About The Stendhal Sway
Logline: A washed-up artist gets one last chance at making it big with a poetry audition
Type: Short Screenplay
Pages: 21
Genre: Dark Comedy
First Page
OVER BLACK
We hear French track, 'PETITE FLEUR' by Jill Barber.
INT. ANNA'S HOUSE - BATHROOM - DAY
Steamy mirror - a shower's RUNNING off-screen. A phone on the sink is playing the music.
The SHOWER TURNS OFF. We hear the DOOR OPEN, someone reach for a towel, and start drying themself off.
After a few squelchy footsteps, ANNA (early 30s) appears in the mirror - but it's too steamy to see her face. She turns on the tap, sees all the steam, then wipes the mirror lazily, revealing her mouth. This makes her smile. So, she draws on two slanted eyebrows, making her faceless
reflection look angry. She roars playfully, then laughs.
Fun over, she grabs a little towel nearby and wipes the mirror clean. She's pretty, but particular.
As she starts putting on various creams, she sways slowly and sings along to the music in terrible French. Anna then rubs her hands dry on a towel.
She reaches over to a PACK OF PAPERS IN A PLASTIC WALLET hung on a nearby wall with string. It's covered with unreadable writing. She slides them out, and starts studying the scribblings
deeply - pacing around the room, mumbling to herself.
INT/EXT. ANNA'S HOUSE - DAY
First person view. Someone walks through the front door - in a hurry.
The person bolts up the stairs, breathing heavily, then bursts into a bedroom. There's a door on the other side - the ensuite.
INT. ANNA'S HOUSE - BATHROOM - DAY
French music continuing. Anna's pacing, and reading, in her own world.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK on door. She jumps out of her skin.
ANNA
Jesus.
FEMALE VOICE (O.S)
You in there, Anna?
ANNA
I don't know - maybe try knocking
again.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.
Comments