Blood Shine (2025) Movie Script
1
- You've been lost.
I know.
I felt it, too.
We've all been lost in the dark,
huddled in our own darkness.
You've searched.
You've walked through the wasted
land, and you've been afraid.
But you're not alone
for you are the elect
and we here are with
you always with you.
Our body a cage.
But how are you to find
your way if your eyes are
shut, close to the light?
Look to the luminous.
Look to the divine.
Wake up.
Wake up.
- Mmm!
Mmm!
Oh.
Oh.
Let's go.
Let's go.
Come on, B. Atta girl.
Come on, B. There you go.
There you go.
- Hey!
Hurry up!
We got another breach.
- Well, that was
the goddamn one.
More born dead than
living this year.
Look, Keith.
I know your situation, but
I got to cut you loose, man.
Dead cows don't make money.
I got a friend, though.
Got a farm outside
Little Falls, said
he might could use some help
before the weather turns.
He's good with ex-cons too.
God damn it!
Fuck!
- Hello?
Hey, sorry to bother you, but
my truck broke down just down
the hill there.
There a phone I could use?
Hello.
Thank you for
answering the door.
I wasn't sure-- Oh, sorry.
I'm sorry, ma'am, I--
I just broke down
down the road there.
I need to make a phone call,
and I have a cell phone,
but the battery's dead.
If you got a cell
phone, I could--
if you just bring
it to the door, uh--
I don't have to come in.
I-- I get it.
It's middle of nowhere.
Weird-looking guy
shows up at your door.
You're going to be careful.
I mean, I would be.
Look at me.
- Um, you need a tow truck?
Right?
- That's right.
Yes, ma'am.
- Um, OK.
Um, I-- I could call for you.
- That would-- yeah,
that'd be great.
Thank you.
Ma'am
- Oh, I'm--
I'm Clara.
- Keith.
I'll just go wait in the car,
in the truck, 'til they come.
I appreciate that, Clara.
- Oh, hold-- hold on.
I'm-- here, come on in.
- Oh, no.
I don't need to.
- No, please.
You just caught me off guard.
Please, come inside.
- Wow, big place.
- Um, I'll just go
and make that call.
If you wouldn't mind waiting.
- I won't move from this spot.
- Hey, are you still awake?
Oh, good.
- Any luck?
- Uh, they'll be
here within the hour.
- You're an angel.
- Um, I have some tea
if you'd like a glass.
- Sure.
Thank you.
- Here you go.
- Thank you.
- It's sun tea.
I steep it in the sunlight.
It takes a while, but it
makes it taste pure, you know?
- I do now.
That's delicious.
So, uh, you live out
here with anyone?
- Um, no.
Just me.
- Wow.
Out here on your own, uh?
Must get a bit, I don't know.
Lonely?
- Are you lonely?
I just mean you're out here
by yourself driving around
in the dark.
Is someone at home
waiting for you?
- Uh, no.
I've been on my own
for a while now.
Yeah, I guess we got
that in common, huh?
Being lonely.
- Well, being lonely is
different than being alone.
I'm never lonely.
And tonight, I'm not alone--
- I thought.
- --because you're here.
- Ah, well, cheers to that.
That's good.
This is a nice setup you got.
I was thinking about getting
a place like this for myself
when I can.
- Hm.
What's stopping you?
- Well, I don't know.
Ah, I'm kind of in between
work right now, jobs.
It's just hard for a
farmer to keep a farm
running in this economy,
hard for him to keep men on,
especially a man with a rec--
- With a record?
- Yes, ma'am.
- But you're here now.
What you did couldn't
have been too terrible.
It's OK.
I don't judge.
The past can be so cruel.
It can keep you running
deeper into the dark.
But it doesn't have to.
The past only hurts if you
let the darkness get to you.
So don't let it.
- I-- exactly.
Heh, exactly.
Wow, you're-- that's
exactly right.
I-- it wasn't even my fault.
My ex-wife, she just--
she just had a different idea
of who I was than-- than I am.
you know?
She accused me of stuff.
She was-- she was crazy.
She made up all kinds of shit.
She said that I had-- that
I had anger problems, that I
put my hands on her,
which is bullshit.
She didn't even know who I was.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, I just--
- Maybe she just
couldn't see you.
- No.
She couldn't at all.
But you can't, can't you?
Man, you're different.
Warm.
You're a warm person.
I'm not used to that, you know?
Don't think I've ever met
anyone like you before.
- It's time.
Please.
You can do this.
It's time to take me.
Take me.
Yes.
Lord, let there be--
free me!
Yes, yes, yes!
Take me!
No!
Stop, stop, stop!
You wasted it!
You wasted all of it!
You--
- Um, is this, like, new?
- New?
No.
No, this isn't
new, but thank you.
This short film is the
beginning of everything.
So--
- Uh, I guess I don't
completely understand.
This is, like, before
the "Craven" series?
This is a "Craven" prequel?
- No, no, it's not part of--
- I love the "Craven" series.
Like, "Craven 3" is my favorite.
And I know everybody
says that you
jump the shark when
you go to space,
but you totally pulled it off.
And-- and this was
really good too.
This was very artistic.
- Yeah?
It was based on this
dream that I had.
This film is special, pure.
I just feel like
I've always been
trying to get back to that
feeling, that purity, you know?
- Yeah, well, I bet "Craven 4"
is going to be the best one yet.
