After spending their tenth wedding anniversary at the Mackinac Island, Jackson and Rebecca are in a tragic car accident which leaves her in a coma for 6 months and Jackson dead. After she wakes up, she has to grieve the loss and this takes a toll on her. She meets Patrick when he comes to the school to unblock a toilet one of her students filled with sand. He feels familiar to her but she brushes it off until she goes to a church to attend grief counseling, the same church he is attending AA meetings at. They become close until she realises that Patrick was the reason for the accident.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Sean Ballantyne
Rebecca: Julie Sheppard
Jackson: Steve Rizzo
Sadie: Hannah Ehman

Get to know the writer:

1.. What is your screenplay about?
Collateral Hearts is about how one navigates the complexities of grief, forgiveness, and healing after experiencing profound loss and trauma.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Drama, Romance, Family

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
I feel like in a world seeking empathy, forgiveness, and resilience, Collateral Hearts offers a timely exploration of the power of second chances and healing after unimaginable loss. As audiences resonate with universal themes of grief, addiction, and hope, this story speaks to the struggles and redemption many face today, making it both poignant and relevant.

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

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Believe it or not, I'm going to say Grease or Ghost

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I started writing this film on August 1, 2024.

7. How many stories have you written?
I've written two features, 1 short, and 5 pilots.

8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
I don't have a favorite song but I do have a favorite genre - indie folk-rock/singer-songwriters

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Can't really say I faced any obstacles as much as I faced indecision. I have four different versions of this story and selecting one to focus on was challenging.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Editing. I am a picture film editor by day (so to speak).

11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?
I've had nothing but positive experiences.

12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
Having polished the selected version, I wanted to submit it to a festival to see how it fared but I didn't want to wait six months for announcements. So, I came across your festival via ISA and thought what better festival than one focused on romantic dramas. I'd get a very good idea as to how ready it is to shop around. I very much appreciated the feedback. The script has changed a bit as a result.