|
<< BACK TO WRITING
Oh My Soul
(2008)
OH MY SOUL is a film about isolation, despair, and the miracle of empathy. Everyday and spiritual realities are explored through a dream-like progression of events including grocery shopping, oversleeping, working, hallucinating, nervous breakdown, death, rebirth and a lunar eclipse.
Abigail (Catiah Li) is a young woman in her twenties who has recently lost her parents and moved to Chicago to share an apartment with her estranged Aunt (Jane Hu), to whom she pays rent and rarely speaks. Abigail is troubled by sleeplessness and nocturnal visits from apparitions. When her Aunt suddenly dies, the distinction between reality and dream dissolves. The only person who understands her is Hector (Gonzalo Escobar), a young man from Colombia with a fatal illness who's lost all hope and just needs a place to stay...
Written, directed, shot, edited and designed by Nicholas Monsour.
EXCERPT:
INT. APARTMENT HALLWAY - NIGHT
Abigail’s aunt knocks on the door to Abigail’s room. There is no answer. She knocks again, louder. Abigail comes to the door looking very tired.
(IN MANDARIN)
AUNT
Abigail, you haven’t given me the rent yet.
ABIGAIL
I already told you, I'll get it to you by Monday.
AUNT
You're asleep again? Why are you sleeping so early, you look terrible.
Abigail starts to close the door, fed up with her aunt’s insults.
AUNT (CONT’D)
I am going to start dinner.
Abigail pauses.
ABIGAIL
I’m not hungry. Good night.
Abigail shuts her door. The aunt walks into the kitchen.
INT. DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - NIGHT
Hector is sitting in an office. A social worker is sitting at a desk opposite him, looking over the police report.
(IN SPANISH)
SOCIAL WORKER
So... do you have a name?
Hector looks around the room. He shrugs.
SOCIAL WORKER (CONT’D)
You don’t know your name? Do you
know where you are right now?
HECTOR
Hector.
SOCIAL WORKER
Hector what?
HECTOR
My father’s name was Guzman.
SOCIAL WORKER
Good (he makes a note). Hector, have you ever received assistance from the Department of Human Services before?
HECTOR
(Laughs). No. I am from El Salvador. That’s very far from here.
SOCIAL WORKER
Did you receive treatment for your condition in El Salvador? Hector doesn’t respond. He lowers his head and becomes despondent.
SOCIAL WORKER (CONT’D)
I am going to try to arrange for a doctor to see you, but it might be difficult. Unfortunately, you will have to stay in a cell tonight. I’ll come see you tomorrow, and we can see about getting you into a treatment facility.
Hector looks up and stares the social worker in the face. Hector is crying.
HECTOR
You know what, don’t worry about it man. I’ll be dead by tomorrow (he laughs again).
INT. APARTMENT KITCHEN - NIGHT
Abigail’s aunt is eating alone. She gets up and begins washing dishes.
INT. APARTMENT LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
She waters her plants and then puts on an old record of Chinese popular music from the 1950s. She sits in a chair and sings along.
INT. ABIGAIL’S ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The music from the living room can be heard in Abigail’s bedroom. Abigail is asleep on the under a blanket.
A child’s hand pulls on her shirt sleeve. Abigail stirs, but does not wake. The hand pulls on her hair. Abigail wakes and sits up. There is a little girl sitting on the floor next to her, staring at her. Abigail sits up, and they begin to assemble a jigsaw puzzle together.
INT. HOLDING CELL - DAY
Hector is sitting in a patient’s gown and pants on a bench. A nurse is preparing to draw his blood. A guard removes his handcuffs. Hector is absolutely silent and still. The nurse draws his blood, bandages his arm, and then walks to a table with the sample. Hector becomes agitated.
HECTOR
(in Spanish)
Where are you taking that? Why do you want my blood?
The nurse does not understand Hector’s questions.
HECTOR (CONT’D)
Don’t take that! Listen to me, you vampires! Give me back my blood!
Hector suddenly flashes across the room, wrests the vial from the nurse, uncaps it and pours it into his mouth, spilling it on himself. The guard tackles him, takes the vial away, and pins him to the ground. More guards appear and restrain Hector. The nurse is shaken up, trying to talk Hector out of
his frenzy.
|
