LA MÈRE

SHORT FILM BY

PAUL BENEDICT

Copyright © 2023
BLACK.

CUE INTRO MUSIC.

SUPER: “Even if the truth turns out to be ugly, it will come
out beautiful once you accept it.” -Anonymous
END MUSIC.
FADE OUT TEXT.

INTRODUCTION.

PHONE ringing...
FADE IN:

INT. LIVING ROOM -

The whole room was messy and dark.
ON TOP OF THE CABINET, we can see the TELEPHONE ringing.
After being heard TWICE -- the call was PICKED up by the
AUTOMATED PHONE SYSTEM -- it starts to speak up:
AUTOMATED VOICE (O.S.)
You are now calling JR’s BOARDING
HOUSES. Please select the following
options: Press 1 if you want to
inquire an apartment, Press 2 if
you wish to contact our boarders...
The CALLER pins down NUMPAD 2.
AUTOMATED VOICE
You pressed 2... you have reached
the contact of our boarders. Please
dial the informed contact number of
our boarders to proceed the call...
Silence.
AUTOMATED VOICE
In case you don’t know who to call,
please press 1 for contact
information--
 2.

The caller pins down NUMPAD 1.

AUTOMATED VOICE
Here is the the list of our
boarders: Press 1 for Roberto
Cayetano...Press 2 for James
Cabalen...Press 3 for Henry
Ursada...Press 4 for Billy Sanche--
The caller pins down NUMPAD 4.
AUTOMATED VOICE
Calling Billy Sanchez. Please wait
for a while.
The MACHINE dials a 11-digit number. PHONE’s ringing again...
Which leads the call to another PHONE.
CUT TO:

INT. BILLY’S ROOM - SERIES OF SHOTS

The call was put on voicemail, again.
MALE VOICEMAIL (O.S.)
Hi this is Billy, if you are
hearing this, then I am not
available at the moment. Please let
me know what to talk about, and
lemme catch up later. Peace!
The machine starts recording.
AUTOMATED VOICE
Message recording.
Place is a mess -- CEILING FAN works but one of the blade was
broken -- LIGHT BULB flickers.
MOM
Billy, this is mom. I’m here to
check up on you. You haven’t read
my messages, and you don’t call me
anymore, I mean...do you even see
them? Do you even care to see
those? I — i was just worried,
that’s all. Its just, you haven’t
answered on my text lately and I
called you so many times this week.
I was wondering what happened to
you there? Are you okay?
 3.

MOM
Did you take the pills the doctor
prescribed on you? Oh honey, I wish
you were safe there. Please call me
today if you have the time okay?
Because if you can’t, then I’m
afraid that I’m gonna pay you a
visit later do you understand? I
love you sweetheart.
IN THE TABLE -- a BOWL full of MILK and CEREALS -- They look
soggy. We can also see the the FM RADIO playing.
FM RADIO
(insert any song lyric here)

IN THE BATHROOM — we can hear DROPLETS of water running in

the TAP.
TV was on -- A static white noise is seen on the screen --
there was no channel playing -- and then suddenly... an
unsettling, grayish, noir-sepia IMAGE OF BUTTERFLY pops out
the screen!
TITLE CARD shows:

L A M È R E

Say something about magic disappearance of one’s self or some

shit.
4.