CARMENWritten by

Joshua Thomas Gallegos

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT (10.14.13)Copyright 2013Ars Magna Lucis Film Co.

E/I. HOTEL PARKING LOT/CAR -- NIGHT.1 1 *

FRANCIS BROWN (50s), man in a black suit is in his car. He *stares into frame, lost in thought. *

His phone rings, he looks at it for a moment; answers. *

FRANCISKaren.

KAREN (OS)It’s late. When are you gettingback?

FRANCISI can’t say, maybe tomorrow. *

KARENWhere are you?

FRANCISA hotel, I’m staying here the *night. *

KARENWhat are you doing in a hotel?

FRANCISI’ve been driving, I wanted to see *Rachel. *

KARENI don’t know what’s been going on *with you lately, you’ve been acting so strange, I just have to know what’s up with you. Francis? Can’t you just talk to me? - can’t you just come here and talk? this isn’t *okay, you can’t just leave like *this, you can’t do that without *telling me... *

As Karen speaks -- *

A YOUNG WOMAN (20s) BARGES OUT of a hotel room -- leaves the *door wide open. *

ANGLE, FRANCIS -- sees her *

ANGLE, WOMAN -- she quickly looks out into the night, *panicked. *

WOMAN’S POV -- spots the silhouette of a man inside a car, in *the parking lot. *

She walks away in a hurry through the hotel corridor, out *into the street. *

KAREN (OS) *Francis? - Francis? - are you *listening to me?

ANGLE, FRANCIS. *

FRANCISYes, it’s fine. everything’s fine.

He gets out of his car. *

KARENIt’s not fine. Just, come backhome, can’t you just come back? *

FRANCISBye, Karen.Love you.Don’t wait up, I’ll be back home tomorrow.

Francis hangs up the phone. *

Looks out into the street, then into the open hotel room *door. *

CUT TO BLACK *

TITLE, OVER BLACK : CARMEN *

Opening titles intercut with Carmen as she walks in the *night. *

CUT TO:

INT. DINER -- LATE NIGHT.2 2 *

Camera focuses on a cup of black coffee.

ANGLE, FRANCIS.

Seated by himself in a booth. He stares emptily at his cup of coffee.

Waitress walks up to him, snapping him back to the moment. *

WAITRESS (OC)more coffee? *

Blue (10/14/2013) 2.

FRANCISNo, this is fine. Thank you.

Waitress nods. *

CAMERA PANS with the waitress. *

she stops by a booth, where a woman sits, looking out the *window.

WAITRESSAre you ready to order something? *

The woman turns around, it’s the woman from the hotel. *

ANGLE, quick shot of Francis as he observes. *

WAITRESSYou’ve been here for quite a while. *my manager’s going to ask you to leave if you don’t order anything -- *

WOMANCan’t I just sit here a little longer? I’m waiting for a friend to meet me here...

WAITRESSmy manager has a policy about this, it’s not up to me.

WOMANI’m not doing anything, I’m just *sitting -- *

WAITRESS *Well, you can wait outside -- *

Francis stands by the waitress --

FRANCISHey.

The woman looks up.

FRANCISwould you like a cup of coffee, while you wait for your friend?

Waitress looks at Francis, then at the woman.

WOMANYes, that’s fine.

Blue (10/14/2013) 3.

FRANCISA cup of coffee for the young lady, please.

Waitress nods; leaves. *

WOMAN(to Francis)

Thank you.

FRANCISYou’re welcome.

Woman looks down at the table.

FRANCISMind if I sit?

WOMANWhat for?

FRANCISmaybe you’d like to talk while you wait for your friend to come?

WOMANI’m not waiting for anyone. *

FRANCISShould I take that as a ‘yes’? *

WOMAN *I don’t want you to sit with me, *because you feel sorry for me, I *hate that, ok? *

FRANCIS *Ok. *

Francis sits across from her, looks at her, as she looks down at the table.

HOLD, on their booth.

The waitress comes over with a cup of coffee.

Francis says thank you to the waitress as she leaves.

Carmen puts cream and sugar to her coffee.

FRANCIS *What’s your name?

Blue (10/14/2013) 4.

WOMANCarmen.

FRANCISFrancis. *

He reaches out to shake her hand. *

FRANCISNice to meet you.

She looks at his hand and gently shakes it. *

She pauses.

CARMENYou seem familiar to me.

ANGLE, Francis.

CARMENYou remind me of someone from back home...

FRANCISI just came into town.

CARMENYou visiting someone?

FRANCISYes, my daughter. *

CARMENShe lives here?

FRANCISShe used to.

