Nine Days 2021

In the desolate expanse of a desert, arbiter Will resides in an isolated abode, where the souls of the departed converge before entering the world of the living. His existence is a solitary one, punctuated only by the company of Kyo, a wayward soul who refused to vanish into nothingness. As Will’s days unfold, he indulges in a mesmerizing array of television screens, each showcasing the life of a unique individual selected by his own hand. Among them, Amanda stands out – a 28-year-old virtuoso violinist whose path was tragically cut short when her reckless driving ended in catastrophe on the highway. As Will grapples with the irreconcilable loss of this talented soul, a new cast of candidates arrives to vie for the vacant slot left behind by Amanda’s untimely departure – a process that will unfold over the course of nine days.

As Will conducts his interviews, he probes the candidates’ perceptions on life and encourages them to record their observations about the lives of others who have been chosen. His fascination is piqued by Emma, whose remarkable empathy and insatiable curiosity set her apart from the rest despite her initial disinterest in the selection process. As the days pass, most of the contenders are dismissed for various reasons – some succumbing to self-doubt, others revealing a lack of reverence for the struggles of those who have come before them. Will’s efforts to recreate life events for these failed aspirants serve as a poignant reminder of their existential transience, as they ultimately disappear into nothingness.

Kyo, sensing her friend’s distress, invites another arbiter to visit Will and share a tape that has been haunting her – a recording made shortly after Amanda’s passing, which reveals the tragic depth of her despair. As Kyo attempts to offer solace to Will, he remains transfixed by the tapes documenting Amanda’s life, struggling to comprehend the inexplicable circumstances surrounding her demise. His responses become increasingly guarded when Emma expresses concern for his well-being, and Will reveals a fragment of his own past – a fleeting moment of triumph on stage that left him with an unfulfilled passion. When another candidate, Alex, dares to challenge Will’s authority as arbiter, pointing out the hypocrisy of judging others while never pursuing one’s own dreams, Will reacts with hostility.

As the days draw to a close, the pool of candidates is narrowed down to two – Emma and Kane – leaving Will to ponder the enigmatic paths that these souls may take in their next incarnation.

As the narrative unfolds, a dichotomy emerges between Emma’s (character name) effervescent optimism and Kane’s (character name) somber realism. While Emma sees the world through rose-tinted glasses, perceiving only the good in humanity, Kane is acutely aware of the darker aspects of existence, his resolve strengthened by a desire to combat evil. This inherent disparity becomes even more pronounced when Kyo recommends that Will selects Emma, yet he instead chooses Kane as the vessel for new life. When Will presents Emma with one final opportunity to experience the world, she scribbles down something of great importance, only for Will to declare it an impossibility. Undeterred, Emma declines this final chance and sets out on a perilous journey across the desert, her ultimate goal being to fade into obscurity.

As the days pass, Will becomes increasingly consumed by regret over his decision not to take advantage of Emma’s offer. He eventually stumbles upon a cryptic note from Emma, in which she expresses gratitude for their time together and reveals that she had been recording happy memories from throughout the interview process. Her words are scrawled across every surface of their shared space, serving as a poignant reminder of the bond they shared. Moved by remorse, Will embarks on a quest to catch up with Emma, reciting selections from Walt Whitman’s majestic poem, “Song of Myself,” with unbridled passion. His fervent words hang in the air as he thanks Emma for the gift of their time together, his voice echoing across the arid expanse.