CHARACTERS
PROTAGONISTS:
LISA - 35 years, modest, quiet, insecure. Artist. Lives alone, has not family. Interests to art. Collects vintage figurines. Lives on the money raised from the sale of her paintings.
MARGARET GALITSINA-WALTER - the elderly lady of 70 years, in a wheelchair. Lived in the early 20th century. Sculptor - artist, smokes a lot, headstrong adventurer public figure.
ARCHIVIST - man, 50 years old. Mannered, polite, good-natured, well-read, purposeful. Likes his work and treasure hunts.
MINOR HEROES:
SELLER OF ANTIQUE SHOPS - man, 45 years old, polite, pleasant.
THIEF - male 23 years, seemingly intelligent, thin, low.
DENNY (voice) - the brother of Lisa, good-natured, sells Lisa’s paintings.
LOCATION
INTERIOR:
ANTIQUE SHOP: a small room with antiques, with shelves on the walls with figurines and statuettes, with a reception for the seller.
LISA'S HOUSE: a small house. There are a lot of souvenirs on shelves along the walls in one room. Here are some Lisa’s paintings near walls, an easel with an unfinished painting stands opposite the window. 2 room - cabinet, a modest table, chair, computer.
MARGARET’S HOUSE: cabinet in the house in the style of the 30s of the 20th century. Large antique table. Pictures on the walls, lots of books.
CITY ARCHIVE: room with a reception for an archivist. There are shelves with documents and wall with drawers behind the counter. There are 5 desks with chairs in the hall. All the furniture is old.
CHAPEL: abandoned, dusty little room with broken and scattered benches. There are a few remains of frescoes and preserved candlesticks on the walls. One candelabrum turns aside and opens an entrance to the basement.
BASEMENT OF CHAPEL: a very dark room. Begins with the steps, then a small corridor in the 3-meter, door, after door is a small room with a shelf.
EXTERIOR:
CITY ARCHIVE, STREET in front of the Archive, WAY out of town,
CHAPEL – brick, small, abandoned, in some places collapsed, the front door opened.
On one of its wall is marked "chessboard". First vertical row of bricks marked barely noticeable letters from A to Z, the lower horizontal row of bricks marked with numbers from 1 to 10.
REQUISITE:
FOR LISA: antique ring engraved with the cipher Q6j8v2u7o4w5g9 and silhouette of chapel, figurine, letter of Margaret, handbag, cell phone, money, home phone with an answering machine, computer, bright lipstick, a flashlight, a box for "diamond", "diamond", jacket with pockets, cat.
FOR MARGARET: paper, ink pen, ashtray with cigarette butts, lit a cigarette, a wheelchair.
FOR ARCHIVIST: a folder with documents (newspaper with a picture of the burned house of Margaret where visible chapel, Margaret’s photos, other ancient documents). Wearing: sweater and pants.
TRANSPORT: Car of Lisa, car of Archivist (cheap models)
DAY 1.
1. INT. ANTIQUE SHOP. 3.15 PM. LISA AND SELLER.
Grand plan of various antiques, standing on the shelves in an antique shop: figurines, glassware, books, etc. Lisa with interest examines antiques. She pays attention to one figurine. She takes it by hands and looks to it. Seller is near cash desk. Lisa gives money to seller, the seller gives her packed figurine. They smile each other. Lisa nods as a token of gratitude.
2. INT. LISA'S HOUSE. 4.05. LISA AND CAT.
Lisa comes to home phone includes an answering service.
VOTE DENNY:
Hey, sister. While nothing can please. This week nothing sold. You're upset? Yes? Do not you dare! You know that you are a brilliant artist. Kisses. I’ll call you in evening.
Lisa listens and deploys figurine, puts it on the shelf. Departs a step back and admire the figurine. At this time, a cat jumps up on the shelf.
LISA (angrily):
Go away, brat!
Lisa does not have time to drive away the cat. Figurine falls to the floor and breaks. Lisa upset, leans toward fragments.
LISA (upset):
That rascal! What have you done?
Lisa takes fragments and sees among them a piece of paper wrapped in a tube and threaded through the ring.
LISA (surprisely, quietly):
And this, what is this?
Lisa takes the ring with leaf and two seconds sees to it. Then she unfolds the paper and reads.
LISA'S VOICE-OVER (text of the letter):
If this figurine finally broke, and thank God for it. Don’t care about it. It does not worth a penny. You have a ring in the hands...