CARMENwhat do you mean?

FRANCISWe buried her here.

Lull.

CARMENI’m sorry.

FRANCISit’s been while.

Blue (10/14/2013) 5.

CARMENwhat was her name?

FRANCISRachel. Her name was, Rachel. *

Carmen sips on coffee.

FRANCISYou lived here long?

Carmen shakes her head ‘no’.

FRANCISwhere are you from?

CARMENGrainfield.

FRANCIS *Where’s that? *

CARMEN *it’s this little shit town in *Kansas.

FRANCISHow did you end up in texas?

CARMENI dunno. chasing rainbows, I guess.

FRANCISyou must get homesick, then.

CARMENNo, not really.

FRANCISyou finish school?

CARMENNo.

FRANCISWhy not?

CARMENthings get in the way; it doesn’t become important after a while.

FRANCISI know exactly what you mean.

Blue (10/14/2013) 6.

CARMENYeah, well. I never got to finish high school, because I got pregnant in my freshman year, back in Grainfield.

FRANCISSo, you have a child?

Carmen shakes her head "no".....;

CARMENI don’t know why I told you that, just now. I’d rather not talk about it.

Carmen brushes her hair back with her hand. Francis sees a red mark on her neck, like someone was grabbing her.

FRANCISHow’d you get that?

CARMENWhat?

FRANCISon your neck.

She touches her neck, winces. Like she didn’t know she had it.

CARMENit’s nothing.

HOLD on Carmen, as Francis looks at her; she gets nervous/uncomfortable.

CARMENIt’s none of your business, ok.

FRANCISI think it is.

CARMENHow?

FRANCISI know what it feels like to lose someone so young. I wouldn’t want *anything to happen to someone with so much to lose.

CARMENYou don’t even know me.

Blue (10/14/2013) 7.

Lull.

FRANCISI saw you run out.

HOLD ON, CARMEN.

FRANCISI was parked outside that hotel, I saw you running away from your room - you left the door open, and you ran out. *

BEAT;

CARMENHave you been following me?

FRANCISNo.

CARMENI don’t believe you.

FRANCISI wasn’t.

CARMENbullshit. *how did you know I was here?

FRANCISI didn’t, I just came here to eat something, when I saw you sitting there, I knew this wasn’t just a coincidence.

Carmen gets up, grabs her purse --

CARMEN *You’re such a fucking liar. *

Francis rises from his seat, as he watches her go.

He puts some money on the table --

ANGLE, CARMEN -- as she walks out the diner.

EXT. DINER -- CONTINUOUS.3 3

Carmen paces by the wall as she nervously fiddles to light her cigarette.

Blue (10/14/2013) 8.

HOLD, on Carmen, as she looks out into the streets.

Francis walks out of the diner.

Carmen looks at him.

He slowly walks up to her...

CARMENWhat do you want from me?

FRANCISI don’t think you would understand.

Hold on , Carmen.

CARMENI didn’t do anything.

FRANCISWho was that man?

FLASH ON:

INT. HOTEL -- NIGHT.4 4

Francis stands before the open door to the hotel room. *

LOW ANGLE, CUT THROAT-RAZOR ON THE FLOOR with a smudge of *blood; FRANCIS’ FIGURE BY THE DOOR, OUT OF FOCUS. *

Same angle, we see his feet stepping toward the cut-throat *razor, he grabs it. *

The man passed out in bed, he’s bleeding from his neck, not *severely, just a small gash. *

EXT. DINER -- CONTINUOUS.5 5

Hold on Carmen.

FRANCISWill you tell me, or are you going to keep smoking that cigarette all night?

Carmen puts out her cigarette.

CARMEN *Why do you want to know? *

Blue (10/14/2013) 9.

FRANCIS *You tried to kill that man, *tonight. And I’, telling you now, *with a certainty, when he wakes up *he’s going to try and hurt you bad, *isn’t he? it’s why you’re running *scared. it’s why I tried looking *for you, if you can understand *that. *

Hold, on Carmen. *

CARMEN *I should have done it. *

FRANCIS *Yes, maybe. But eventually you’ll *get caught, spend your entire life *locked up, it’s not worth it, you *were smart enough to know that. *

CARMEN *What can you do? *

FRANCIS *I don’t know. I’ll do what I can if *you care to tell me what happened. *

She looks out into the parking lot.

CARMENWhere’s your car?

CUT TO:

INT. CAR -- LATE NIGHT. 6 6

Windows down.

Carmen is looking for something in her purse.

CARMENShit, I’m all outta cigarettes... *

Carmen takes a moment.

