OFFICIAL SELECTION

“TO THE MOON” Short Script by Michael Dukakis (USA)

BIO:

Michael Dukakis is an actor and writer, with extensive training and work experience in Los Angeles, London, and Greece. His screenplays, “To The Moon”, “Punish Me” and “Ithaca”, are currently on the film festival circuit, receiving awards and recognition all over the world. Some of the festivals where his scripts are officially selected or award-nominated include Austin Film Festival, ECU European Independent F.F., Los Angeles LGBT F.F., The Massachusetts Independent F.F., Venice Film Awards, Cyprus International F.F., London International Screenwriting Competition, Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards, Fresh Voices, Sacramento F.F., Nostos retreat - Elba Island Film Festival, New York Movie Awards, Hollywood International Diversity F.F., LASA International F.F., American Screenwriting Conference, Marina del Rey F.F. and AFA/ Monaco Int'l Film Festival!

“TO THE MOON” Short Screenplay by Michael Dukakis (USA)

LOGLINE: (Genre: Fantasy/Drama)

A gender-non-conforming kid from a troubled family tries to escape abuse by fulfilling three magical tasks in his grandmother's fairy tale.

SYNOPSIS:

Alexander develops a great imagination and finds shelter in his grandma’s fairy tales because reality at home is very difficult. To deal with the physical and psychological abuse, he goes on an imaginary adventure and tries to fulfill three magical tasks to free his parents from the dark powers and to join his beloved grandmother.

STORY OUTLINE:

Alexander experiences a modern tragedy, and his neighbours don’t take action to help him. His grandma also can’t report the awful events because in small rural Greek villages, justice hasn’t yet arrived.

The way he and his grandma transform the abuse so that they can deal with it is by playing make-believe games and traveling to the magic lands of fairy tales. This eases the pain. Gives hope for a better future. Makes life seem purposeful.

Despite Alex being mistreated by the dark powers which occupy his parents’ minds, his grandmother believes he is a brave knight that can train himself to become powerful and even grow wings and fly away someday. She offers him an alternative life full of meaning. His mission is to accomplish three magical tasks in order to free his parents.

Alexander is shy, feminine, and has low self-esteem, but he will find the courage to go on this odyssey, accomplish the first two tasks and overcome the setbacks. His imagination is a great friend, and his grandma is his best supporter. She loves him all the way to the moon and back, and this is enough to keep him motivated no matter what.

Despite his parents’ miserable life, he will keep believing and fighting. As a Deus ex Machina, his grandmother will even intervene to stop her son’s rage against her grandchildren’s identity. But unfortunately, all the chocolate-covered almonds she and Alexander share, combined with her sadness about his situation, will give her a diabetic crisis and take her away from him…at least for a short while. Desperate and alone, Alexander must fight on. He has to find the strength to stand up to the dark powers. And he will. And accidentally, he will achieve a magical, metaphorical death, which will free him from his troubled family and reunite him with his beloved grandma. Under the full moon’s light, Alexander and his grandmother will get on the same boat and travel together towards a better future.