THE SEASON OF MISTS
Script by
Anna Tchernakova and Evgenia Tirdatova
Based on an original idea by Anna Tchernakova
© 2006
This work has been registered with:
Writers Guild of America, West
REGISTRATION # 1155830
EXT. FIELDS NEAR A SMALL ENGLISH VILLAGE - DAY
A green, foggy English countryside with gentle hills
and a valley. An imposing disused viaduct crosses the
valley from left to right, stepping over a road that
leads to an older village whose church steeple and
roofs loom behind the hills. A lonely female figure is
walking along the viaduct.
It's MARINA. She is around forty, has a soft, Slavic
face. She is dressed in a coat and carries a purse.
She steps over a rail and stops. The rails are rusty
but have dark smudges of diesel suggesting that the
track is still used occasionally.
Marina looks ahead, then moves her eyes to the fields
below. The height frightens her.
MARINA
(in Russian)
Oh my God!
She stumbles, regains her balance and steps away from
the abyss.
EXT. LONDON, CAFé NEAR OXFORD STREET
Autumn. A lively narrow street in central London with a
row of small cafes. Despite the cold weather, people
sit at the tables outside. The only tree, surrounded by
an impeccable grey pavement, is silently shedding its
leaves. One leaf lands on a table, narrowly missing a
plate with the left-overs of lunch.
DASHA, Marina's teenage daughter, in that transitional
state when each limb grows at a different mismatched
speed, mindlessly picks up the leaf. Dasha is visibly
bored and during the following scene she is slowly
finishing her pink-coloured smoothie, while at the same
time constantly texting from her mobile.
Marina doesn't notice the leaf and looks across the
table at VALYA, an energetic, cheerful plump woman in
an outfit which is expensive, but a bit too loud.
MARINA
(in Russian,
smiling)
You know, I wouldn't have
recognized you in the crowd! The
haircut - and
(she makes a
gesture, looking
for the word)
the dress - and you've lost
weight!
VALYA
(in Russian,
flattered)
Oh never mind. You know, Dasha
has grown so! She looks exactly
like her…
Valya stops herself and takes a sip of coffee. Changing
the subject, she opens her purse and digs out a book
with a bright shiny cover. She gives the book to
Marina.
Marina opens it, smiles at the dedication hand-written
on the first page, leafs through a few pages and turns
the book around to read the blurb.
MARINA
(surprised)
Thirteenth novel?!
VALYA
What do you think? Two or three
a year, my publishers won't let
me stop... That's what's called
'I happened to be in the right
place at the right time'.
(changing her tone)
And what about you?
MARINA
(evasively)
I write for a small magazine in
English.
VALYA
Wow! Like Nabokov!... And what
about writing in Russian?
MARINA
Ah. Who needs it here?
Dasha gets up silently, leaves her mobile on the table
and walks inside the cafe.
WOMEN watch her.
VALYA
(in a hushed voice)
Does she ever speak about her
father?
MARINA
(sighing)
Never.
She is silent for a moment.
MARINA
I still shake when I think of
that. Blood everywhere.
Valya nods sympathetically.
MARINA
All he wanted was to do things
honestly. But what can you do in
a criminal state!... I am so
grateful that you helped, sold
the flat for me...
VALYA
Forget about it, it's all in the
past.
She looks around for a waiter.
VALYA
More tea?... How come you have
not learned to drink your tea
with milk, you, an English
lady?...
Marian smiles, shrugs. Valya waves to the WAITER.
VALYA
And how's Gregory?
marina
He's fine. Kind, nice...Very good with Dasha, even
spoils her a bit. I don't regret it now. I think I am
lucky.
VALYA
Then why don't you have a baby?
It would be so good for him...
and for Dasha too. . .
MARINA
He can't have children, it's a
long story...but Dasha alone is
enough...a real handful. . .
from HOMELESS With some hesitation, Marina opens her
backpack and takes out a manuscript. She puts it on the
table between herself and Valya.
