When a woman finds herself on a jury for the trial of her first love, she must decide whether to risk everything for the answers she’s always craved.
Type:
Feature
Status:
For sale
Page Count:
98pp
Genre:
Drama
Budget:
Independent
Age Rating:
17+
Synopsis/Details
OVERVIEW: Everyone dreams of sitting on a jury with their ex in the dock, answering under oath, giving the apologies they withheld and begging for mercy. Shame it’s illegal… if the law finds out… When world-weary Anna Clarke, late twenties and engaged, finds herself on the trial of her first love, she must decide whether to risk everything for the answers she craves. “Anna’s Revenge” is composed of three key ingredients: a coming-of-age drama rooted in millennial anxiety, a pre-trial courtroom drama, and a fable about guilt and identity. TREATMENT: Opening Sequence: Marco climbs a peak to meet his adoptive parents (Mary and Jake) for what should be an exchange of money. A Scout Group sees a body plummet from the cliffs. At York University, a concerned face interrupts Professor Myra Knowles (pseudonym: Lara Scholes) as she marks essays. Present Day (COURT): Anna Clarke (28) is on her first day of jury service and distracted by wedding plans to fiancé Taylor. But the defendant appears and it’s her long-lost first love Marco. The judge reminds them prison awaits those not declaring this, but Anna can't make up her mind. Juror One swears in; Juror Twelve notes Anna's nervousness. 2010 (Twelve years earlier): Anna (16), an aspiring actress, meets Marco on a trip to Leeds with best friend and fellow actress Sophie. Anna is shocked when Marco enrols in their school. She fights for his attention, but he mysteriously vanishes when Jake appears as a substitute teacher. Present Day (COURT): Juror Six swears in. Anna imagines the horror of prison and all she could lose. Juror Twelve’s suspicion grows. 2012 (Ten years earlier): Anna reunites with Marco when he appears out of the blue. They embark on a series of romantic adventures, deepening their bond, but Jake finds him again, threatening the relationship and forcing him to find more money. Marco and Anna embark on cheaper dates, with Anna confusing this thrift for an imminent ‘grand gesture’. They steal Dad’s motorbike for a date night in Leeds, but they're arrested, Anna is grounded, and when freed, Marco has disappeared again. Meanwhile Sophie has achieved a big acting role in LA. Present Day (COURT): Anna swears in. She wishes she hadn't when the prosecution paint Marco as a cold-blooded murderer, and so she composes a confession during lunch. She calls Taylor and Sophie, neither providing any comfort. Marco meets Myra, Britain’s youngest serial killer now a lecturer. It’s a final mother and son meeting. She must vanish again. She advises he get a jump on Anna by coming clean. Myra speculates why as a ten-year old she killed two children. Marco discloses why he really killed Jake. Both use code so the prison officers won’t understand. 2015 (Seven years earlier): After an audition, Anna recognises a street busker: Marco. They rekindle their romance, moving in together in Leeds. But Marco remains secretive. ‘Marriage’ gets a passing mention. Both works jobs, but there’s no money, and no answers. Anna confronts him over dinner, demanding he tell her everything. But Jake interrupts the dinner, and Marco vanishes again. Anna is ecstatic when the police find him but goes into a deep depression when told they can't meet. Present Day (COURT): Juror Twelve becomes increasingly suspicious as they return to court, but Anna hangs on to her confession to hear the rest of the prosecution opening. 2018 (Four years earlier): Now in London, Anna has an office job, and dates Taylor, an investment banker. Her acting career has all but stalled. They get engaged, but their differences become apparent when she brings him North to meet friends and family. She encounters Marco in a nightclub, and though reluctant, they talk. They plan to escape together, but Jake’s presence and threats shatter their plans. Marco stands Anna up at the train station, leaving her heartbroken and resigned to an office-job life supporting Taylor. Present Day (COURT): Prosecution barrister continues, describing how Marco brutally ‘finished off’ Jake as he lay dying, and reiterates that regardless of background, murder is murder. The judge calls an end before defence opening. Juror twelve tells Anna he knows, and that she should do the right thing. Marco and Anna share a look as he gets in a prison van. Anna is torn whether to post her confession or whether to enter the wedding dress shop.

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The Writer: Joscelyn Richards

Screenwriter based in Manchester, UK. Winner of multiple writing competitions. Currently working on two screenplays: 'Anna's Revenge' and 'A Diplomatic Solution.' MA in Creating Writing and English Literature from University of Manchester, UK. Go to bio
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