Watch the winning short screenplay for OCTOBER 2017.
It is Christmas Eve. John (40s) drives his wife and son (Michael) up through a snowfilled wilderness. They reach a solitary rental cabin in the woods. Completely alone, Michael worries that Santa Claus will not come, however his father, John, reassures him that Santa knows exactly where he’s going.
Genre: Horror, Thriller
CAST LIST:
Narrator: Laura Kyswaty
Damien: Cameron LeRoy
John: Jim Canale
Natalie: Regan Brown
Get to know the winning writer:
What is your screenplay about?
Red is about a family of three that goes to spend Christmas in a secluded cabin, cut off from the world. The husband, John and his wife, Natalie are having marital issues and Christmas Eve goes from bad to worse as tensions rise. Natalie puts their young son, Damien to bed. He is woken up during the night to find that his mother is missing. John tells Damien to go back to sleep so Santa doesn’t find him. John tells Damien to close his eyes immediately if he sees Santa otherwise Santa will be very angry. Damien, after peering out of his window, sees a figure carrying a sack outside, and excitedly runs out to meet Santa Claus. Damien finds the sack to be containing his mother’s dead body. As John approaches, covered in her red blood, Damien instantly shuts his eyes.
What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Horror, Drama
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
I think this screenplay should be made into a movie because I believe it is scary, haunting and atmospheric and would be a fun themed watch during Christmas time for horror fans. I also think it raises the topic of domestic abuse and violence within households.
How would you describe this script in two words?
Christmas Murder
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Ex Machina
How long have you been working on this screenplay?
About 6 months.
How many stories have you written?
During the course of my MFA program I’ve written about 8-9 stories.
What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
All I Need – Radiohead
What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
The main problems I was having were logic problems, making sure there were no plotholes and making sure that everything in the story could potentially happen in real life.
Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
I love painting and drawing.
You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?
I think FilmFreeway is a great site and is very easy to use and helps me find many festivals that I wouldn’t otherwise know existed.
What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I loved the feedback I received, I thought it was so well thought out and well written. I love horror and was excited to find a festival dedicated to horror and horror writing.
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Producer: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com
Director: Kierston Drier
Casting Director: Sean Ballantyne
Editor: John Johnson
Camera Operator: Mary Cox
Festival for HORROR 