But, um, thank you so much
for letting me audition.
Um, do you want me to
stay seated or stand?
- Uh, yeah, sure.
- Well, I'm-- I'm off
book, and I love the role.
- You know what?
Let's do a different scene.
Seduction scene at the top.
- Oh, I-- I don't have that
one memorized, but yeah.
- It's OK.
- OK.
- OK, these aren't
the actual sides.
I can't show those to you yet.
- Yeah, NDA.
I totally get it.
- Well, you try these out.
Right, now, you seem like
final girl material to me.
And if, if you really trust
me, put yourself all the way
into it, maybe we can
make some magic happen.
- Yeah.
OK, I'm ready.
- Look, the studio does not
require any movement on "Part 4"
until February, which gives
me plenty of time to bang out
"Shadow Maker."
And then if it rips--
- --are paying for this.
- I will not miss the
"Craven" deadline.
I will go away to a cabin
upstate, lock myself away,
and I'll knock it out.
- I mean, you're not stupid.
- No, no, no.
I'm not doing that shit anymore.
I am straight, really.
I just-- I have got to do this.
- You better call
me every single day.
You hear me?
- Got it.
I will.
I-- this is going to
change everything.
I promise.
All right, later.
- Won't miss a single deadline.
"Craven 4--"
- Look, look.
I won't miss it.
When you read what I'm
going to come back with,
it is going to blow you away.
This is different.
- If I hear you
slurring your speech
or if I don't hear from
you at all, we're done.
- It's not going
to come to that.
I promise you, OK?
Talk to you soon.
All right?
Peace out.
- Sunshine today with
seasonal temperatures--
- Hi.
Hello, I'm Lucy.
You're from the city?
- Uh-huh.
- I know Angie.
Uh, she rents the
place out sometimes.
- Oh, sorry.
I gotta take this.
- Hello.
- Hi, you fucking weirdo!
- Let me guess.
IPA.
- And a shot of whiskey.
- Rough day?
- No.
You?
- No.
It's always a great
day out there.
- Uh-huh?
- Maybe.
- Right.
Bro, like, whoever convinced
these chicks to taking
their tits out is
empowering, yeah, I'll
give that guy a Nobel Prize.
- And you sound like
you found your calling.
- The thing is, I'm
a storyteller, right?
I went to film school.
I'm-- I'm a fucking auteur.
But, like, nobody is
giving me free range.
I got to make a copy of a
copy of a copy and then--
- Torture.
- Oh, hey, can I get
another one of these?
- Sorry, brother.
It's closing time.
- Oh, yeah, no, it's--
it's all right.
I-- I don't know
what I'm doing, man.
I-- I can't get inspired.
Like, I came up here
to-- to, you know,
Bumblefuck, to-- no offense.
It's beautiful.
But I-- I came up here to
Bumblefuck so I could write,
and I could tell my stories,
and I can't find them.
I can't find inspiration,
and it's killing me.
I'm just empty.
- I got this place
you should go.
Here.
This here?
This here's the Lake Road.
I want you to take
that north until you
see a small little town.
You're going to see a dirt path
that leads down a steep hill.
You're going to walk until
you see a little cave.
No people, no noise, just calm.
- I guess.
I could.
Folk horror is
making a comeback.
Yeah, but then you got to
be like fucking British
to be taken seriously for it, as
if the fucking British invented
folk horror or some shit.
- Hello?
Oh, please don't move.
You had a hard
fall in the woods.
- What happened?
- I think a tree branch fell
and hit you in the head.
- Where exactly did it hit me?
- Oh!
Ouch, shit.
Yeah, that hurts.
Thank-- thank you for
not leaving me there.
- Of course.
What kind of monster
would I be if I did that?
- I'm Brighton West.
- Clara.
- Just Clara.
I like that.
It's nice.
It's like Rihanna.
Wh-- where exactly am I?
- Um, My house.
I don't live far from the falls.
I figured it was best to get
you inside before it got dark.
- God.
Thank God you found me.
Do you, uh-- you live
here with someone else?
- No, just me.
- So how does--
- Is someone waiting
for you at home?
I don't want anyone
to worry about you.
Can I call someone for you?
A wife, girlfriend?
- Uh, no.
I'm single.
All on my lonesome.
Did you see my phone?
- Oh, I didn't see it.
- Oh, did it fall?
It-- shit.
I have to call my manager.
I'm Brighton West,
the filmmaker?
I-- so I make movies, right?
And I came up here to be alone
so I could write my next one.
But I work with some people
who do not fucking trust me.
So I'm supposed to
call them and check in.
And if I don't--
I'm sorry, I have to go
back and get my phone.
- Brighton, please.
We can go back tomorrow.
You could have a concussion.
You need to rest.
- Oh, if I have a concussion,
shouldn't I go to a hospital?
- No.
I used to be a nurse.
So a few years ago,
it would be me taking
care of you there anyhow.
- Right.
Thank you.
- Here.
- What's that?
- Sun tea.
- You got anything stronger?
- I'm the nurse here.
Drink.
- Oh, that's-- what's in that?
Is that--
- Oh, probably some sediment.
Loose tea leaves.
It's good for you.
- Oh, oh.
Oh!
Mmm, mmm, mmm.
Thank you.
Feeling better already.
Am I dreaming?
- Maybe.
