first death — Alyssa Lerner

FIRST DEATH (premiering 2026)

Dead and down-bad, Margot makes one last play for eternal love with the avoidant woman she loved on earth.

Written and directed by Alyssa Lerner

Produced by Alyssa Lerner and Tracy Smith

Starring Kimia Behpoornia, Vic Michaelis, Dylan Mulvaney, and Kiko Soireé

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FIRST DEATH is a comedic fantasy short film with the whimsical world-building of THE GOOD PLACE and the urgent longing and heart of ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND. It follows one soul who gets placed in their first lifetime on earth as a woman named MARGOT. After an abruptly short life and untimely death, 659 unwillingly returns to Sky Headquarters, determined to take a piece of their life as Margot into the afterlife with them.

EARLY ACCOLADES:

Out on Film 2025 Filmmaker Fund Recipient
Inside Out 2025 RE: Focus Fund Recipient
Panavision 2025 New Filmmaker Program; Equipment and Post-Production Grant
PANO 2025 Microgrants Round 6 Finalist
Pandora 2025 Short Film Grant Finalist
Shore Scripts 2025 Short Film Fund Semi-Finalist