BLOOD ATONEMENT SCREENPLAY
Genre: Psychological/horror drama, low budget independent production.
Logline: During a weekend retreat to Bad Medicine Lake, eight paranormal seers, seekers and deniers challenge Dr. Manion, a research psychologist on whether the power of faith and prophecy can defy reason and validate that we exist in a parallel universe.
Synopsis: Dr. Manion, a research psychologist has received a generous Foundation Grant to attempt to validate whether the five primary emotions of Happiness, Anger, Sadness, Apprehension and Confusion can be transported over distance by mind alone. His associate, Lin Li a parapsychology doctoral student from Edinburgh University, Scotland is completing her research on Remote Viewing, the paranormal ability to perceive an emotion or event from a distance by mind alone. She assisted Dr. Manion in the selection and screening of the accepted applicants for the research beginning with a “getting to know you” retreat.
The participants are: Clay, wall street broker, Azo, a Haitian healer, Max an MIT graduate in robotics and Artificial Intelligence turned magician and ventriloquist; Chrystal, a survivor of a near-death experience; Ahmed, a student of Islamic faiths, ancestor worship and Egyptian symbology; Sandy, an otherworld astrologist; and Dr. Manion’s reluctant participating son John, and his brain-damaged twin. After introductions, all travel by bus with Dr. Manion and Lin Li to Bad Medicine Lake.
As a bonding experience at the retreat, Dr. Manion conducts a spiritual and ceremonial Fire Walk to demonstrate the transformative power of mind over the physical universe. Ed Winston, a former English professor and alcoholic dropout from academia, now the long-time property caretaker, prepares the fire pit with the help of Miguel, undocumented Latino immigrant cook. As bystanders, Ed and Miguel contrast with the otherworld seekers with their own mythology.
The clash of competing beliefs unfolds with a turn of events that thwart escape from unearthly demonic vibrations at the lake which shake each participant’s will to survive.
Will the denouement of this story challenge you to reexamine what creates meaning for psychological survival in a world that has become twisted by many alternate views of reality?
MOVIE PREPRODUCTION AUGUST 2022. PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
PRODUCTION LOCATIONS OREGON: ASHLAND AND LAKE OF THE WOODS RESORT. (See photo galleries on line.)