Ah, ah.
Wait for it.
- Wait for what?
Don't tease me.
That's not-- Fucking bitch!
- Welcome, welcome.
Welcome to the threshold.
Welcome to the end
and the beginning.
You are here because
you were chosen.
We have seen you and deemed
you worthy to be tested.
Our elect will guide you and
ready the vessel you carry.
Please know you will die here.
You will try to
survive and escape.
You will do what animals do.
But I assure you now
there is no need for hope,
and there is no
need for struggle.
You will die here, and
it will be glorious.
You will leave the darkness
and enter the luminous,
a place so bright you
won't need eyes to see.
You are darkness
inhabiting a shell
for which you are not worthy.
You should be ashamed.
And you will die in agony.
In 26 days, you will disappear,
and the light of a new beginning
will be upon us.
And it will be glorious.
- That was just the handle.
You get the other end soon.
- Why are you doing this?
- Shh.
- Clara, the man you
have is Brighton West.
He is alone, no
living relatives.
He is a man of great hubris--
- Hey!
- --and ingratitude.
- Hey!
- He is a user and a liar.
He has filled his cage
with only darkness.
He has caused others
pain to serve himself.
For so long, we have
searched for our vessel
among the forgotten,
the empty man.
So now something new,
something different.
This vessel has come to us,
and we are here to receive it.
We are here to serve you.
We are here to serve you so
that you may serve the light.
Let there be light upon
you always, and may
it shine upon your good work.
- Let there be light
upon you always.
- Welcome, elect, to the
beginning of our cycle,
a re-education of the flesh,
the first key to the cage.
Now, let us start with
some breathing exercises.
- Get this shit off of me.
I'm going to fucking
cut you, you bitch.
Why did you do this to me?
Who the fuck are you people?
The people who know where I am--
- Cut yourself.
- What?
- Cut yourself with the knife.
- And why would I do
that, you fucking psycho?
- Cut yourself and do it deeply.
If you won't do it, I will.
Do you understand?
Do you understand?
Brighton, look at me.
Look at me.
- Please, no!
No, please!
- You think this hurts?
This is nothing.
It's a cage.
Why can't any--
it's just a cage.
See?
You'll learn.
I-- I promise.
- No.
Just a cage.
The light is within
you, within me.
- You know you are special.
You have been chosen
to serve the light.
But with that will come trials.
With that will come
the lie of pain.
The pain is there to trick you.
A lie-- an attempt
to distract you
from the cage the
darkness has built.
An attempt to keep
the light locked away,
trapped in its shadow.
How do
you see the luminous
The light unknown
How do you see the anointed one
He comes to call you home
So come home
So come home
- We must move past the lie
that our cage has taught us.
We must train ourselves
to forget pain,
forget loneliness, depression,
forget all the lies
the darkness feeds us.
These shadows are meant to fool
us into submitting to the cage.
We must all stand
resolute so that you
may train our chosen vessel.
- Shh!
Oh, do you
see the
- You must hold fast so
this vessel will let go.
What is within
you is a darkness,
the same darkness that
has been slowly trying
to extinguish our world.
But we are light.
We are the chosen.
And through your work, his
darkness will be emptied,
and our vessel will await its
new home, his light return
restored, reborn.
- Fuck.
What's this?
- Come here.
I need to clean you so
you don't go septic.
- Why?
- So you don't die.
- I thought you wanted me dead.
- What I want has
nothing to do with you.
Come here.
- Sit here with me in the light.
I need to see if
I'm going to learn.
- And what are you learning?
Fine, secure that and
lock your arms down.
- It's light, isn't it?
Your god.
I worship light too.
- Hm.
- I do.
I mean it.
That's what filmmaking is.
Shaping light, painting
with light, telling stories.
It's very powerful.
- Is that right?
- I'm being serious.
I wouldn't have a life
without it and no purpose.
I couldn't tell my stories.
I'd just--
- No one knows who
you are, Brighton.
If anyone really
knew you, they might
have come to rescue you by now.
But no one's coming to save you
because no one cares about you.
You're hollow and small.
And when you're gone, no one
will care about your stories
because no one will
remember you even existed.
So, shh.
- And what about you?
I could say the same
about you, Clara.
- You could.
- You're all alone.
Been all alone your
whole life, haven't you?
Alone in the dark.
- I'm not alone.
- I know how that feels.
It's always there.
The darkness waiting for you.
- Enough.
- You're scared of it.
And that is not faith.
That is fear.
Maybe that's why you're
not strong enough for this.
- Shh!
You think you're in control?
I am.
You understand?
You feel pain when I
want you to feel pain,
and you die when I want you
to die, you pathetic f--
- I thought that--
I thought what you
wanted didn't matter.
So what do you want, Clara?
What do you want?
Thank you.
- Do not act out of desire.
Earthly desires are
born from darkness.
Animal instincts of
greed, lust, and violence
only confuse our
journey to the light.
If you find yourself acting
out because of resentment,
selfishness, or fear, take heed,
for you are confusing the path.
You are straying into the
darkness, away from the light.
Move forever towards the
goodness of the light, forever
away from the darkness,
for he is there.
He is there to
pierce the darkness.
And we shall--
- No!
- Let us pray.
There is no shadow the
light cannot claim.
And through the darkness,
we will carry the flame.
- How many days?
How many days?
- That's none of your concern.
