HNIFF 2023
The Last Goodbye
Directed by Gordon Yarley · Canada · 9 min · short · narrative
When the end of the world comes how will three strangers deal with the stages of grief as humanity is wiped off the planet?
This film's screening window has ended.
From the director
The Last Goodbye is first and foremost a story about fear and standing up to it. The end of inevitability is upon us. Everyone approaches it differently. We have all seen the end of the world films. Some of the movies are comedic, some are dramatic. Some are both. I think mine will lend itself more towards the dramatic side. I want to remind people of the importance of family / human connection in a seemingly pointless life. From Tom in his bunker going about his day waiting for the end, knowing it will come soon, trying to console himself with his music, whether anyone is listening or not is irrelevant it matters to him that he has his music. Music that makes him feel better. It helps Ellen cope somehow with what has happened to her family to remind her of the beauty in the world. To a point it also helps Kate as well, as stoic and as stern as she is in this place they were supposed to be working at, a warehouse in the middle of nowhere, away from real civilization. Being that the film is ultimately about the end of the world, and the end of humanity itself. Why is it happening? We don’t get to know why, and that’s what’s frightening about it. These three people are stuck where they are in a place they never expected to be. This title emphasizes the emotional journey of the characters as they say goodbye to their loved ones and the world they knew and prepare for the end. The ending of the film is a metaphor for a blank slate or a fresh start. The in-progress title for the film was originally “Blanc Blank” and was looked upon as an exploration of a blank page or a blank canvas, but since it’s a short film we refocused on the emotional state of the characters and how they handle the events of the film. This film was made as the last project while at Humber College and was filmed on an LED Volume at William F White’s TechLab in Toronto. The crew was comprised of all Humber College students working with experts from the industry to make the film. The assets made for the LED Volume were made by the 3D Animation students from Humber College.