CARMENLook, I don’t know who you think I am...

Blue (10/14/2013) 10.

FRANCISI never make it my business to judge people I hardly know.

CARMENI’ve done my share of things, ok. *things I would never tell anyone.

FRANCISWe’ve all done things we regret.

CARMENWas he still out?

FRANCIS(nods ‘yes’)

What does he want from you? *

CARMENI owe him money.

FRANCISHow much?

CARMENtwo thousand dollars, I think.

FRANCISHow did you come to owe him that much?

CARMENI used it up.

FRANCISFor what?

CARMENFood and rent.

FRANCIS *Do you use? *

CARMEN *What? *

FRANCIS *Are you on drugs -- *

CARMEN *I know what you’re asking, but why *do you want to know? *

Blue (10/14/2013) 11.

FRANCIS *Just tell me. *

CARMEN *No. I was on Xanax some time ago, I *was sick. But I don’t do that. *

Beat. *

FRANCISWhy don’t you pay him back? *

CARMENNo - I can’t anymore.

FRANCISWhy?

CARMENEven if I could get the money, he wouldn’t care.

FRANCISHow do you know that?

CARMENit’s just the way it is, ok? I’m *telling you. *

FRANCISWhy don’t you go to the police?

CARMENI tried that. *

FRANCISSo, what happened? *

CARMENI’ve been out in the streets *before, you don’t know what that feels like. It’s not so easy, ok? - *he still helps me pay for my *apartment, it’s... I can’t make it *on my own with some shitty job. *No, I’m stuck here, I have nowhere *to go. *

Hold, on Francis.

FRANCISHe beats you to get you to do *things for him. *

Blue (10/14/2013) 12.

CARMENhe gets people to meet me there in *this hotel... *

HOLD on Francis.

FRANCIS *All of that ends tonight, you *understand? *

A lull. *

CARMENHe was out drinking. before he *came, I put him out with the drink *I gave him when he came by. *

FLASH ON -- *

INT. HOTEL ROOM -- NIGHT. 7 7

She frantically reaches into his jeans pockets to look for *money, but instead she takes out a buck knife. *

CARMEN (VO)It didn’t take long for him to pass out. I was gonna take his money and *leave tonight, but he’d spend it *all; he just had fifteen dollars on *him. He probably lost in all in *gambling. It pissed me off -- *

She looks at the buck knife in her hand. *

-- puts it to his throat, breathes very hard, uncontrollably; *HOLD for some time -- *

BACK TO

INT. CAR -- CONTINUOUS.8 8

Hold on, Carmen. sick to herself.

CARMENI need a drink.

FRANCISLast thing you need is a drink.

CARMENyou got any cigarettes?

Blue (10/14/2013) 13.

FRANCISI don’t smoke.

CARMEN *Can you buy some? *

FRANCIS *No. *

CARMEN *I need them, I have this anxiety *thing, ok. *I dunno what to do, I don’t know...

FRANCISyou said you were going to go with *his money. *

CARMENyeah. *

FRANCISwhere? home? in Grainfield? *

CARMENI won’t ever go back.

FRANCISWhy?

CARMENMy mother.

FRANCISyou talked to her, seen her?

CARMENNo, not in a very long time. *

FRANCISwhy? *

CARMENYou don’t know, ok? -- I told you, it’s just me.

FRANCIS *I’m sure she misses you. I’m sure *she’s wondered where you’ve gone *to. *

Beat.

Blue (10/14/2013) 14.

FRANCIShow much money you have on you?

CARMENnothing. just fifteen dollars. *

A lull.

FRANCISsuppose, I gave you the money to go. What then?

CARMENI’ll go away.

FRANCISwhere?

CARMENSomewhere, away from here.

FRANCISYou need some place to stay, or else you’ll be on the streets.

CARMENI dunno then, I dunno.

FRANCISYou can’t run from yourself, Carmen. Your problems, yes - you can get away from that - here and now. But wherever you go, you’ll still be you. Nothing can change that, unless you face things.

you can’t keep making the same mistakes.

CARMENI won’t fuck things up, if you give me a chance, I know it.

I know.

FRANCISI hope you really mean that.

CARMENI do.

Blue (10/14/2013) 15.

FRANCISI will give you some money then, so you can go, but promise me you’ll turn away from these things that you’ve been doing.

CARMENYes...I promise.

