What is it?
Oh, it's a projector.
Are we watching Zoolander?
Oh, you have to book
that in advance.
We have to order the print.
I'm afraid we only had
that on DVD in the system,
and digital media
degraded substantially
when we had the
magnetic polar shift
of 23 degrees.
So, at this location,
we can only show 16-millimetre
celluloid acetate films
from the 20th century.
Have you never seen one?
Enjoy!
[projector clicks on
and begins whirring]
[crackly brassy theme rises]
[]
[Kiah] Is it supposed
to look like this?
[Daniel] They're called
"the Marx Brothers".
[Kiah] Are they
really brothers?
Yeah... they got
really, really old.
Into their 80s.
Whoa.
There were way less
people back then,
and you could do that.
After...
in the late-20th century,
the health-care
system was horrible.
People got really old and
really, really sick...
and millions of
dollars were spent
on keeping some people alive,
while others couldn't
even afford a doctor.
It was unbelievable.
Do you think that's wrong?
Yeah.
Don't you?
I mean, do you think it's wrong,
wanting to live longer?
How much time is enough?
[projector whirring]
[]
[tender, jovial
piano theme plays]
[]
[door opens, shuts]
Kiah?
[footsteps]
You hungry?
[click]
[fridge humming]
[click-click]
It's the refrigerator...
that's the sound of
the compressor cooling.
People listened to that
noise all the time?
It's pretty nice to
have things cool.
Yeah, but why would you waste
all that energy to do that?
[sighs]
For things like...
this.
Mom...
I know!
But a little sip won't hurt.
[foil crinkling]
We have to celebrate.
Celebrate?
It's your first day!
It's a very big thing
you've commenced on.
Not everybody has the skill.
Not everybody has
the constitution.
[cork creaks]
- [pop]
- Ah!
[Ellie laughs in delight]
[exhales contentedly]
To my beloved daughter.
[crystal chimes]
[Kiah gulps, suppresses a gag]
That's it?
[sets glasses down]
So, how'd it go?
[defeated] How do you think?
[sighs wearily]
My brave girl.
It's always hard at first,
but remember, you'll
get used to it.
Everyone does.
[voice cracks]
Like I'd want to.
What's that, sweetheart?
Maybe I don't want
to get used to it.
I mean, you could've told
me what it'd be like...
No, I couldn't. It
wouldn't have helped.
It's different for everybody,
you just have to do it.
That sounds like something
Daniel would say.
Oh? Daniel...
Ah, he's cute!
[groaning] Ugh!
Yes, Daniel!
So, what's he like?
Did you like working with
him? Tell me everything!
- Why?
- Oh, come on!
I want to know.
Is he a good teacher?
Did you feel supported?
He's okay...
but he is so annoying.
Annoying?
Well, he seemed like the
most polite young man...
He's so... sure.
What do you mean?
He's so sure!
A-And dead people?
Don't even bother him.
Dead people,
who we were talking to
one minute before...
no problem!
Kiah, he's had practice.
There's nothing more
natural than dying.
What you are doing... what
you are witnessing is a...
[deep breath] ...a
rite of passage.
[crickets chirping]
Did you watch Duck Soup?
How'd you know?
Oh... everybody
watches Duck Soup.
Well, I thought I was
gonna see Zoolander, but...
- Well, you had to book ahead.
- ...you have to book ahead.
Yeah, I didn't find it funny.
Well, it's an
important allegory.
It's a... an absurdist comedy
about the very worst
of human nature,
and it was made at a time
when you could say anything...
even if it wasn't true.
Yeah, I don't think I got that.
Okay. Take a look at the
names of the countries.
Right?
You have "Freedonia"... a
country named after Freedom,
and "Sylvania"... a
country named after Peace,
except Freedonia
is ruled by a corrupt dictator,
played by Groucho... you know,
the guy with the moustache?
And Sylvania is
trying to stage a war.
See?
Uh, you have Freedom
and-and-and Peace,
but they're willing
to destroy everything
for money and power.
Yeah, I don't understand...
why would people say things
if they weren't true?
