TIMELESS EYE
MOVIE
EDILBERTO RESTINO
WHAT IF YOU COULD CHANGE THE PAST WHILE TALKING ABOUT IT?
Franz is losing his memory and mind for alzheimer, Arthur has Down Syndrome. Franz is narrating the history of his life during the Second World War and Arthur is correcting. Who would you trust the right facts of history?
In 1942, the voice of the Fuhrer echoes around the streets of Paris. Through a window opposite, Franz aims his sniper's rifle on the Nazi leader's forehead. But what is is really happening?
The pilot film Red Letter (2007/08) and it’s original script for it (that had the pitch name “In front of His Eyes”, a psychological period trailer at the Second World War where Hitler is killed) had influenced 3 major productions in Hollywood and a TV series in the next 3 years of it being screening in USA festivals, as credited in the IMDB film database and was chosen to have the UK premiere at the British Society of Cinematographers night at Pinewood Studios in 2008. Red Letter won 13 awards and was nominated 60 times.
The history starts in 2005 with a German soldier telling his memories to a psychologist and to his grandson, a boy with Down syndrome. He saw the horror in the war, and his wife and love of his life, Anna, a Jewish girl had made him wake up and join the coupe to kill Hitler.
As he recounts the history, it starts to change for a different version. The past and present are bound together in a way he cannot understand. Soon we realize he shouldn’t be the one telling the facts.
We shot until now 20% of the film. As the script was made in a way it would be 8 short films edited together as one feature film, we shot 2 parts of it until now.
The photography is a bit de-saturated but with strong shadows. The aim public is teens to young adults, but the pilot (or first part) did really well with all ages in many festivals, winning 12 awards, being short listed for the Student Academy Awards (Oscar) and long listed for the Bafta Shorts. The second part won until now 5 awards in international film festivals.
SYNOPSIS
In an alternative reality, sci- fi thriller-style, the world is shown through the eyes of Franz, a former German soldier in his late eighties. Through his account of the past, we witness an act which could have changed the course of history. It is 1942 and we see a young Franz involved in a plot to assassinate Hitler. The plot is foiled and fearing for his life, Franz is forced into exile and moves to Brazil.
Through the years we follow his illustrious career, spanning the rise of globalisation, the ’60’s moon-landing, the ‘70’s negotiations for the Anglo- German-US nuclear power pacts and the development of fuel and food technology of the ‘80’s between the Soviets, Europe and Japan. But as the millennium approaches the bright star which was Franz is beginning to fade. He is haunted by his frequent episodes of déjà vu and time lapses. Sessions with his
psychologist reveal gaps in the fabric of his memory - or perhaps in the fabric of time itself.
On the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII, Franz, is interviewed on a nationwide talk show. Franz’s memory is prompted by his Grandson, a young man with Down syndrome with a virtuoso memory, who has listened to Franz’s heroic tales since he was little. Franz’s retelling of the historic assassination attempt is once again different from previous versions we have seen.
But which version is real? The end will reveal the truth in a final, shocking twist.
