NINE DAYS New Auteurs

Following the film, AFI FEST Senior Programmer Claudia Puig leads a conversation between filmmaker Edson Oda and actors Zazie Beetz and Winston Duke.

What if you had just a little over a week to persuade an enigmatic gatekeeper to allow you to be born? How would you proceed? Winston Duke plays the cryptic and somber Will, the figure in charge of selecting the right soul for life on Earth. Will interviews several prospective candidates, aided by his more light-hearted colleague Kyo, played by Benedict Wong. As one soul dies, another takes its place. But the choice of who makes the cut is fraught. The unborn — personifications of human souls — must demonstrate why they deserve life. One applicant, played by Zazie Beetz, challenges Will in unexpected ways. A beautifully crafted, heartfelt sci-fi film that explores the existential, NINE DAYS marks the directorial debut of Edson Oda. An innovative concept thoughtfully plotted, this metaphysical tale is at once artistic, thought-provoking and life-affirming. –Claudia Puig