FRANCISI have friends in El Campo, they have a church, they welcome new *people. They tried to help my *daughter once. *

A lull. *

FRANCISI can send you some money, until *you find a steady job. A good place to live in, maybe then you could go wherever you like...

what about your things, clothes? *

ANGLE, CARMEN. *

CARMEN *I can get them if you take me. *

EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING -- NIGHT. 9 9 *

ANGLE, Trunk opens, a duffel bag is placed inside. *

ANGLE, TWO SHOT. FRANCIS & CARMEN. *

FRANCIS *Got everything you need? *

Carmen nods ‘yes’. *

CARMEN *Thank you for helping me. *

FRANCIS *I hope you keep your promise, or at *least try. *

CARMEN *I’ll try. *

Blue (10/14/2013) 16.

Francis nods. Closes the trunk -- *

CUT TO: *

EXT. PLAZA SALTILLO -- LATE NIGHT. 10 10 *

They walk out into the plaza, hold. *

FRANCIS *...this is it then. *

CARMEN *Yes. *

FRANCIS *That address I gave you for when *you get there? *

CARMEN *It’s in my purse. *

FRANCIS *Don’t lose it. *

CARMEN *I won’t. *

Hold on Carmen. *

Hold on Francis. *

She embraces Francis. He holds her too, for a long time, *

HOLD. *

FRANCIS *I know, life can be scary *sometimes. Just hang in there, good *things will come along if you only *try. *

CARMEN *no one has ever done something like *this for me. thank you. *

FRANCIS *I know, if someone would have done *the same for my daughter, things *would have been a lot different. *

CARMEN *Thank you. *

Blue (10/14/2013) 17.

FRANCIS *you’ll do fine. you’ll see. never *give up on yourself, even when *everyone around you has. *

Carmen gently nods. *

CARMEN *can you wait with me? *

CUT TO: *

EXT. PLAZA SALTILLO STATION -- LATE NIGHT. 11 11 *

Establishing angle, Carmen and Francis seated. *

Camera comes closer into TWO SHOT... *

CARMEN *Are you married? *

FRANCIS *Fifteen years. *

CARMEN *Do you get sick of it? *

FRANCIS *It’s not easy sometimes, but we *work things out. *

CARMEN *My parents were married for five *years; they got into fights but *after a while they just sat there *like nothing had happened. I didn’t *understand that, but I was glad *they could stay together. *

FRANCIS *Some people are made for each *other, if you ever find that *person, the right person, you’ll *understand why. *

Beat. *

CARMEN *When I woke up in the morning, I *remembered this dream, I remembered *my dream when I was in my *apartment. *

Blue (10/14/2013) 18.

(MORE)

I saw a picture of my mother, I *forgot I had with me, I didn’t even *know why I kept it, but I had it in *my old book. It’s an old picture, *my mother and father and me -- *

She takes out the picture from an old book, shows it to *Francis. *

CARMEN (CONT’D) *My father died when i was 7, he got *so drunk one night and got into a *fight with the cops and they shot *him. He wasn’t violent with me or *my mother, but I remember one night *I woke up late, and he was on the *floor of the living room, *weeping... I walked up to him and *sat down right next to him, I think *he was drunk, but I don’t *remember... he just fell asleep, *and I stayed there... *

FRANCIS *What was your dream about? *

CARMEN *It as about my mother. I was home, *back in Grainfield and I was *walking up the porch of my house *and I heard her calling my name, *her voice was younger, like when I *was just a kid... I was in my *house, and I kept walking toward *her voice, until I reached her *bedroom. When I went in it was dark *but I could still somehow see in *the dark...and I saw her, I saw her *face; she was old and sick, her *eyes were shut, and I couldn’t *speak to her. *

Lull. Carmen in tears... *

IMAGE SLOWLY FADES OUT... *

FADE IN: *

Blue (10/14/2013) 19.

EXT. CEMETERY -- EARLY MORNING.12 12 *

Wide shot of Francis walking through endless graves; he *finally stops, stands before a gravestone where he lays *flowers. *

ANGLE, FRANCIS, MS. *

He kneels before his daughter’s gravestone ‘Rachel Brown’, he *has set fresh flowers...

He gazes upon the gravestone with great retention. *

FRANCISI picked these for you, I know they were your favorite... I came here to tell you, Rachel... I’ve missed you -- I’ve been sick lately, I’ve been sick, and I have cancer... it’s only a matter of time... not long. I haven’t told your mother; *I’d hate to leave her all alone, I *can’t face to tell her. Nothing’s *ever been the same since you’ve *gone away. You left far too soon. *

Francis slowly rises to his feet...

LOW ANGLE AS FRANCIS LOOKS DOWN AT THE FRAME... *

FRANCISSee you soon.

FADE TO BLACK.

Blue (10/14/2013) 20.