Help Bring The Rest of Your Life to the Screen - A Short Film About Grief & Justice

How do you live when love becomes a weapon?

The Rest of Your Life is an emotionally raw short film about a family grappling with the aftermath of an unspeakable tragedy. We’re inviting you to help us bring this story to life - a story about grief, guilt, and the consequences of love.

PROJECT SUMMARY:

Logline:

In the wake of an unspeakable tragedy that left her best friends dead, a grieving teenager is torn between her parents’ clashing visions of justice and her own desperate need for peace.

About the Film:

Set entirely inside a family’s home and unfolding in real time, the story follows Kate - a young woman reeling from a recent tragedy - as she becomes a pawn in her parents’ battle for justice. When a determined lawyer and Kate’s father arrive unannounced, old wounds reopen and a moral tug-of-war erupts between her parents: the father seeking retribution against the perpetrator, the mother against her husband (whom she deems responsible). The story explores the rippling effects of trauma, the performativity of justice, and the long shadows cast by parental guilt - where exploitation is masked as love.

We’re filming The Rest of Your Life to appear as a one-take to heighten the emotional intensity and immerse the audience more fully in the characters’ world.

WHO WE ARE:

I’m Cade Quillen, the film’s writer and director. I first became interested in writing this story while undergoing research about cinematic representations of mental health last summer, which led me to a deeper exploration of how society exploits its most vulnerable. This exploration resulted in a two-part feature film script that I wrote last winter - the foundation for this short film.

We also have a highly talented cast and crew helping to make this film a reality. Please check our Instagram page (@RestofYourLifeFilm) for additional information on our amazing cast and crew members!

OUR GOAL & BUDGET:

We’re incredibly fortunate to have a dedicated crew volunteering their time and expertise to help bring this story to life. We’re hoping to raise $5,000 for our other essential production costs, including:

- Compensation for our actors

- Locations, props, and set dressing

- Meals - 11 people, 4 days, 2 meals/day

- Festival Submissions

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Any amount truly makes a difference - whether it’s $5 or $500. Your donation goes directly toward the people and resources needed to bring The Rest of Your Life... to life!

If you can’t donate, you can still help by sharing this campaign with friends, family, or on social media. Every share helps us reach more people and get closer to our goal.

UPDATES:

We’ll be posting updates here throughout pre-production and filming, so you can follow along with the journey and see the impact of your support. Additionally, you can follow us on Instagram (@RestofYourLifeFilm) to see where we’re at in the filming process (and maybe catch a few behind-the-scenes teasers).