It's a satire.
Mom...
I-I, um, I wanted
to see Zoolander.
Hey.
How about... a few patches?
Hmm?
Seriously?
Yeah, come on! We're
almost finished.
I've been collecting things
from when you were
a little girl.
What's this?
Oh... remember?
This was your favourite dress
that got eaten up on the
clothesline by that deer.
Hmm? Oh!
You loved your "Thursday" socks.
This is a piece of
your baby blanket.
Aw, and this...
[deep breath]
...this, I saved
from all those curtains
that got so sun-bleached.
That first summer we were here,
it was so hot,
we kept them closed
the whole time
and had to sleep
in the basement?
Why would I want
a quilt of that?
[forced cheer] It's a...
it's a memory quilt, silly.
I don't have anything from
when I was growing up.
I wish I did.
[quiet, desperate]
Kiah, please.
Hmm, I love that.
Honey, come here.
Yes, come here.
Okay, it's okay.
- [sobbing]
- It's okay.
- Come here.
- [hyperventilating]
It's okay, it's okay.
It's okay, it's okay.
I got you.
[Ellie begins humming softly]
...You'll never know, dear
How much I love you
Please don't take
My sunshine away
[gravel crunching]
I was hoping you'd
be late again today.
Why?
So I could have another
piece of your mother's pie.
It was amazing!
My mother finds you attractive.
Gross.
If you are saying that so I
won't want more of her pie,
it's not working.
Ugh. Double-gross.
Okay! Well...
let's blast off!
[]
[]
[knocking at door]
[knocking]
Hello?
Emmett?
Yeah.
Are you ready?
Today's the day.
Absolutely.
Now, I understand you've
chosen "Pastoral: C"...
"A Sunrise Transition"?
Shall we go outside?
There's no rush.
Um... where did you get that?
I'll go...
but you're gonna
have to shoot me.
Emmett, I can't do that.
- [snaps]
- Then she can.
I will not "go gentle
into thy good night".
I'll go...
but you're gonna
have to make me.
You know, we can't
have any violence
during End of Life.
It... reverberates.
"Reverberates"?
To who?
You?
The ones making sure I die?
Well, I ain't ready to go.
Isn't it more
violent to make me?
We're not making you, Emmett.
We're just... witnesses.
I'd say it's a type of
violence to the planet
to stay.
Compliance.
Listen, how about, uh...
we just come back tomorrow?
[deep breath] Yeah,
it's no problem.
I'll just, uh...
change the schedule.
Just give you a
little more time.
Dawn is an awesome time to go.
I mean, people really think
it's the evening, but...
I mean, man...
saying goodbye to
the sun rising up,
that is...
that is powerful.
So, do we get Compliance?
Aren't we supposed
to get Compliance?
What if he does the
same thing tomorrow?
Don't worry.
He might have a gun,
but there's no way
he has any bullets.
Compliance can be...
kind of rough.
I don't want anyone
to go out like that.
I don't want people
to be coerced.
[sighs] It's usually
not like this.
You've really seen it all.
[gunshot fires]
[bikes crashing onto ground]
[]
[]
[sniffles deeply]
[]
[inhaling]
[muffled sob]
[sobbing softly]
[weeping]
[sighing deeply]
[]
[quartet of musicians
begin playing]
[]
[woman] I don't want
To set the world
On fire
I just want
To start
A flame in your heart
In my heart
I have but one
Desire
And that one Is you
No other will do
I've lost all ambition
Of worldly acclaim
I just want to be
the one you love
And with your admission
That you feel the same
I'll have reached
The goal I'm dreaming of
Believe me
I don't want to
set the world
On fire
[knocking]
This is a tough day.
[jogger] Shit. Shit. Shit!
Oh, I completely forgot.
Hey, it's all good.
[wheezing]
It's okay.
- Oh, are you sure?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- [wheezing]
[woman rummages in cupboard]
[gulps]
[exhales deeply]
I hope you like rainwater,
'cause it's all I've got.
I prefer it.
