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Toronto Lift-Off Officially Selected Screenplays

Posted ltiffany

After a huge number of submissions for Toronto Film Festival, here are the 4 screenplays officially selected to go forward onto the Network platform. Congratulations all! In order to read the screenplays, sign up to the Network here!

Lucy in the Sky – Heather Magee

SYNOPSIS: A curious editor for a popular big-city publication is determined to make her community a more compassionate place through a series of anonymous random acts of kindness, until a nosey neighbor threatens to expose her, unraveling her good deeds and the relationships she holds dearest.

What was the inspiration behind the screenplay? 
Living in the US in a particularly precarious time (I’m originally from Vancouver, BC) I find the stories I’m most interested in are the ones about everyday people – unlikely heroes – doing extraordinary things all in the name of kindness. Which is very much what “Lucy in the Sky” is all about. Our protagonist is a woman who desperately wants to make a positive impact in her local community, but her tactics may be a detriment to her personal and professional life. I’m fascinated by characters who are willing to risk it all to execute a selfless deed or to achieve a seemingly unattainable goal.
What are you looking for to take this project to the next stage?
I would love an opportunity to develop the script further and connect with potential producers throughout the Lift-Off Global Network to see if there’s an appetite for this type of content. I recently shot my first film – a project I wrote, directed, produced and self-funded – and while I’m not afraid of the hustle independent filmmaking requires, I’d love to have a larger team to collaborate with this time around. I’m also really excited about how the story lends itself to an incredibly diverse cast with a complex and challenging female lead. It would be a dream to see this unfold on the big screen.
What advice has helped to get where you are now?
Don’t be afraid of sharing your work and be open to feedback. If you balance screenwriting with a day job, as most of us do, be sure to carve out time to get those pages done. It’s important to make a commitment to yourself to show up and do the work. And if you really believe in your project, sometimes you have to put your neck out there and get it done yourself.

The Astronot (Screenplay) – Pennan Brae

SYNOPSIS:  Daniel longed to touch the moon; with Sandy’s help, he’d reach the stars. It was 1969 and America was embarking on the biggest adventure known to humankind with its voyage to the moon. Daniel too was pursuing the unknown; leaving the path of isolation he had known for so long to embrace the love of another. The only question was would he be able maintain that trajectory or would he veer off course never to be seen again. That was the challenge for ‘The Astronot’.

What was the inspiration behind this screenplay?

The inspiration behind the script was the space race of the 1960s. Growing up, I was fascinated by this era and the achievements made in such a short time with limited technology (modern day speaking). Also the fact that we haven’t been back to the moon since then. I also love the 1960s & the music, fashion & culture of that decade.

What are you looking for to take this project to the next stage?

I would love to take the script to a bigger-scale production. I love the film that we made for The Astronot. We were a small team with limited funds but with a lot of heart and passion.  I believe the screenplay could come off pretty amazing on a bigger sized-production.

What advice has helped to get where you are now?

The advice I received is to never give up and keep following your passion.

                                   READ THE SCREENPLAY HERE

YOUR ABSENCE IN A BLUE CUP – Andréa Cohim

 

SYNOPSIS: A middle-aged couple, a son and a mystery. After all, what’s behind that blue glass on the dinner table?

What was the inspiration behind this script?

I believe in the survival of the spirit after death and I like the theme. I wanted to explore whether feelings such as guilt, resignation, love, fear, which are extremely powerful, survive death. And how they affect the spirits that will eventually lead them into the world of the dead.

What are you looking for to take this project to the next stage?

I hope to film this story as soon as possible. I am announcing the project so that some producer is interested in doing it.

What advice has helped you get where you are now?
Read a lot, see many movies, have an open mind to the world and their stories and never doubt or ignore anything, because I believe that we know little about the mysteries of life.

                                 READ THE SCREENPLAY HERE

The Trade – Sheila Warren

SYNOPSIS:Amy, a Canadian rescue agent, is living her dream working in the northern city of Chiang Mai, Thailand.  She helps teens escape the sex trade and build a new life.  But danger is never far away.  First, her life is in turmoil after the beating death of her fiancé during a botched rescue, and then the rescue of a girl on a lonely, mountain road puts Amy and her team up against a new breed of human trafficker putting down roots in the area and using remote jungle camps as distribution points. Amy will stop at nothing to destroy the Russian-backed network and protect the people she loves.

What was the inspiration behind this script?

In 2015, I read an article about a police raid of a human trafficking camp in a Thailand jungle. Almost 200 people were rescued. I found that numerous camps had been discovered with mass graves nearby. Another camp reportedly had 1000 people but was empty by the time police arrived.
After further research about Russian and Chinese mafia pushing into the Thai sex trade, I decided to write a story about frontline “Rescue Agents” coming into conflict with a Russian human trafficking organization that supplies women, men and children for sex, factories, fishing, hospitality, garland-selling…
It would be the first feature about the dangerous work done by NGO Rescue Agents. They locate, befriend and rescue underage sex trafficking victims and provide aftercare to help them start a new life. As one NGO Executive Director said to me, “It’s five minutes for a rescue and five years for a recovery.”
The story is fast-paced, emotional and informative, without the audience enduring any brutal scenes of sexual violence.

What are you looking for to take this project to the next stage?

I am looking for international creative and financial partnerships particularly those with experience in the Asian market. The film would be shot in Thailand and elsewhere in studio.  While I would consider optioning the script, I would prefer to be one of the producers.

What advice has helped you get where you are now?

Two specific things come to mind.  First, an online article by Ken Miyamoto entitled, “How White Space Makes Your Screenplay Better”. (March 13, 2018)  It talks about the “less is more” mantra.  Having the story unfold quickly and simply, making every word and description count, allows the reader to imagine the visuals with less clutter and interpretation.  I did a lot of editing after reading this and it has informed my writing ever since.

The second piece of advice was simple, “build your own team and do it yourself”. Don’t wait for permission to make your own films. 

READ THE SCREENPLAY HERE