3. INT. 1936. MARGARET’S CABINET. 12.20 PM. MARGARET.
Margaret sites at home in her cabinet behind a massive desk. Figurine and ring, which founded Lisa, are on the table. Margaret smokes a cigarette while writing a letter.
MARGARET’S VOTE-OVER (Continue text of the letter):
…This is our family heirloom, handed down from generation to generation about a hundred years, from the time when my grandfather came to America. Unfortunately for me our old family breaks, and I have no one to pass it. So I decided to try luck and play a bit of hide and seek. People say this ring keeps a secret, although I did not really believe it in my time. But if you might be interested, you will be able to solve it, and maybe get rich, more never to buy such bad taste as the broken figurine...
The last words Margaret pretty smiling, extinguishes her cigarette butt in an ashtray and pulls away from the table in a wheelchair.
4. INT. LISA'S HOUSE. 4.25 PM. LISA.
Lisa sits on the floor in front of her figurine fragments. In the one hand she holds a ring, in the other hand - the letter.
LISA (finished reading the letter):
...Good luck. Margaret Galitsina - Walter. 1936...
Lisa considers ring. Cat goes to her and fawn. Ring is close up. It is visible engraving letters, numbers and a small chapel.
LISA (surprised):
What kind of happiness comes to us?
5. INT. LISA'S CABINET. 8.45 PM. LISA.
Lisa sits at a computer, browse information sites.
LISA:
So... Margaret Galitsina - Walter. The last representative of Russian princely family Galitsins who emigrated to the U.S. in 1827. She was born in 1863. Painter, sculptor, public figure... Wow! She is from our city!
DAY 2.
6. EXT. MUNICIPAL ARCHIVE. 11.15 AM. LISA.
Lisa arrives at the City Archive. She out of the car, looks around. She goes to the door of archive and goes inside.
7. INT. MUNICIPAL ARCHIVE. 11.20 AM. LISA, ARCHIVIST, THIEF.
Lisa comes to the reception of Archivist. Archivist is smiling.
ARCHIVIST:
Good afternoon, ma'am. How can I help?
LISA (hesitantly):
I don’t know... I would like to ask some material...
ARCHIVIST (good-naturedly):
Glad to serve. Who or what are your interests?
LISA (exhales loudly):
Margaret Galitsina – Walter.
Archivist raises his eyebrows in surprise.
ARCHIVIST:
One second, ma'am.
Archivist goes out to stands with documents. Five seconds later, he comes back, puts a folder on the counter and points to the form.
ARCHIVIST:
Sign the receipt of these documents, please.
Lisa signs the form.
ARCHIVIST:
Interested in sculpture?
LISA (perplexed):
What?
ARCHIVIST:
This Margaret was a sculptor.
LISA (with a smile):
Ah. Yes. Interested.
Lisa takes a folder from the rack and turns to go to the room and sit down.
ARCHIVIST (after Lisa):
Do you know...
Lisa turns around and looks at the Archivist interested.
ARCHIVIST:
There is a legend ... People say that the Russian princes were ancestors of this Margaret, and they once possessed one of the largest, and, respectively, the most expensive diamonds in the world.
LISA (with interest):
Really? And where is it now this diamond?
ARCHIVIST:
Nobody knows. It disappeared about a hundred years ago...
LISA (sorry):
Sorry ... I'm sorry, I have to work.
Lisa turns around and goes to the table. A Thief sits at the next table, before him a folder with documents. He was closely watching Lisa. Lisa sits down, opens, scrolls and reads documents. In the folder there are some photos of Margaret in a wheelchair with different people. Lisa finds an old newspaper on the front page photo of the burned house. She reads the text under the photo.
LISA'S VOICE-OVER:
August 12, 1939 renowned artist and sculptor Margaret Galitsina-Walter died in a fire in her country house. It was established during the investigation, the cause of fire was careless with fire. The fire destroyed a house and outbuildings. The only thing that is not affected - a small chapel built by the grandfather of the artist in the early 19th century.
Lisa carefully looks the photo in the newspaper. She notices a chapel. Lisa excitedly pulled out a ring and found it examines. Archivist with interest sees to Lisa.
LISA (whispering):
This cannot be...
