Summary: After Nefret goes missing, it puts Mazim's place in the war in doubt, but despite his family's safety, he won't leave without Nefret, which leads him to face horrifying consequences.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Val Cole
Mezut: Steve Rizzo
Layla: Hannah Ehman

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?

My screenplay is about, thematically, the struggle of reconciliation. The protagonist, Mazim Al-Farouq, chooses to have he and his family (wife and son) remain in their home village of Zareda, despite the encroaching invaders. His extraordinary super power is also his vice as he cannot emotionally live without his steppe eagle, Nefret. In reality, he should leave and put his human family members first, but he refuses to abandon his avian companion. This decision indirectly results in the death of son, Mezut. The remainder of the script explores the fallout from this tragedy.

Mazim and his wife, Layla, along with Mazim's close friend, Firadh, escape the village upon the invasion, but Mezut falls to the sword by the Sojan warlord. Mazim and Layla must now emotionally reconcile the damage done by their beloved son's demise. And Mazim, alone, must reconcile the fact that he could have saved his son from death and himself from unbearable guilt. As Layla grows increasingly resentful of Mazim, blaming him for Mezut's death, the couple grows emotionally apart. However, despite this falling out of love, they must pick themselves up and return to the village to bury their son so that his soul may find peace in the Field of Reeds, for only those buried can find their way out of the Underworld and into Paradise.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

The umbrella genre that this screenplay falls under would be Drama. The sub-genre would be Action/War.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

I think this screenplay should be made into a film for the sole reason that Hollywood, as an industry, has seemingly fallen out of love with grand epics of antiquity. Sword and Sandal films like Gladiator, with strong emotional cores, are rarely made anymore. I would like that to change.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Emotional journey.

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

I haven't kept count but I have probably watched Finding Nemo the most out of every movie. It's not my absolute favorite film but I watched so much as a child and as an adult, I have seen it a handful of times as well. My favorite film of all-time is specifically, The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Director's Cut). A close second is The Social Network. However, I would argue that the single greatest 2 films ever made, objectively speaking, are The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption.

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

I have been working, creatively, on SAND for about 6 years. I conceived of the idea in 2017 and wrote my first draft in 2023. Between 2017 and 2023, however, I slowly developed the premise and themes, mentally writing the script in preparation to actually, physically write it. The draft I submitted is significantly different from the original. I don't know the number, but it's probably the 7th or 8th draft, barring small adjustments here and there.

7. How many stories have you written?

I have written, counting shorts, around 40 stories; give or take. SAND is one of my most recent.

8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)

My favorite song is a tough question... I feel like it changes all of the time. I don't have the same relationship to music as I do with film so my opinions and preferences aren't as rigid or set in stone through years of consideration and thought like my beliefs of film. I would say, at least at the moment, my favorite musical piece is actually a musical score from the show "Andor". The track titled "Past/Present Suite" by Nicholas Britell is amazing and my favorite thing to listen to at the moment. I'm weird and actually listen to musical/orchestral scores more than normal songs like most people do. I particularly love Nicholas Britell, Hans Zimmer and Thomas Newman. Another favorite musical piece of mine is the main theme of "American Beauty" by Thomas Newman. The track shares the title of the film it is in. If I had to pick a "song, song," I would say I really like "Always Alright" by Alabama Shakes.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

I don't know if I'd call them obstacles but I guess the hardest part of writing SAND was trying to get really down to the emotional core of the story. The plot is easy. Nailing the emotion; the internal conflict, was difficult. I think I did it, but I also recognize that there is much more room for improvement.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Apart from writing, I'm very passionate about Football and Video Games. I honestly consider myself an NFL expert. I have a really serious and deep breadth of knowledge of NFL history and the game of football. I can tell you anything there is to know about it.

Video games are my main daily hobby. I play them often and get so much rich inspiration for films by playing video games. Film and video games are deeply connected; both being visual media. I'll always love them and hopefully will still be playing them even when I'm old.

11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?

My experience on Film Freeway has been up and down. Mixed. I have entered many other screenplays into various contests over the last couple of years and the only success I've ever had was winning the Mystic, CT Screenplay Contest for a boxing script I wrote called "Journey Man" and I won 2 other festivals with a TV pilot I wrote called "From the Ashes". The latter has also gotten 2 other awards in other festivals but they were more minor awards. Your festival is the first one in which SAND was awarded anything; although I have only just recently entered SAND into any at all. Yours being one of the first ones.

12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

I was influenced to enter your festival because I saw it while browsing festivals and figured SAND was a great fit for the theme of your festival; being a "Fantasy/Sci-Fi" festival.

My feelings on the initial feedback were definitely positive. I was flattered by the compliments and receptive of the critiques. I already have a total rewrite of SAND in the works based on your feedback as well as some close friends and colleagues who also write. The only criticism I feel confused about, in regards to how exactly I can improve on it, is the aspect that my "voice" doesn't come out in SAND. A colleague of mine has also stated the same criticism about SAND as well as a few other of my screenplays. I'm not insulted or offended by the critique, I'm simply unsure of what exactly it means. How can I address it in subsequent drafts? I have not really been given an example of precisely what the "voice" means and how to make it present in the screenplay and my other writing. Perhaps we can discuss it when we do the podcast interview.