- I'm sorry.
I really am.
I'm sorry.
I know--
- Stop talking, you
patronizing little shit.
You think I've lived on
this mountain my whole life,
just naive and alone?
No, I've known men like you,
more than you can imagine.
And all you want are
bodies, bodies to control,
including your own.
But you're all made of nothing.
You go to such lengths to
prove that you have power,
but that's the joke.
Because what good
is your power if I
can take it from you so easily?
- I'm sorry.
- Yeah.
You certainly are.
- Welcome, elect.
This will be the beginning
of our second stage.
Congratulations on bringing
the light ever closer to us.
Your work is recognized
and luminescent.
If meant to be our
salvation, this cage
will not be easy to break.
Allow yourself
moments of respite.
You will need your strength in
breaking this vessel, this cage.
And so you must always
remember the value of peace.
Allow yourself
moments of light or be
damned to live in darkness.
The vessel will test
you, like a lock that
does not want to be picked.
But patience and focus
will be your strength.
Remember, when
tested by darkness,
it is ever more important
to bathe yourself in light
for you have been steadfast
in your good work.
Have you, elect?
Have you remained steadfast?
Remember, a step
away from the light
is a leap towards darkness.
You will always have
our light, elect.
It must be yours to take.
Freeing this vessel
will be your final test.
You are our elect, but
are you truly the chosen?
Only our brightest light
will shine upon that truth.
- Thank you.
No games, I meant that.
And I'm sorry.
I do not think that you
are stupid or naive.
That's no lie.
I almost envy for you.
I mean it.
At least you have
a purpose in life.
You know your purpose in life.
No one has that anymore.
Definitely not me.
I was always chasing something
I don't know, something real.
It's, uh-- it's why I just--
I fell in love with the promise.
You tell a beautiful truth,
and then everyone loves you,
and then you have a purpose.
So I just worked,
threw myself in,
didn't come up for air
for a long, long time,
closed off in my own darkness,
chasing this imaginary dream
that I thought was mine.
And then one day, you take
the time to look around.
You're all alone.
Everyone else moved on without
you because the entire time,
you thought that you were
trading up for something better.
I don't-- I should have just--
I am alone because
I made it that way.
Is that--
- What?
- Is there something--
- In the tea?
Maybe, maybe not.
Doesn't matter anyway.
- No, no, no!
No, no!
- No, no!
No!
No!
No, no, no, no, no, no!
No, no!
Please.
No, no!
No!
No, please no.
Please.
Please.
Please.
No!
No, please!
Please don't leave me here.
Please.
Please!
Please, God.
Please, God.
- Sh.
Hush now.
- Yes, sir.
- Aren't you just the
cutest little thing?
- No!
- Shh.
Just lie still.
Just-- just be quiet.
Shh.
Hush now.
Look.
You're so fucking soft.
- Stop it.
- Don't fucking look at me!
- You're so soft.
- Please.
- God, she's so soft.
- Oh, shh.
Just-- oh, oh, fucking hope.
Hope.
Hope, you bitch!
- Fucking tea!
Hello?
Help!
Please!
- I'm so sorry.
- No, no, no!
No!
- How many of you are there?
Sorry.
Why do you let them hurt you?
- I was hurt before.
But in here, it's not
the same pain here.
It shouldn't be pain.
I'm trying.
It's a reeducation, a rebirth.
And it's what I choose.
- Who choose is that?
- They saved me.
- From the darkness?
Saved you from the dark?
- It's not the dark.
It's what they do
to you in the dark.
They trap you there,
breaking you slowly.
And then the darkness just keeps
taking from you again and again
and again.
They saved me.
They gave me life,
warmth, a home, purpose.
They've never taken anything
from me I'm not willing to give.
And it's my choice.
- Tell me what you need.
- I-- I need you
to choose this too.
I need you to go beyond this.
There's so much more than this.
I promise you, there is.
Deeper.
Clean yourself, then drink.
- It's the same, you know,
what they're doing to you.
It's the same as before,
the same control.
- No, that's not the same
because I'm a part of this.
And now you are too.
Light's so bright,
it'll find us all.
- Hello?
Clara?
Clara?
- Brighton?
Brighton?
- Why is this happening?
- Brighton.
Brighton, I'm here.
- Clara!
Where are you?
- I'm here.
- Clara!
Clara!
- Brighton.
- Clara.
- I knew you'd come.
It's time.
- Time?
Where are we?
- Nowhere yet.
I knew you were the one.
- No, you don't.
I-- I can take you from here.
- I know.
Please.
- Can't-- I--
I can't hurt you.
- You can't hurt me.
I'm past all hurt now.
There's no pain left
in me, just release.
You felt it too.
You know this means
nothing, this cage.
Free me.
You were meant to do this.
- I can't.
- You-- you asked
me what I need.
No one's ever asked me that
before, and you asked me.
And I'm telling you.
Believe this is what I need.
This is what I need.
I knew it.
I knew it.
I knew you were the one.
Thank you.
How do
you see the luminous
The light unknown
How do you see, anointed one
He comes to call you home
So come home
So come home
Eternity awaits for you
Awaits for me
The light sublime, so radiant
We won't need eyes to see
To see
To see
All the world faints on
A light that
Don't shine in your eyes now
Don't
How do you see the luminous
The light unknown
How do you see, anointed one
He comes to call you home
So come home.