Lisa again reads the newspaper. Ring is on the table. Thief walks past her desk and steals the ring. Thief gives documents and goes to exit. Lisa discovers the loss of the ring. She is in a panic looking for it on the table, on the floor. Archivist comes to Lisa and gives the ring.
ARCHIVIST:
Whether it you look for, ma'am?
LISA (with relief):
Thank you.
8. EXT. LISA'S CAR. 2.30. LISA.
Lisa goes out from the Archive, gets in her car and drives off. Mobil phone is ringing. This is the bank.
LISA (on phone):
Yes, I know that I should pay for the house (pause) But (pause) Look...
One car catches up with Lisa's car and goes behind it. Lisa doesn't notice it.
LISA (on phone):
I'll pay you (pause) This week (pause) But (pause) Wait...
Lisa is upset, she throws the phone on the seat beside her and trying to hold back the tears. The phone rings again. Lisa takes the phone. This is her brother Danny. Lisa includes speakerphone.
LISA (upset):
Hi, Danny.
DANNY:
Are you crying?
LISA:
No. I am fine.
DANNY:
I have great news. I just sold your picture. Very profitable. Urgently come and take the money until I pulled them.
LISA (smiling, whispering):
Thank you, God. (into phone) Already flying...
Lisa is developed by car. Next car also turns around and goes for Lisa.
9. EXT. LISA'S CAR. THE CAR NEXT TO LISA. 3.05 PM. LISA.
Cars go out of town. They travel at high speed at a distance from each other in 100 meters. Lisa's car drives past an abandoned house. In the distance is visible chapel, as in the photo in the newspaper and on the ring. Lisa slows and gradually losing ago. The car next to it, reduces speed, passes Lisa and continues to move forward. Lisa stops in front of the chapel and leaves the car.
LISA (admiringly):
It cannot be!
Lisa sits in the car and turn on the dirt road leading to the chapel.
10. EXT. STREET NEAR THE CHAPEL. 3.15 PM. LISA.
Lisa stops the car, without having reached to a chapel of 50 meters, leaves the car. Lisa looks inside, there is dark. Lisa bypasses a chapel around. Finds on a wall "chessboard". Lisa gets a ring from a pocket, watches the code engraved on a ring. Q6j8v2u7o4w5g9. Lisa comes back to the car, takes the handbag, from a glove compartment gets a small lamp. Lisa approaches to a chapel wall, gets lipstick from a bag and notes bricks according to the code. Then in turn presses on bricks. There is a loud click inside the chapel. Lisa includes lantern and enters the chapel.
11. INT. CHAPEL. 5.10 PM. LISA.
Lisa considers and touches subjects in the thrown chapel. Lisa approaches to the candelabrum which has been built in a wall, touches it. It gives in and bends. Click is again audible. Thus in a floor the hole is formed. Lisa approaches to a hole and shines in it with a lamp. She sees steps. Lisa carefully goes down, shining a way.
12. INT. BASEMENT CHAPEL. 5.55 PM. LISA, ARCHIVIST.
Lisa takes a few steps down the corridor in the basement chapel. In front of her is door. She pushes her and enters the small room. She shines on the wall ahead, and sees only the shelf on which the casket.
VOTE ARCHIVIST:
For many years, I try to find the cache.
Lisa is frightened and turns abruptly. She shines by lamp door to the room. Archivist stands in the doorway.
LISA (surprised):
Do you watch me?
ARCHIVIST (quietly):
So much labor in vain ... If I had a ring ... All my life I have dedicated search.
Lisa tries to get out of the basement, but Archivist stops her.
LISA (excitedly):
Pass me immediately!
ARCHIVIST:
Excuse me, ma'am. But I have no choice.
Lantern falls and breaks. Fighting of Lisa and Archivist is in the dark.
13. INT. CHAPEL. 6.15 PM. LISA.
Lisa gets out of the basement. She stumbles, falls, stands up. She runs to the chandelier and picks it up. She hears the roar of passing to the basement closed. Lisa panting, slides down the wall, sits on the floor.
14. EXT. STREET NEAR THE CHAPEL. 7.00 PM. LISA.
Lisa leaves a chapel, under way shaking off clothes from a dust and speaking by phone with rescue service.
LISA:
…Yes. In this chapel the person got stuck… From what I know, how… I walked nearby and heard as he calls to the aid…
Lisa puts the phone in her jacket’s pocket, pretty smiles and pulls from her pocket a diamond. Lisa throws it up, catches and hides into the bag.
THE END