OFFICIAL SELECTION

“BERNIE DAVIS – PLUMBER & EXORCIST” Written by Jason Fité (UK)

BIO:

Jason was born in London and is of Irish and Spanish/Catalan heritage. He mainly grew up in London but also was fortunate enough, at the age of seven, to live for a year in a remote farm in the Pyrenees, during which time he did not attend school or talk to anyone other than his parents. This allowed him to develop a deep love of reading and arguably caused him to start evolving the imaginary worlds and peoples of his later writing.

Jason achieved a first degree in Psychology and several years later, inspired by his passion for mythology and Greek Tragedy, gained a Masters in Classical Studies.

He initially started his writing career as a novelist and several of his works are available on amazon and on the Peracals Store. ‘The Vampires of Suburbia’ is a fictionalised story of a real-life murder case in which a group of teenagers, who believed themselves to be vampires, enacted a series of brutal murders.

Later novels include ‘King of the Castle’ about a man who awakens in a mental asylum with no memory of who he is or how he arrived there, and ‘Door to The River’, the story of a man who becomes homeless and embarks on a quest to reach the source of the Thames.

He is currently writing his latest novel, ‘Last Night I Dreamt...’ - the tale of an individual who becomes increasingly obsessed with the world he encounters in his dreams.

It seemed to be a natural progression from writing novels to writing plays and scripts. Increasing frustration with the way his work was being produced (or more often not produced) led to Jason creating his own production company, Peracals Productions, which since its creation has produced five feature films, several original stage-plays and eight audio books. As well as writing, Jason directs, co-produces and very occasionally acts. His last significant acting role was literally ‘playing God’ on the London stage in ‘God – The Untold Story.’

Since 2018, Jason has been primarily focussed on developing Peracals Productions which has involved him writing eight original screenplays, directing four feature films (through a dark mirror, Strangers and Neighbours, Daemon Mind and Nocturnes’), and several shorts (Mea Culpa (starring Sean Young), ‘Ghosts of the Wasteland’ and Time To Dance To Time). He has also written and co-produced the films, ‘Dimension Slip’ and ‘The Horror, The Horror’ as well as writing and directing seven AudioPlays and producing the audiobook ‘Between Two Worlds’ starring Juliet Stevenson and Jane Lapotaire.

In 2023 Jason began developing new versions of classic dramas such as ’Euripides’, ‘Medea’ and Sartre’s ‘No Exit’. He is also writing and developing the historical/mythical series ‘The Heroes.’

Away from the entertainment and creative world Jason has a passion for travelling and regularly goes on ‘walkabout’ which involves him going on extended walks or cycles for several days or weeks at a time. So far, he has walked, The North Downs Way, The Thames Path, The South Downs Way, The Ridgeway Path, The Grand Union Canal, Gibraltar to Barcelona (along the Spanish coast) and is currently walking Birmingham to Glasgow. He has cycled Land’s End to John O’Groats, London to Mont Ventoux, Srinagar to Manali, Tel Aviv to Petra and Paris to Andorra. He has run (slowly) a total of nine marathons so far.

He divides his time between Spain and London.

“BERNIE DAVIS – PLUMBER & EXORCIST” Written by Jason Fité (UK)

LOGLINE: (Genre: Drama Thriller)

Blocked drains? Burst water pipes? Harassed by demonic forces? Call Bernie Davis – plumber and exorcist extraordinaire.

SHORT SYNOPSIS:

A spoof documentary in which a sceptical documentary maker, Clive Preston follows Bernie Davis and his lovesick assistant, Kevin as they take on their greatest challenge – the diabolically cursed Cavendish Stately Home.

STORY OUTLINE:

After a previous bad experience at a séance gone horribly wrong, Preston is suffering from Ghost Traumatic Stress Disorder and is determined to expose Bernie as a charlatan preying upon people’s gullibility, Preston and his long-suffering cameraman, Dave film Bernie and Kevin over the course of two far from typical days.

The first job is the exorcism of a rowdy spirit which has taken up residence in a married couple’s water tank. Bernie is forced to perform a non-Christian exorcism after realising that the poltergeist objects to the couple’s non-kosher diet. Despite being covered in ectoplasm, Preston remains unconvinced.

After an emergency call-out the Team arrives at the Cavendish Stately Home, a place so eerie that even Preston’s skepticism begins to waver. Lady Helen Cavendish explains that her son, Reginald has been dabbling in the occult and has inadvertently summoned a spirit claiming to be the Devil himself.

Initially, Bernie is more concerned about the poor drainage and antiquated plumbing system, and Preston is more interested in the eccentric and dysfunctional Cavendish family, which includes Lord Henry Cavendish, who is determined to hunt any ghosts with his shotgun, Reginald Cavendish who has been attempting to discover the secrets of alchemy, and Jack, the ancient and extremely death-obsessed gardener.

But Bernie and Preston soon become convinced of the seriousness of the situation when after witnessing extreme poltergeistic activity in the nursery and a powerful malevolent force possesses Preston. The Devil has arrived! He taunts Bernie by revealing how Bernie’s father failed to exorcise the house many years ago. After reaching a verbal standoff with Bernie the Devil dispossesses the now convinced Preston. As the house becomes increasingly under attack from paranormal forces, the Team are forced to evacuate.

They return to Cavendish House the next morning and with the help of Miss Bennett, the local vicar they attempt a full exorcism which seems to have little effect. They then hold a séance and once again the Devil possesses Preston. Bernie demands that he leave the house and never return, but the Devil reveals that he is an invited guest because centuries ago the Cavendish family were penniless vagrants who sold their souls and the souls of their descendants in exchange for great wealth.

Bernie decides to offer the Devil a deal. Bernie and his wife are due to compete in the Penge Ballroom Dancing Championship that very night. If the Devil wins the contest he will offer him his soul, but if the Devil loses he will have to leave the house forever. The Devil agrees and selects Lady Cavendish as his dance partner.

The contest begins and the dancefloor fills with the denizens of Hell - Vlad the Impaler dances with Mary, Queen of Scots, Caligula dances with Queen Zenobia, 1920’s Gangster’s Molls dance with Barbarian Warriors etc.

In the final showdown the Devil uses his powers to out-dance Bernie, and exhausted, Bernie almost gives up, but is visited by the ghost of his father who inspires him to continue. Bernie and his wife give a dazzling display of Tango dancing which wins them the contest.

Vanquished, the Devil dispossesses Preston but warns that they will meet again and that next time he will triumph...