So come home
- You've been lost.
I know.
I felt it, too.
We've all been lost in the dark,
huddled in our own darkness.
You've searched.
You've walked through the wasted
land, and you've been afraid.
But you're not alone
for you are the elect
and we here are with
you always with you.
Our body a cage.
But how are you to find
your way if your eyes are
shut, close to the light?
Look to the luminous.
Look to the divine.
Wake up.
Wake up.
- Mmm!
Mmm!
Oh.
Oh.
Let's go.
Let's go.
Come on, B. Atta girl.
Come on, B. There you go.
There you go.
- Hey!
Hurry up!
We got another breach.
- Well, that was
the goddamn one.
More born dead than
living this year.
Look, Keith.
I know your situation, but
I got to cut you loose, man.
Dead cows don't make money.
I got a friend, though.
Got a farm outside
Little Falls, said
he might could use some help
before the weather turns.
He's good with ex-cons too.
God damn it!
Fuck!
- Hello?
Hey, sorry to bother you, but
my truck broke down just down
the hill there.
There a phone I could use?
Hello.
Thank you for
answering the door.
I wasn't sure-- Oh, sorry.
I'm sorry, ma'am, I--
I just broke down
down the road there.
I need to make a phone call,
and I have a cell phone,
but the battery's dead.
If you got a cell
phone, I could--
if you just bring
it to the door, uh--
I don't have to come in.
I-- I get it.
It's middle of nowhere.
Weird-looking guy
shows up at your door.
You're going to be careful.
I mean, I would be.
Look at me.
- Um, you need a tow truck?
Right?
- That's right.
Yes, ma'am.
- Um, OK.
Um, I-- I could call for you.
- That would-- yeah,
that'd be great.
Thank you.
Ma'am
- Oh, I'm--
I'm Clara.
- Keith.
I'll just go wait in the car,
in the truck, 'til they come.
I appreciate that, Clara.
- Oh, hold-- hold on.
I'm-- here, come on in.
- Oh, no.
I don't need to.
- No, please.
You just caught me off guard.
Please, come inside.
- Wow, big place.
- Um, I'll just go
and make that call.
If you wouldn't mind waiting.
- I won't move from this spot.
- Hey, are you still awake?
Oh, good.
- Any luck?
- Uh, they'll be
here within the hour.
- You're an angel.
- Um, I have some tea
if you'd like a glass.
- Sure.
Thank you.
- Here you go.
- Thank you.
- It's sun tea.
I steep it in the sunlight.
It takes a while, but it
makes it taste pure, you know?
- I do now.
That's delicious.
So, uh, you live out
here with anyone?
- Um, no.
Just me.
- Wow.
Out here on your own, uh?
Must get a bit, I don't know.
Lonely?
- Are you lonely?
I just mean you're out here
by yourself driving around
in the dark.
Is someone at home
waiting for you?
- Uh, no.
I've been on my own
for a while now.
Yeah, I guess we got
that in common, huh?
Being lonely.
- Well, being lonely is
different than being alone.
I'm never lonely.
And tonight, I'm not alone--
- I thought.
- --because you're here.
- Ah, well, cheers to that.
That's good.
This is a nice setup you got.
I was thinking about getting
a place like this for myself
when I can.
- Hm.
What's stopping you?
- Well, I don't know.
Ah, I'm kind of in between
work right now, jobs.
It's just hard for a
farmer to keep a farm
running in this economy,
hard for him to keep men on,
especially a man with a rec--
- With a record?
- Yes, ma'am.
- But you're here now.
What you did couldn't
have been too terrible.
It's OK.
I don't judge.
The past can be so cruel.
It can keep you running
deeper into the dark.
But it doesn't have to.
The past only hurts if you
let the darkness get to you.
So don't let it.
- I-- exactly.
Heh, exactly.
Wow, you're-- that's
exactly right.
I-- it wasn't even my fault.
My ex-wife, she just--
she just had a different idea
of who I was than-- than I am.
you know?
She accused me of stuff.
She was-- she was crazy.
She made up all kinds of shit.
She said that I had-- that
I had anger problems, that I
put my hands on her,
which is bullshit.
She didn't even know who I was.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, I just--
- Maybe she just
couldn't see you.
- No.
She couldn't at all.
But you can't, can't you?
Man, you're different.
Warm.
You're a warm person.
I'm not used to that, you know?
Don't think I've ever met
anyone like you before.
- It's time.
Please.
You can do this.
It's time to take me.
Take me.
Yes.
Lord, let there be--
free me!
Yes, yes, yes!
Take me!
No!
Stop, stop, stop!
You wasted it!
You wasted all of it!
You--
- Um, is this, like, new?
- New?
No.
No, this isn't
new, but thank you.
This short film is the
beginning of everything.
So--
- Uh, I guess I don't
completely understand.
This is, like, before
the "Craven" series?
This is a "Craven" prequel?
- No, no, it's not part of--
- I love the "Craven" series.
Like, "Craven 3" is my favorite.
And I know everybody
says that you
jump the shark when
you go to space,
but you totally pulled it off.
And-- and this was
really good too.
This was very artistic.
- Yeah?
It was based on this
dream that I had.
This film is special, pure.
I just feel like
I've always been
trying to get back to that
feeling, that purity, you know?
- Yeah, well, I bet "Craven 4"
is going to be the best one yet.
