Hunger

GENRE: Thriller/Horror
TYPE: Feature Screenplay
LOGLINE: A tropical sailing cruise meant to save her marriage from a twisted love triangle, instead lands a young woman on an uncharted island with its lone, desperate and hungry inhabitant.
NO. PAGES: 108

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SYNOPSIS:

By appearances, SARAH DRAKE (30s) seemingly lives a privileged life with husband ALEX DRAKE (30s) a successful dentist, a cabin in the mountains and a sailing yacht. But reality peeks its ugly head early on, exposing marital issues, a nagging mother-in-law who wants grandchildren, and Sarah’s unhappiness with her lack of personal career fulfilment.

A brief reunion with college friend and fellow sailing enthusiast, MYLES O’KEEFE (30s) reignites old sparks between Sarah and Myles. In Myles’ presence, Alex gifts Sarah an expensive one-of-a-kind gold and bejeweled skeleton key pendant as an anniversary gift.

Weeks later and despite Sarah’s reluctance, she and Alex embark on a South Pacific cruise aboard their sailboat. On the homeward legs of the long journey, they’re boarded at night and robbed by a drug-trafficking pirate gang led by REYNALDO (30s-40s). During the ordeal, Sarah willingly offers her skeleton key pendant. Alex aggressively objects and is shot by Reynaldo. Sarah is then set adrift in a dinghy; watching as her sailboat, with Alex still aboard, burns and begins to sink. Reynaldo and his gang motor off into the night.

Delirious and dehydrated following days adrift, Sarah is rescued by PRESCOTT (50s), the lone occupant of a tiny, uncharted island. As he nurses Sarah back to health, new primary antagonist Prescott shares that he’s a U.S. expat and former practicing veterinarian. He hobbles around on what appears to be a recent amputation below one knee.

Meanwhile, Myles has also been sailing the South Pacific, secretly fueling a renewed romance with Sarah by text message. In a seedy club in Tahiti while awaiting repairs to his sailboat, Myles spots Sarah’s skeleton key pendant around the neck of the gang thug, Reynaldo. He unsuccessfully tries to reach Sarah, then stealthily follows Reynaldo and his gang to a nearby marina in hopes of finding her.

Back on the island, Sarah learns more about Prescott’s recent past and “forced” entry into the drug trafficking trade. Her suspicions grow as to the circumstances behind Prescott’s amputated leg and the true source of his sudden bounty of what he claims to be “sea iguana”.

Myles uncovers clues to track Sarah, but a cunning Reynaldo turns him from hunter, to hunted. His boat fixed, Myles sets sail with Reynaldo and gang in close pursuit. Now each in peril, Sarah and Myles race against the clock in entangled struggles driven by love, the ultimate taboo and the will to survive.

Will Myles find Sarah? Can Sarah survive Prescott? Is Alex actually dead? The stakes are high, as death could come quickly…or agonizingly and horrifically slow. All questions are answered in a twist-filled ending that would impress M. Night Shyamalan.

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“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”

—Joseph Campbell

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

—Leonardo da Vinci

“You’ll never feel so alive as the second right after you’ve been scared to death.”

—MWHogan