MARINA
Could I ask you - if it's not
too much trouble? Perhaps you'll
have a chance to show it to
someone in Moscow?
Valya smiles and determinedly takes the manuscript.
VALYA
Don't worry, dear. How can you
call it trouble?!... You helped
me so much at uni. When I think
about it, you were the most
talented in our year, you know!
Marina, embarrassed, shakes her head.
MARINA
Please stop it. By the way,
how's Liliana Sergeevna?
VALYA
(thumbing through
the manuscript)
You won't believe it, but she's
getting younger every day. She
goes on singles chat rooms and
flirts with young men. Has lots
of lectures and seminars, too,
she teaches at three private
colleges. You know how it is
now, they've finally realised
that everyone needs an old pro!
Something on the page attracts her attention, she
silently reads a sentence and laughs.
VALYA
(with interest)
What is it?
MARINA
(with hesitation)
Fairy-tales.
VALYA
(incredulous)
Fairy-tales?
MARINA
Yes. For grown-ups.
VALYA
(puzzled)
OK, why not?... Cruel?
MARINA
Why cruel?
VALYA
Cruel people - cruel fairy
tales.
Marina smiles.
MARINA
Here people are kind.
VALYA
You are crazy. But on
reflection, you've always been
strange. Fairy-tales!
Dasha comes back to the table, picks up her mobile and
starts checking text messages. Valya looks at the girl
with a smile.
VALYA
(loudly)
Daria, why are you ignoring us?
DASHA
(to Marina, in
English)
What?
MARINA
(in English)
Aunt Valya asks why you are
texting all the time and not
joining in the conversation. . .
VALYA
(interrupting)
Mother, why are you acting as an
interpreter?
MARINA
(guiltily)
Well, I do try to speak Russian
to her, but everything around is
in English, so she's being lazy.
. .
VALYA
(cheerfully)
Dashka, you are so big now...it
seems only yesterday that I put
you on a potty. . .
DASHA
(repeats in
Russian)
A potty?
MARINA
(in English)
Valya says that she remembers
you when you were still a baby.
. .
VALYA
(interrupting)
Aunt Valya says that she wants
to give you a treat...Would you
like another dessert?
DASHA
(with interest)
A dessert?
EXT COMMERCIAL STREET IN LODNON, DAY
Marina, Dasha and Valya walk in the crowd. Marina and
Valya walk a bit ahead, talking. Dasha follows behind,
now with MP3 player and earphones.
MARINA
Listen, why don't you come over.
We haven't even had time to talk
properly!
VALYA
Oh I know. . .
(kisses her on the
cheek)
. . .I told you that I'd have to
sit at that silly Forum. I am
not quite sure what I am doing
there. But since they paid for
my ticket. . .
They both laugh.
VALYA
They have a huge program of
future events, so next time I'll
try to get a couple of extra
days and. . .
(cheerfully)
. . .check out your country
life. . .
She slows down and looks at Marina with attention.
VALYA
Are you ok? I mean...are you?
MARINA
Don't worry, I'm really
fine...What about you?
Valya waves her arm, heads forward again.
VALYA
Well, I am just getting on with
my life...I work, and work, and
work...Sometimes, you know,
being alone. . .
(she sighs)
. . .well, there is a guy. . .
(she hesitates,
then shakes her
head)
. . .but it's not important.
(cheerful again)
One has a family, another has a
career. It doesn't all happen
together for some reason. . .
She stops suddenly.
VALYA
Listen, don't you have a
birthday tomorrow?!... Shame on
me, I'd forgotten... and I don't
even have a present!. . .
REVERSE POV
MARINA
Stop it, I don't need any
present.
VALYA
Let's buy you something...some
nice clothes...Look, there's
Miss Selfridge...What do you
fancy?
MARINA
Stop acting like a millionaire.
I've got everything I need.
VALYA
Well, let's at least buy
something for Dasha, eh?
She doesn't wait for an answer, grabs Dasha's hand and
walks her energetically to a display of pullovers and
tops at the entrance to the shop. Dasha turns around
and looks at Marina.