But, um, thank you so much
for letting me audition.
Um, do you want me to
stay seated or stand?
- Uh, yeah, sure.
- Well, I'm-- I'm off
book, and I love the role.
- You know what?
Let's do a different scene.
Seduction scene at the top.
- Oh, I-- I don't have that
one memorized, but yeah.
- It's OK.
- OK.
- OK, these aren't
the actual sides.
I can't show those to you yet.
- Yeah, NDA.
I totally get it.
- Well, you try these out.
Right, now, you seem like
final girl material to me.
And if, if you really trust
me, put yourself all the way
into it, maybe we can
make some magic happen.
- Yeah.
OK, I'm ready.
- Look, the studio does not
require any movement on "Part 4"
until February, which gives
me plenty of time to bang out
"Shadow Maker."
And then if it rips--
- --are paying for this.
- I will not miss the
"Craven" deadline.
I will go away to a cabin
upstate, lock myself away,
and I'll knock it out.
- I mean, you're not stupid.
- No, no, no.
I'm not doing that shit anymore.
I am straight, really.
I just-- I have got to do this.
- You better call
me every single day.
You hear me?
- Got it.
I will.
I-- this is going to
change everything.
I promise.
All right, later.
- Won't miss a single deadline.
"Craven 4--"
- Look, look.
I won't miss it.
When you read what I'm
going to come back with,
it is going to blow you away.
This is different.
- If I hear you
slurring your speech
or if I don't hear from
you at all, we're done.
- It's not going
to come to that.
I promise you, OK?
Talk to you soon.
All right?
Peace out.
- Sunshine today with
seasonal temperatures--
- Hi.
Hello, I'm Lucy.
You're from the city?
- Uh-huh.
- I know Angie.
Uh, she rents the
place out sometimes.
- Oh, sorry.
I gotta take this.
- Hello.
- Hi, you fucking weirdo!
- Let me guess.
IPA.
- And a shot of whiskey.
- Rough day?
- No.
You?
- No.
It's always a great
day out there.
- Uh-huh?
- Maybe.
- Right.
Bro, like, whoever convinced
these chicks to taking
their tits out is
empowering, yeah, I'll
give that guy a Nobel Prize.
- And you sound like
you found your calling.
- The thing is, I'm
a storyteller, right?
I went to film school.
I'm-- I'm a fucking auteur.
But, like, nobody is
giving me free range.
I got to make a copy of a
copy of a copy and then--
- Torture.
- Oh, hey, can I get
another one of these?
- Sorry, brother.
It's closing time.
- Oh, yeah, no, it's--
it's all right.
I-- I don't know
what I'm doing, man.
I-- I can't get inspired.
Like, I came up here
to-- to, you know,
Bumblefuck, to-- no offense.
It's beautiful.
But I-- I came up here to
Bumblefuck so I could write,
and I could tell my stories,
and I can't find them.
I can't find inspiration,
and it's killing me.
I'm just empty.
- I got this place
you should go.
Here.
This here?
This here's the Lake Road.
I want you to take
that north until you
see a small little town.
You're going to see a dirt path
that leads down a steep hill.
You're going to walk until
you see a little cave.
No people, no noise, just calm.
- I guess.
I could.
Folk horror is
making a comeback.
Yeah, but then you got to
be like fucking British
to be taken seriously for it, as
if the fucking British invented
folk horror or some shit.
- Hello?
Oh, please don't move.
You had a hard
fall in the woods.
- What happened?
- I think a tree branch fell
and hit you in the head.
- Where exactly did it hit me?
- Oh!
Ouch, shit.
Yeah, that hurts.
Thank-- thank you for
not leaving me there.
- Of course.
What kind of monster
would I be if I did that?
- I'm Brighton West.
- Clara.
- Just Clara.
I like that.
It's nice.
It's like Rihanna.
Wh-- where exactly am I?
- Um, My house.
I don't live far from the falls.
I figured it was best to get
you inside before it got dark.
- God.
Thank God you found me.
Do you, uh-- you live
here with someone else?
- No, just me.
- So how does--
- Is someone waiting
for you at home?
I don't want anyone
to worry about you.
Can I call someone for you?
A wife, girlfriend?
- Uh, no.
I'm single.
All on my lonesome.
Did you see my phone?
- Oh, I didn't see it.
- Oh, did it fall?
It-- shit.
I have to call my manager.
I'm Brighton West,
the filmmaker?
I-- so I make movies, right?
And I came up here to be alone
so I could write my next one.
But I work with some people
who do not fucking trust me.
So I'm supposed to
call them and check in.
And if I don't--
I'm sorry, I have to go
back and get my phone.
- Brighton, please.
We can go back tomorrow.
You could have a concussion.
You need to rest.
- Oh, if I have a concussion,
shouldn't I go to a hospital?
- No.
I used to be a nurse.
So a few years ago,
it would be me taking
care of you there anyhow.
- Right.
Thank you.
- Here.
- What's that?
- Sun tea.
- You got anything stronger?
- I'm the nurse here.
Drink.
- Oh, that's-- what's in that?
Is that--
- Oh, probably some sediment.
Loose tea leaves.
It's good for you.
- Oh, oh.
Oh!
Mmm, mmm, mmm.
Thank you.
Feeling better already.
Am I dreaming?
- Maybe.
Ah, ah.
