Projects in development

Dream-Crossed

SYNOPSIS

A narrative drama comprising of a series of events revolving around the making of a fully-financed feature film called Black Lines, about a depressed man in his 50s who is saved by the love of a younger woman.

Rachel, in her late 20s, is a struggling actress, trying to establish herself and further her career, after several years of minor roles. She lives with her boyfriend David, and is increasingly at odds with him and their mundane life at home. One day, she discovers that the film Black Lines is still casting for the lead female role, and she asks her acquaintance Jacques if he can introduce her to the film’s director, Tibor.

Jacques is an iconic French actor in his late 50s, having starred in numerous French art films in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and now living in Australia for some years, with his Australian actress wife Alexandra, who is terminally ill. As a result of this, Jacques is depressed and alcoholic, but is nonetheless committed to playing the role of the depressed man in Tibor’s film.

For his part, Tibor is conscious of Jacques’ current mental state, and realises that it is extremely suited for the character in the film, which is what Tibor really cares about, not the actor himself. Tibor is young (early 20s), brash, intelligent, the world at his feet, revelling in the process of making a Bergmanesque-dark film with the support of experienced producer Helen and executive producer Rolf de Heer.

Rachel auditions for the role of the main woman in the film, but Tibor, Helen and casting director Melanie target several more established actresses, in the process keeping this information from Rachel. When Rachel finds out about this, she becomes angry and challenges the film team’s working methods, but they go ahead and cast an actress Alanah in the lead role.

Jacques’ wife Alexandra dies, and Jacques makes funeral arrangements. Some days later, he resumes working on the film, rehearsing with Alanah and other actors. By this stage, Rachel has left her boyfriend David, unhappy with his "housewife" demands, and moved in with Jacques, in order to support him emotionally.

Internally, however, Rachel is unsettled, feeling very frustrated at her failure to establish herself as an actress. Tibor acknowledges to her that she has talent, and offers her a minor role in the film, but she rejects that role and begins hassling and even stalking Tibor. This culminates in her stealing his notebook computer and sending a group email to the entire cast and crew saying that the film is cancelled.

As the police catch Rachel and order is restored to the film’s production, the film is genuinely thrown into chaos by the sudden suicide of Jacques. Shooting is postponed. Tibor and Helen decide to recast for the role of the man, but Alanah has to opt out of the project due to a prior commitment. Both Rachel and Tibor are humbled by the events that have occurred. Unable to secure another name-actress at such short notice, Tibor and Helen offer the main female role to Rachel, who accepts.

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