Director's Works
The Death Notice of Eamonn McCarty Aaron Chalke
Aaron Chalke is an Irish writer, producer and first-time director from the west coast of Ireland. His subject matter leans into dark drama, delivered by comedic and sci-fi genres in screenplays and short stories. After starting his career in advertising, he founded his own production company, Foe. In 2024, he completed the Screen Ireland / TUD Advanced Producing for TV and Film postgraduate diploma, graduating with distinction. “The Death Notice of Eamonn McCarty”, starring Michael McElhatton and Hannah Mamalis, is Aaron's directing debut. It premiered in the Rhode Island Film Festival 2025 and won Best Irish Short Film in the Oscar-qualifying Light In Motion Competition at Foyle Film Festival in November 2025.
We all know that death is a part of life, a certainty we cannot escape. Strangely, perhaps ironically for self-preservation, we choose to ignore that fact as much as possible. But what if we couldn’t ignore it? How would that change how we approach the time we have left? For example, if you knew this was your last day alive, would you do something different to what you are doing right now? Would you stop reading this and use the time to speak to those you love, just one last time? Would you appreciate that coffee a little bit more, knowing it is your last? At some stage, we will have a series of ‘lasts’ – a last coffee, a last Monday, a last conversation.
It was this fascination with the world of ‘lasts’ that has inspired “The Death Notice Of Eamonn McCarty”. It is the exploration of the question, “What if we did know when we would die?” In treating an expected death notice as being as much a fact as an expected due date, I was able to play with how we look at, or more accurately, choose to ignore one of life’s certainties.
“The Death Notice of Eamonn McCarty” is a reflection on life. In the spectre of death, this film explores a life lived, decisions made, and regrets harboured. Through this, I was able to explore the fact that every moment still alive is a gift to be cherished and spent wisely – no matter how much or little of these moments you have left.
Eamonn is the summation of a life lived by going through the motions. Of living his life in a manner he thought he was ‘meant to’, resulting in a husk of a life, empty beyond the carefully manicured veneer. In contrast, Geraldine is youthful, energetic and naïve. She has one goal: to help people while they still have time left. Their call together and growing connection set the scene, resulting in a zest for life, to grab each moment by the scruff of the neck, and a knowledge that it is never too late to live life to the full.
