Nadya Todorova was born and raised in Bulgaria, but lived for years in Germany, Sweden and Czech republic. She graduated from APP Screenwriting at FAMU, Prague in 2018. In 2017 she was chosen for the first edition of the From page to stage masterclass in Varna, and in 2018 – for Talents Sarajevo. Apart from scripts, she also writes poetry. Nadya resides between Sofia and Berlin, writing, learning and experiencing.
feature narrative
developed script
A man that feels no emotions except for fear finds his salvation in a woman he believes is God.
Attached to the project: director
Looking for: producer
Keywords: fear, god, salvation, religion, illusion
short fiction
synopsis
When a widower puts his faith in an insecure genie, who will grant who’s wishes?
Attached to the project: director
Looking for: producer
Keywords: magical realism, genie, loneliness, wish
feature narrative
synopsis
Some people fear the dead.
Some people prepare the dead.
Some people steal the dead.
Attached to the project: director
Looking for: producer
Keywords: death, funeral home, mafia, absurd, chase
EXT. BACKYARD – NIGHT.
The badly lit backyard is covered in blood. In the middle of the mess sits THOMAS(32) a well built, smart-looking city boy who can’t tell the difference between a pick and a shovel. His hands are all covered in blood. He is anxious, holding a large knife. ALEXANDRA(27), cheerful and light, runs to him, notices the mess and stops to a halt in shock.
ALEXANDRA
Who did you kill? Do you need help to
hide the body?
She laughs at her own joke. Thomas isn’t amused.
THOMAS
Donald.
ALEXANDRA
Hm?
THOMAS
I killed Donald.
Alexandra gets anxious.
ALEXANDRA
Who’s Donald?
THOMAS
To be exact, I don’t think I killed
her. I’m not sure.
ALEXANDRA
Tommy? Who is Donald?
Thomas looks at the knife in his hands.
THOMAS
I don’t think this is really good. I
thought it’s supposed to cut through
bone.
ALEXANDRA
(dead serious)
Thomas!
Thomas laughs.
THOMAS
Donald is the chicken I bought.
ALEXANDRA
I swear to God…
She looks around for the victim.
ALEXANDRA (cont’d)
So, where is she?
THOMAS
Yeah, that’s the thing. She ran off.
ALEXANDRA
(trying not to laugh)
I’m sorry, she… she ran off?
THOMAS
Yeah. I cut off her head, then she
ran off.
Thomas points at the chicken’s head on the ground. Alexandra isn’t bothered by the sight. She follows the blood trails.
ALEXANDRA
She couldn’t have gone far.
THOMAS
No, she’s right there.
Thomas points in the direction of a headless chicken running back and forth in the dark.
ALEXANDRA
No rest for the wicked.
THOMAS
Should we… I don’t know… finish
it?
Alexandra looks at him and laughs.
ALEXANDRA
Wow. You could not be more out of
your comfort zone.
THOMAS
Yeah? Well, sue me for trying to
impress your parents.
ALEXANDRA
Is this you trying to impress my
parents? Going all Godfather with a
chicken head?
Thomas hands her the knife.
THOMAS
Alright, you do it then, smart ass.
She takes it and puts it down.
ALEXANDRA
Leave Donald in peace. This happens
sometimes. She’ll die on her own.
THOMAS
When?!
ALEXANDRA
I don’t know. Usually it takes a few
seconds, sometimes minutes. How long
ago did you… you know?
She imitates cutting off her neck.
THOMAS
At least 5 minutes ago.
ALEXANDRA
Oh. Well, then it should be over
anytime now.
Thomas watches the chicken anxiously.
ALEXANDRA (cont’d)
Donald? Why Donald?
THOMAS
Like Donald Duck.
ALEXANDRA
It’s a chicken.
THOMAS
I don’t like ducks.
She laughs. They watch the headless chicken still running around.
THOMAS (cont’d)
We should do something. This is just
torture. She’ll die anyway. We might
as well put her out of her misery.
Alexandra looks away, suddenly saddened. Thomas realizes what he just said.
THOMAS (cont’d)
Alex…
ALEXANDRA
(forces a smile)
It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean it
like that.
They watch the chicken in silence.
THOMAS
You know what, I will Google it.
ALEXANDRA
(laughing)
Go ahead.
He takes out his phone.
THOMAS
(typing)
“How… long… can a chicken…
live… without… head…”
They wait for the results.
ALEXANDRA
See? I told you.
She checks her watch.
ALEXANDRA (cont’d)
Shoot. They’ll be here soon. I should
go inside.
She walks to the yard door.
THOMAS
Wait, wait, wait! Oh my God.
She stops.
THOMAS (cont’d)
“Mike the Headless Chicken, also
known as Miracle Mike, was a
Wyandotte chicken that lived for 18
months after his head had been cut
off.”
Alexandra tries not to laugh at Thomas panicking.
THOMAS (cont’d)
What if this is another Mike?
ALEXANDRA
Then we’ll just order pizza.
THOMAS
Alexandra. I’m serious. Come here.
He shows her the phone.
THOMAS (cont’d)
That chicken made its owners over 40
000 dollars per month.
Alexandra takes the phone and reads carefully.
ALEXANDRA
Okay, it’s not even verified that the
chicken was truly headless. Could’ve
been a fraud.
THOMAS
Or could have been a couple of truly
damn lucky people whose lives just
turned around.
ALEXANDRA
I don’t know…
THOMAS
Look at her.
They watch the chicken.
THOMAS (cont’d)
She is as alive as she was 5 minutes
ago.
ALEXANDRA
I guess, she is.
THOMAS
I’m telling you. This could be it.
ALEXANDRA
(sternly)
Thomas.
THOMAS
I mean it.
ALEXANDRA
Tommy, you’re getting your hopes up.
And worse – you’re getting mine up
too.
THOMAS
Alexandra.
She looks at the screen, then back at the chicken, unsure.
ALEXANDRA
Okay, but…
She takes a moment.
ALEXANDRA (cont’d)
… how should we feed her? She needs
to eat.
Thomas smiles – she’s in on the plan. He reads the article on his phone again.
THOMAS
Well, it says they fed him through an
eyedropper.
ALEXANDRA
Hmm.
She approaches the chicken, observing carefully. Thomas follows suit.
ALEXANDRA (cont’d)
How much should we charge?
THOMAS
I don’t know. Maybe 5 bucks per
person?
ALEXANDRA
Okay, so if we let in 30 people at a
time and they stay, let’s say, for 5
minutes. Then they want to take
pictures and stuff.
THOMAS
For an additional charge.
ALEXANDRA
For sure.
THOMAS
She won’t even have to live long.
We’ll be set in 6 months or so.
Alexandra shakes the idea off.
ALEXANDRA
Wait, wait, we’re getting ahead of
ourselves…
THOMAS
Alex.
He watches her, gently holding her hands.
THOMAS (cont’d)
Go get an eyedropper. And order a
pizza.
She looks at the chicken, then back at him, her eyes light up. They kiss and she runs out. Thomas sits down and watches the chicken. His hopes fade away, then he is crushed.
THOMAS (cont’d)
Alex?
ALEXANDRA (O.S.)
Yes?
He’s silent. Alexandra returns.
ALEXANDRA
What?
He nods to the lifeless chicken on the ground.
THOMAS
Do you know how to pluck the
feathers?
She sighs and goes back in.
ALEXANDRA
I better cancel the pizza.
“The trains at our parties are the best in Rome. They’re the best cause they go nowhere.”
–
The Great Beauty (2013)