STRANGERS

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STRANGERS

Short Film Production Project

Director - Arkadiy Yakhnis 

Script – Arkadiy Yakhnis, Rustam Ibragimbekov  

Producers – Michael Wasserman, Luda Solomon, Marta Gavrialov

STUDIO - BLUEBIRD ARTS

 KRUG COMMUNITY CIRCLE

Locations: IL, WI (Chicago, Milwaukee, Lake Geneva)

Budget: $50,000

Time: 26 min

Genre: psychological thriller

 
LOGLINE

KEVIN (18) cannot bear to live any longer and decides to take his life. ANTHONY (20), a lighthearted adventure seeker, agrees to help him.  A deadly power game ensues, a battle of egoism, fear, and cruelty that unexpectedly turns into a story of sacrifice and deliverance. 

 
MISSION

Our film is about the vulnerability of youth and the tragic, cruel dimension of loneliness. But it’s also about how courage and kindness can overcome the terror of isolation.  We believe this story is important and timely.

Naïve campaigns geared toward young people about saying no to drugs, no to guns, etc. have fallen on deaf ears. Examining those issues in the media, however, publicly and honestly, will mobilize society to help young people in their moments of despair and prevent them from taking that final, fatal step.

 
SYNOPSIS

ANTHONY (20’s), is a jazz singer in a small-town bar. Life is good, but it’s not fun. And that’s not good enough for Anthony. He’s a wild spirit dying for adventure.

Hitchhiking home after work one night he’s picked up by Kevin (18), a quiet guy who doesn’t know how to have fun. Desperate to lift his spirits, Anthony shoots up heroin. And suddenly everything looks really bright again. A moment later he discovers a revolver in the glove compartment. Anthony is elated, hoping the driver might be a gangster. Kevin confesses, however, that he is planning to commit suicide, but cannot make himself pull the trigger. He asks Anthony for help. Anthony readily agrees. A twist of fate and suddenly life is a blast again.

 

Kevin tries to shoot himself in front of Anthony, but can't. He asks Anthony to do it for him. Adrenaline pumping through him, Anthony picks up the gun and pulls the trigger. A blank! Anthony is furious. Is this some sort of game? The madness, fear, and rapture that sent a rush of blood to his head just a moment ago have died out. All that’s left is contempt for this cowardly clown.   

But Kevin informs Anthony that the revolver has only one round in it. He should keep shooting. Anthony pulls the trigger once more with his previous fervor. Blank again! But to his surprise, Kevin starts coming to life before his eyes, as if being freed of his illness. He's grateful to Anthony for helping him overcome his cowardice. Kevin no longer wants to shoot, no longer wants to die.

 

Anthony, however, cannot stop playing the game. He’s in a state of hysteria and shock: he just shot at a man and wanted to kill him!  This astounds him.  And he insists that Kevin shoot at him now, that they have to be even. Or he won’t be able to go on living.

Kevin is now terribly scared for Anthony and tries to save him . . . himself . . . them. But Anthony is stronger than he. Kevin shoots. Another blank! They take turns shooting the fourth and fifth… Blanks.


The last shot remains. It’s Anthony’s turn...