Okay.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Well, I'm not
gonna go like this,
so I'll be back
in a minute, okay?
[muttering to
herself] Shit. Shit.
Shit...
Okay. Can you be a dear
and phone everyone on
this list for me, please?
Thank you.
Okay, shit.
[running up stairs]
[shower running]
[calling up] So it looks like
you're going with Option Three...
a few friends on the beach,
glass of champagne, some music?
- [woman] Yes!
- [shower splashing]
[quietly] Is she really
taking a shower now?
I mean, what a waste!
Like, why?
- [sobbing]
- [shower splashing]
[weeping]
[refrigerator humming]
They usually get a couple
of weeks of electricity
to prepare things for the end.
[glasses clinking]
Hey, why don't you
make those calls
while I get this
stuff together, okay?
[door softly thudding]
That, right there,
is a "land line".
What's that?
Well, that phone
is connected to other phones
by wires that run in the ground.
[receiver clicks, dial
whooshes and clatters]
Didn't know people
still had them.
[phone dialing]
I think this could've
been a communication hub
after they turned
everything off.
[dial rumbles]
I bet the people on that
list are part of a network.
I think we're dealing with
the end of an old family here.
- [line rings]
- It's gonna be interesting.
Hello?
Uh, uh, this is Kiah
Novulo, E.O.L. Documentor.
Um, I-I'm calling for...
Oh, "Nancy Fontaine".
I'm calling on behalf
of Nancy Fontaine.
We'll be at the south
end of Pebble Beach in...
Um...
about, like, half an hour?
...In about half an hour.
Can you make it?
Great.
"What it's about..."?
Well, it's her E.O.L. ceremony.
Well, you're on the guest list.
I thought...
Oh...
um...
I-I see.
I-I'll see you then.
Her daughter.
She didn't know it was today.
[quietly] You have
to put the phone back
on the receiver, Kiah.
[clunk]
[footsteps]
How do I look?
You look amazing.
Why do people even
like this stuff?
It's for special occasions.
Still.
Weird that they
didn't finish it.
It's not unusual.
A lot of people
don't even touch it.
It's like a hangover
from the past...
they just like to pop it open.
I guess it brightens the mood.
My mom gave me a sip last night.
Did you like it?
Ugh.
Tastes like socks.
[chuckles]
[splashing]
[chuckles]
- [shattering]
- You can't do that!
I just did it.
[rages]
[glass shatters]
- [grunts]
- [gasps]
Am I hurting you?
[coughs]
Does your heart hurt?
[exhales]
[forced] Um...
No... no... no.
Not at all.
[inhales sharply]
[exhales tensely]
You sure you don't ever
want to have a kid?
[scoffs] Gross.
You'd get, like, 34 years,
if you got busy now.
Ugh, gross!
You?
I don't know.
My life's pretty great.
I'm glad I get to be here.
Even without knowing a parent?
Yeah.
Even without that.
We've got enough
people here already.
[sighs] Yeah...
We're not here for long, though.
Not now.
Check that.
I'm so sorry you
had to work today.
No, no, no.
This... This is better.
This makes everything...
better.
How could anybody
forget their E.O.L. day?
It's funny, it
actually happens a lot.
People don't want to remember.
They just want to keep
living their life.
It's not fair.
What?
Having to leave here at 50.
Well... no, no, no, no, no.
No, you see, that's
where you're wrong.
It's the most fair
thing in the world.
It's fair to all
other human beings,
it's fair to all other species.
Every life is equal, Kiah.
No one is more important
than anyone else.
Yeah, but some people love
more than other people.
Oh, that's the biggest
piece of bullshit
I have ever heard.
[laughs]
She didn't even
tell her daughter.
Her daughter just...
didn't know.
[gently] Maybe she did know.
Maybe she just didn't
want to face it.
I am not ready.
Doesn't matter. I mean...
...here we are.
Here we are.
I should go.
Kiah. I just...
Kiah, I'm not ready, either.
None of us are ready.