Wait for it.
- Wait for what?
Don't tease me.
That's not-- Fucking bitch!
- Welcome, welcome.
Welcome to the threshold.
Welcome to the end
and the beginning.
You are here because
you were chosen.
We have seen you and deemed
you worthy to be tested.
Our elect will guide you and
ready the vessel you carry.
Please know you will die here.
You will try to
survive and escape.
You will do what animals do.
But I assure you now
there is no need for hope,
and there is no
need for struggle.
You will die here, and
it will be glorious.
You will leave the darkness
and enter the luminous,
a place so bright you
won't need eyes to see.
You are darkness
inhabiting a shell
for which you are not worthy.
You should be ashamed.
And you will die in agony.
In 26 days, you will disappear,
and the light of a new beginning
will be upon us.
And it will be glorious.
- That was just the handle.
You get the other end soon.
- Why are you doing this?
- Shh.
- Clara, the man you
have is Brighton West.
He is alone, no
living relatives.
He is a man of great hubris--
- Hey!
- --and ingratitude.
- Hey!
- He is a user and a liar.
He has filled his cage
with only darkness.
He has caused others
pain to serve himself.
For so long, we have
searched for our vessel
among the forgotten,
the empty man.
So now something new,
something different.
This vessel has come to us,
and we are here to receive it.
We are here to serve you.
We are here to serve you so
that you may serve the light.
Let there be light upon
you always, and may
it shine upon your good work.
- Let there be light
upon you always.
- Welcome, elect, to the
beginning of our cycle,
a re-education of the flesh,
the first key to the cage.
Now, let us start with
some breathing exercises.
- Get this shit off of me.
I'm going to fucking
cut you, you bitch.
Why did you do this to me?
Who the fuck are you people?
The people who know where I am--
- Cut yourself.
- What?
- Cut yourself with the knife.
- And why would I do
that, you fucking psycho?
- Cut yourself and do it deeply.
If you won't do it, I will.
Do you understand?
Do you understand?
Brighton, look at me.
Look at me.
- Please, no!
No, please!
- You think this hurts?
This is nothing.
It's a cage.
Why can't any--
it's just a cage.
See?
You'll learn.
I-- I promise.
- No.
Just a cage.
The light is within
you, within me.
- You know you are special.
You have been chosen
to serve the light.
But with that will come trials.
With that will come
the lie of pain.
The pain is there to trick you.
A lie-- an attempt
to distract you
from the cage the
darkness has built.
An attempt to keep
the light locked away,
trapped in its shadow.
How do
you see the luminous
The light unknown
How do you see the anointed one
He comes to call you home
So come home
So come home
- We must move past the lie
that our cage has taught us.
We must train ourselves
to forget pain,
forget loneliness, depression,
forget all the lies
the darkness feeds us.
These shadows are meant to fool
us into submitting to the cage.
We must all stand
resolute so that you
may train our chosen vessel.
- Shh!
Oh, do you
see the
- You must hold fast so
this vessel will let go.
What is within
you is a darkness,
the same darkness that
has been slowly trying
to extinguish our world.
But we are light.
We are the chosen.
And through your work, his
darkness will be emptied,
and our vessel will await its
new home, his light return
restored, reborn.
- Fuck.
What's this?
- Come here.
I need to clean you so
you don't go septic.
- Why?
- So you don't die.
- I thought you wanted me dead.
- What I want has
nothing to do with you.
Come here.
- Sit here with me in the light.
I need to see if
I'm going to learn.
- And what are you learning?
Fine, secure that and
lock your arms down.
- It's light, isn't it?
Your god.
I worship light too.
- Hm.
- I do.
I mean it.
That's what filmmaking is.
Shaping light, painting
with light, telling stories.
It's very powerful.
- Is that right?
- I'm being serious.
I wouldn't have a life
without it and no purpose.
I couldn't tell my stories.
I'd just--
- No one knows who
you are, Brighton.
If anyone really
knew you, they might
have come to rescue you by now.
But no one's coming to save you
because no one cares about you.
You're hollow and small.
And when you're gone, no one
will care about your stories
because no one will
remember you even existed.
So, shh.
- And what about you?
I could say the same
about you, Clara.
- You could.
- You're all alone.
Been all alone your
whole life, haven't you?
Alone in the dark.
- I'm not alone.
- I know how that feels.
It's always there.
The darkness waiting for you.
- Enough.
- You're scared of it.
And that is not faith.
That is fear.
Maybe that's why you're
not strong enough for this.
- Shh!
You think you're in control?
I am.
You understand?
You feel pain when I
want you to feel pain,
and you die when I want you
to die, you pathetic f--
- I thought that--
I thought what you
wanted didn't matter.
So what do you want, Clara?
What do you want?
Thank you.
- Do not act out of desire.
Earthly desires are
born from darkness.
Animal instincts of
greed, lust, and violence
only confuse our
journey to the light.
If you find yourself acting
out because of resentment,
selfishness, or fear, take heed,
for you are confusing the path.
You are straying into the
darkness, away from the light.
Move forever towards the
goodness of the light, forever
away from the darkness,
for he is there.
He is there to
pierce the darkness.
And we shall--
- No!
- Let us pray.
There is no shadow the
light cannot claim.
And through the darkness,
we will carry the flame.
- How many days?
How many days?
- That's none of your concern.
- I'm sorry.
