
Synopsis/Details
When family man Oliver meets an older lady in the park, her uncanny knowledge about him creates a situation that will change his life forever.
It transpires that Barbara was forced to give up her baby boy, Charlie, at a very young age due to family pressures. Oliver sympathises with Barbara as he has a brother who was adopted. Oliver offers to walk Barbara home and is amazed that she lives in a huge house only yards from the park. Barbara invites him in for a cup of tea and explains that the house was left to her and she’s lived alone with her dog for years.
Oliver drinks his tea while Barbara is upstairs changing. He starts to feel uneasy on his feet and then notices photos of himself on the walls. Barbara re-enters the room with a more youthful appearance and a changed persona. When Oliver asks her why she has photos of him, she explains that he is Charlie, and she was forced to have him put up for adoption. Oliver begins to feel very unstable, and his thoughts and speech become addled. Eventually, his legs give way, and he realises Barbara has drugged the tea. Barbara almost maniacally explains the reasons for giving Oliver/Charlie up, but no matter how he tries to escape the situation and the house, he can’t as the drugged tea’s effects become more and more powerful. He can resist no more and falls into unconsciousness on the sofa, where Barbara cuddles up to him and promises never to let her little boy go again.
All Accolades & Coverage
World Cine Fest 2023 (Portugal) - Special Jury Award
Barcelona Indie Awards - Best Short Script Screenplay
Bahrain Indie International Film Festival - Best Short Script Screenplay
Seoul Independent Film Festival - Best Short Screenplay
Genre Celebration Festival (Tokyo) - Best Short Screenplay
Sharjah International Film Festival (UAE) - Best Short Script Screenplay
Story & Logistics
Story Type:
Escape
Story Situation:
Crimes of love
Story Conclusion:
Surprise Twist
Linear Structure:
Linear
Moral Affections:
Accusation, Condemnation, Duty, Penitence, Wrong
Locations:
Couple
Characters
Lead Role Ages:
Female over 45, Male Young Adult
Villian Type:
Femme/Homme Fatale, Mentally Disturbed
Stock Character Types:
Femme fatale, Mother's boy
Advanced
Equality & Diversity:
Female Protagonist
Life Topics:
Birth, Parenthood
Drug Topics:
Legal Drugs
Time Period:
Contemporary times
Country:
United Kingdom (UK)
Time of Year:
Summer
Illness Topics:
Psychological
Relationship Topics:
Attachment, Family