[]
[]
[owl hoots]
[hooting]
[hoots once more]
[children calling out
and playing, in distance]
[indistinct playing continues]
[whoosh]
It's finished.
I'm sorry, Mom.
I'm sorry I couldn't
be here today, I...
You're here now.
And we have a few hours.
And I have another
present to give to you.
How could you be thinking of me
at a time like this?
Are you kidding?
[chuckles]
I have been thinking about
you every second of your life.
You know that thing they say...
when you have a kid,
it's like having
your heart walk around
outside your body?
No.
[chuckles] Well,
they say that.
And it's true.
Besides, this is a part
of your birthday present.
It's your birthday week.
Yeah, worst birthday week ever.
It'll be memorable...
for sure.
Go ahead, open.
- What?
- It's not what you think.
[clasps clacking]
[laughs] Oh!
Yeah, I saved it for you.
I made this when I was your age.
[gasps]
[Ellie] I know you know,
but just in case...
Open it.
[unzipping]
[Kiah chuckles]
[Ellie] You know,
if you want them.
Hmm?
Oh...
What's this?
It's a smart phone.
Why-Why do you have this?
Don't worry. It-It's
not connected.
We all had one.
And I saved mine for...
...for this.
What am I supposed to do?
Oh.
They're all on here.
Just go like that.
[Kiah gasps]
[stunned laugh] Oh!
[sobs and laughs] Oh, Mom!
You look amazing!
Who are these people?
Well, heh, that's me...
...that's my mother,
and my dad...
these are your grandparents.
Well, where are you?
None of this looks like here.
Well, that's when we
could still travel.
Why would you travel?
Oh, Kiah, you know,
I'm not from here,
- you know I travelled.
- No, no.
I know, but why did you travel?
To see the world.
To learn about myself.
For fun and adventure.
I don't get it.
[sadly] I know.
[laughing] Who's this?
That's, uh, me
and, uh, my best friend, Kiah.
Hmm?
This was the Rabbit
Mountain Fire
of 2025.
We were both smokejumpers.
[chuckling, impressed]
Where is she now?
Is she still alive?
No.
She was a kick-ass smokejumper,
but she died in a fire.
A lot of us died...
trying to do the right thing.
The whole world was like this.
[Kiah gasping]
[Kiah sobs softly]
[tenderly] Look at these.
Look at them.
Don't pass by them.
Look at them.
I want you to look at them.
[Kiah continues gasping]
W-Why are you
showing me this? I...
I want you to know there
is a reason we do this...
why we live the way we live...
a reason we give
our lives at 50.
This... can't happen again.
Baby, so many people died.
Our world...
...was burning.
The water was...
unstoppable.
People couldn't live
where they were living...
it was uninhabitable.
And this was the best idea
you could come up with?
Yes!
We stopped it!
We stopped.
We...
We eradicated global
poverty. We did it!
We stopped the mass
extinction of...
[sighs] We made
the Declaration of
Rights and Freedoms
for All Beings.
We agreed!
[sighs]
We agreed,
and all we have to do...
is leave at 50.
We get to leave
the way we choose,
surrounded by the
people we love...
or not...
if we choose.
What am I supposed
to do with this?
Listen... listen to
me, listen to me.
I love you
so, so much,
and every day I got
to be with you...
Yeah, but it's not enough!
It's not enough.
I'm not ready.
No one is ever ready.
Mom, I...
[cuts her off] I know.
[Kiah sobs]
I know.
So much to say.
Nothing to say.
Shouldn't you be drawing this?
Okay. Let's do it.
[]
Don't know where
the path goes
Well, it seems
like I'm not alone
Spend years tilling
all this ground
Well, some day it
will all be stone
Look to stars
and tarot cards
To find peace and
deeper meaning
While the world around me
Sinks into comfort
and convenience
Well, I waste so much
time Yeah, it's true
Well, I waste so
much time Yeah, I do
Well, I waste so
much time Well, I do
One day I'll
plant a garden
That I might build a life in
With all my
favourite flowers
I'd lay in it for hours
I'd lay in it for hours
But now I'm just too tired