Logline
Michael is down and out by the death of his wife. He mourns her lying in the coffin, not realizing that he is dead, not she.
Synopsis
Michael is sitting at home drinking. There is a coffin in front of him where his dead wife Mary is lying. The clock shows 10:15. Everything around him starts deteriorating, breaking down, even the shaving cream turns black when Michael tries to shave. There is an owl sitting in a cage in the room. The clock shows 10:15 all the time. When Mike takes it down from the wall, he discovers that the battery in the clock has oxidized. Michael walks around his wife's coffin, continuing to drink. He hears a call to a landline phone and condolences being recorded by the answering machine. He breaks the phone, releases the owl from the cage, which flies away breaking the window. The street is deserted, it is snowing.
During all these actions, there are colorful and very bright flashbacks lap dissolving: Michael and Mary are going to visit their friends, Michael promises to take his wife on a boat on the lake, there is a bird jumping in the cage in the living room. It is not an owl though, but a bright yellow canary. Michael and Mary walk to the lake. Michael sails off on a boat from the shore, and Mary, for some reason, stands knee-deep in water and, with tears in her eyes, calls him.
Colored flashbacks are interspersed with stark black-and-white footage in the interior of the house with the coffin.
Next scene is again in b/w: Michael is sitting at the coffin and hears the doorbell. He has a look at his wristwatch, which also reads 10:15, he goes to open the door. The next scene is in color - Michael and Marys’ friends and representatives of the funeral firm are standing in front of the house. The doorbell rings. Mary with blubbered face opens the door for them. They walk into the living room, the canary is chirping in the cage. They take Michael's coffin and take him out into the street.
Final black and white scene. The lake, the sun is going down. Michael is rowing in the boat. His watch shows 10:15
The beginning of the film is somewhat reflective; there is practically no action in it, and everything is focused on the details. The film is not intended for a big commercial roll out. This is a festival film in the purest sense. Such a beginning is necessary precisely for creating an atmosphere, as well as for an emphasis on details. Very good camera work is needed here.
In this scenario, Michael is a dead man who believes he is alive. This is a game of his brain cells in transition. In fact, that is why there is nothing and no one around him, all objects deteriorate, the clock is idle, the meat decomposes. Some parallels can be drawn with the novel "Ubik" by Philip Dick, again close to the idea of "Dead Man" by Jarmusch to enhance the perception and separation of worlds, scenes with him are in black and white images. So, for Michael, Mary is also dead, because she was left in another world, the world of the living.
As for the boat, here is another allusion symbolizing Michael's departure. The boat in this context can be compared to Charon's boat carrying the souls of the dead. The owl is also an allusion to death and a guide to the world of spirits (Native American mythology, Slavic, Japanese). There are a lot of shots and subtext here, even the poems of John Keats, which the hero reads to his wife, enhance the illusion, fragility, and frailty of human existence.
From the producers
This film takes inspiration from classic noir expressionism, which is a rarity nowadays. We have a great desire to revive the love for this moody and textural form of cinema.
We approach the following with commitment:
- This film shall be an example of producing high-quality work with a minimal, controlled budget.
- The project is non-commercial; this is a festival film in the purest sense.
- The ultimate goal is to place well in festivals and be ready for submission for the 2023 Oscars.
- Worldwide festival screenings shall also generate more working relationships and contacts, which may contribute toward the development of our full-length feature: “The Primary Talent.” https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8810482/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
- Filming in Russia is planned for this fall.
