Driftwood

INFORMATION: 'Driftwood' is a romantic fantasy set in a picturesque seaside town. Following the misadventures of a young nurse, it subverts fairy tale traditions and forces the eccentric characters to deal with real-life problems. From a debilitating stroke to traumatic break-up, bereavement, social awkwardness, mental illness and electronic surveillance the film shows how we must overcome our fears and connect with society. Cinematic influences include 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind', 'Amelie', 'Grand Budapest Hotel', 'Pan's Labyrinth', 'Being John Malkovich'. Writer Neil Gaiman and artist Dave Mckean have also provided inspiration and 'Driftwood' uses beguiling characters and bizarre images to create its own other-worldly experience. SYNOPSIS: CAMILLA DELEDDA (aged 25) is an Italian nurse with a fragile grasp of reality. After a traumatic break-up, she withdraws from the world and moves to a seaside town to work as a full-time carer. MABEL WEBSTER (aged 67) is a feisty old widow living alone in a creaky old mansion. Recovering from a debilitating stroke, she is out of hospital but needs constant attention. Behind Mabel's back, her sisters ETHEL and HENRIETTA plan to sell the house and make a profit. Mabel has one last chance before they pack her bags and Camilla is the patsy lined-up to fail. At the start, everything goes the sister’s way. Camilla walks into a minefield and relations between nurse and patient are tense and fraught. And when valuable antiques go missing, Mabel suspects Camilla and pays for a security system. Local oddball RUSSELL COLE (aged 25) installs CCTV cameras in Mabel’s house. Distracted, he falls head-over-heels for Camilla, but she spurns his advances. The break-up is still raw and Camilla has no interest in men or any romantic liaison. Meanwhile, more antiques disappear and disturbing nightmares appear in Camilla's waking life. Snooping around, Mabel plays matchmaker and an odd three-way relationship develops. First, Russell's persistence pays off and he manages to charm Camilla. Then, secrets are shared over pizza and Russell betrays her trust. Unknown to everyone, Russell used the CCTV system to spy on neighbours and friends. His intentions were good, and he solved their problems, but Camilla is appalled and ends the relationship. As chaos erupts, Ethel and Henrietta take advantage and put the house on the market. Then the thief strikes again and Camilla is injured in the robbery. Russell is desperate to prove his worth and comes to the rescue. Working together, he helps Camilla solve the mystery and unmask the thief. When the truth is revealed, Ethel and Henrietta are exposed and Mabel’s house is saved. Finally, reality and fantasy merge and Camilla conquers her fears and re-engages with the world.