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Title: Never Tell
Runtime: 3 min
Country: USA
Director: Morgan Rosenblum
Placement: Award of Merit
Competition: June, 2026
Synopsis: The lesser of two evils… is still evil.
After a devastating car accident leaves his wife on the brink of death, Ben Rosen is approached by a mysterious, dying man in a hospital corridor who offers him an impossible bargain: her life in exchange for their future firstborn child.
With everything on the line, Ben is forced to confront a choice that challenges his beliefs, his morality, and the limits of what he’s willing to sacrifice for the person he loves most.
A modern folk tale and reimagining of Rumpelstiltskin, Never Tell explores desperation, consequence, and the irreversible weight of the choices we make when we believe we have no other option.
This short film is adapted from a feature-length screenplay and represents a key scene within that larger story, while also standing on its own as a complete and deeply unsettling short film.