I really am.
I'm sorry.
I know--
- Stop talking, you
patronizing little shit.
You think I've lived on
this mountain my whole life,
just naive and alone?
No, I've known men like you,
more than you can imagine.
And all you want are
bodies, bodies to control,
including your own.
But you're all made of nothing.
You go to such lengths to
prove that you have power,
but that's the joke.
Because what good
is your power if I
can take it from you so easily?
- I'm sorry.
- Yeah.
You certainly are.
- Welcome, elect.
This will be the beginning
of our second stage.
Congratulations on bringing
the light ever closer to us.
Your work is recognized
and luminescent.
If meant to be our
salvation, this cage
will not be easy to break.
Allow yourself
moments of respite.
You will need your strength in
breaking this vessel, this cage.
And so you must always
remember the value of peace.
Allow yourself
moments of light or be
damned to live in darkness.
The vessel will test
you, like a lock that
does not want to be picked.
But patience and focus
will be your strength.
Remember, when
tested by darkness,
it is ever more important
to bathe yourself in light
for you have been steadfast
in your good work.
Have you, elect?
Have you remained steadfast?
Remember, a step
away from the light
is a leap towards darkness.
You will always have
our light, elect.
It must be yours to take.
Freeing this vessel
will be your final test.
You are our elect, but
are you truly the chosen?
Only our brightest light
will shine upon that truth.
- Thank you.
No games, I meant that.
And I'm sorry.
I do not think that you
are stupid or naive.
That's no lie.
I almost envy for you.
I mean it.
At least you have
a purpose in life.
You know your purpose in life.
No one has that anymore.
Definitely not me.
I was always chasing something
I don't know, something real.
It's, uh-- it's why I just--
I fell in love with the promise.
You tell a beautiful truth,
and then everyone loves you,
and then you have a purpose.
So I just worked,
threw myself in,
didn't come up for air
for a long, long time,
closed off in my own darkness,
chasing this imaginary dream
that I thought was mine.
And then one day, you take
the time to look around.
You're all alone.
Everyone else moved on without
you because the entire time,
you thought that you were
trading up for something better.
I don't-- I should have just--
I am alone because
I made it that way.
Is that--
- What?
- Is there something--
- In the tea?
Maybe, maybe not.
Doesn't matter anyway.
- No, no, no!
No, no!
- No, no!
No!
No!
No, no, no, no, no, no!
No, no!
Please.
No, no!
No!
No, please no.
Please.
Please.
Please.
No!
No, please!
Please don't leave me here.
Please.
Please!
Please, God.
Please, God.
- Sh.
Hush now.
- Yes, sir.
- Aren't you just the
cutest little thing?
- No!
- Shh.
Just lie still.
Just-- just be quiet.
Shh.
Hush now.
Look.
You're so fucking soft.
- Stop it.
- Don't fucking look at me!
- You're so soft.
- Please.
- God, she's so soft.
- Oh, shh.
Just-- oh, oh, fucking hope.
Hope.
Hope, you bitch!
- Fucking tea!
Hello?
Help!
Please!
- I'm so sorry.
- No, no, no!
No!
- How many of you are there?
Sorry.
Why do you let them hurt you?
- I was hurt before.
But in here, it's not
the same pain here.
It shouldn't be pain.
I'm trying.
It's a reeducation, a rebirth.
And it's what I choose.
- Who choose is that?
- They saved me.
- From the darkness?
Saved you from the dark?
- It's not the dark.
It's what they do
to you in the dark.
They trap you there,
breaking you slowly.
And then the darkness just keeps
taking from you again and again
and again.
They saved me.
They gave me life,
warmth, a home, purpose.
They've never taken anything
from me I'm not willing to give.
And it's my choice.
- Tell me what you need.
- I-- I need you
to choose this too.
I need you to go beyond this.
There's so much more than this.
I promise you, there is.
Deeper.
Clean yourself, then drink.
- It's the same, you know,
what they're doing to you.
It's the same as before,
the same control.
- No, that's not the same
because I'm a part of this.
And now you are too.
Light's so bright,
it'll find us all.
- Hello?
Clara?
Clara?
- Brighton?
Brighton?
- Why is this happening?
- Brighton.
Brighton, I'm here.
- Clara!
Where are you?
- I'm here.
- Clara!
Clara!
- Brighton.
- Clara.
- I knew you'd come.
It's time.
- Time?
Where are we?
- Nowhere yet.
I knew you were the one.
- No, you don't.
I-- I can take you from here.
- I know.
Please.
- Can't-- I--
I can't hurt you.
- You can't hurt me.
I'm past all hurt now.
There's no pain left
in me, just release.
You felt it too.
You know this means
nothing, this cage.
Free me.
You were meant to do this.
- I can't.
- You-- you asked
me what I need.
No one's ever asked me that
before, and you asked me.
And I'm telling you.
Believe this is what I need.
This is what I need.
I knew it.
I knew it.
I knew you were the one.
Thank you.
How do
you see the luminous
The light unknown
How do you see, anointed one
He comes to call you home
So come home
So come home
Eternity awaits for you
Awaits for me
The light sublime, so radiant
We won't need eyes to see
To see
To see
All the world faints on
A light that
Don't shine in your eyes now
Don't
How do you see the luminous
The light unknown
How do you see, anointed one
He comes to call you home
So come home.
So come home