Genre: Romance, Drama, Crime
Two years, a month, three weeks and six days after a controversial exposé forced him to flee, a young journalist returns to his hometown, hunting the pardoned rapist that was the article’s subject, and rekindling a tormented relationship with one of the victims.
Narrator: Sean Ballantyne
Kim: Lauren Toffan
Dancer 2: Clare Blackwood
Dance Leader: Val Cole
Get to know the writer:
What is your screenplay about?
Two years, a month, three weeks and six days after a controversial exposé forced him to flee, a young journalist returns to his hometown, hunting the pardoned rapist that was the article’s subject, and rekindling a tormented relationship with one of the victims.
What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Romantic Drama & Psychological Horror; atmospherically, I wanted the script to play as a horror movie about emotional and sexual abuse.
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
I think most films that tackle subject matter like this tend to do so in a very glossy, very safe way, and while it is important to be respectful and considerate, I think there’s something to be said for more visceral, honest depictions that resist deifying the sufferers or simplifying their situations. I tried to accomplish that here. I also tried to explore the way society mishandles rape and sexual assault by painting the men accused of it as victims and bemoaning their ruined reputations, something I haven’t seen often on the big screen.
How would you describe this script in two words?
Raw, surreal.
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Probably a three-way tie between The Godfather, Hard-Boiled and all of the Star Wars movies.
6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I started working on it in the tail-end of 2015 and have been revising ever since!
How many stories have you written?
I’ve written 17 feature-length screenplays, 12 shorts, and about 100 poems.
What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd I’ve listened to the most, favourite would probably be Dreams by Fleetwood Mac.
What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
I wanted to be sure that Kim and Caleb both got equal screentime, and were developed enough that audiences didn’t feel like they were siding with one more than the other when it came time for them to confront each other. I also wanted them to be very likable and have a lot of personality, which usually calls for humour. It’s tough working humour into a story like this, and making sure the moments of levity didn’t feel out of place, or too much, was tough. It’s also pretty radically structured, which I felt was necessary to get into the heads of people who feel fragmented and stuck in the past; deciding how much information to give the audience without being overtly expository was a challenge.
Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
I love acting, especially onstage, which I think is more of an actor’s medium. Supporting and spending time with my close friends, family and loved ones is very important to me. I’m a bit of a wine snob, I love hiking, skiing, a good novel, and reading/writing poetry. I’m not always good at them, but I think video games are a fascinating up-and-coming medium.
You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?
I think FilmFreeway is a great tool for artists to discover and submit to festivals that best suit their work; my only advice to anyone using it is to carefully research any festivals they submit to, as unfortunately some (usually the ones that sound too good to be true) are scams.
What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I think the promise of feedback was a big reason for my submission, as constructive criticism can be hard to come by. The feedback I received was incredibly helpful; I could tell the script reader fully engaged with what I was trying to do, and suggested very clear, straightforward fixes.
****
Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com
Director: Kierston Drier
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson
Camera Operator: Mary Cox
Romance & Relationships Festival - Submit your screenplay and film and get it showcased at the FEEDBACK Film Festival 