MARINA
(nods and sighs)
Valya wants to buy you a
present. Choose something.
Marina watches Valya and Dasha excitedly looking
through merchandise. Finally, Dasha chooses. Valya pays
and gives the bag to Dasha.
DASHA
(in Russian)
Thank you very much.
VALYA
See, you can speak Russian after
all.
She spreads her arms and hugs Marina and Dasha.
MARINA
Let us at least see you to the
tube.
VALYA
Don't worry. I remember, it's
just around the corner. . .See
you, girls!
(turning round as
she leaves)
And I know who to show your
fairy-tales to, so wait for some
news. . .
She runs across the street.
4. EXT/INT. TRAIN - DAY 4.
The train leaves the outskirts of the city, and there
is now rolling countryside with occasional houses,
power lines, rivers, construction and fields
again...Marina is reading Valya's book. Dasha is
sitting across the table, hidden behind the tacky pink
and silver cover of a teen magazine. Marina sighs and
puts the book aside. Dasha glances at her above the
magazine, thinking.
DASHA
Mum, this friend of yours, Aunt
Vilya. .
MARINA
(correcting her)
Valya. . .
DASHA
Yeaa, Valya, whatever...Is she
rich?
MARINA
She's a writer.
DASHA
You're a writer, too.
MARINA
Well, she writes books, which
everyone in Moscow buys. A bit
like J.K. Rowling. . .
DASHA
Cool!... Mum, how about you
write some proper books too...
(with enthusiasm)
. . .you'll become rich and
famous as well!
Marina doesn't reply and turns away to the window.
5. EXT. SMALL STATION - DAY 5.
As the train slows down along the platform, Dasha
pushes the window down, and sticks out her head. The
only person on the platform is a slightly stooping,
stocky man in a sweatshirt with the logo of a football
club. It's GREGORY. He is in his fifties but looks
strong and healthy, with vivid dark eyes and dark hair.
He looks at the windows of the train. Dasha waves.
Gregory smiles, waves back and walks quickly to the
carriage. . .
Gregory, Marina and Dasha walk along the platform and
go down the ramp, passing through the old building of
the station itself to a place in front where the car is
parked, away from a taxi with a DOZING DRIVER.
GREGORY
Did you have a nice time?
DASHA
Yeaa.
MARINA
Valya says hello.
GREGORY
Thanks. Is she still as...pretty
as she was?
He waves his hand to outline Valya's figure as he
remembers her. Marina laughs and shrugs her shoulders.
MARINA
Almost the same...She writes
thrillers now.
DASHA
(to Gregory)
How was the game?
GREGORY
(turning away from
Marina)
Two-Nil.
6. EXT. SMALL ENGLISH VILLAGE, VILLAGE GREEN - EVENING 6.
Gregory stops the car near a small old brick cottage
facing the village green. Near the house there is a pub
and a bus stop. A bit further on - a corner shop (now
closed), a war monument and the entrance to a miniscule
hairdressers. The village green seems deserted except
for VOICES coming from the pub's door, and a smartly
dressed Indian teenager (PRANAV) who is hanging round
idly at the bus stop. He notices Dasha getting out of
the car, smiles and waves to her. Dasha stops with an
unwelcoming expression. Pranav gestures inviting her to
come closer, but Dasha shakes her head and points to
her parents, who are getting out of the car. She does,
however, go a few steps towards the bus stop before
stopping a safe distance halfway from the car.
MARINA
(Gregory)
Do you know him?
GREGORY
A good boy. Dr. Metha's son.
A bus appears from around the corner, slows down and
stops at the bus stop. The bus is empty except for a
small old man in a cap with a halo of white hair
(DARBY), who nods to Marina and Gregory.
GREGORY
You alright, Darby?
DARBY
Everything's fine, everything's
fine.
GREGORY
How are things at the field?
DARBY
They haven't arrived yet,
haven't arrived yet, but I'm
ready.
GREGORY
Well, you take care.
DARBY
And you too, dear. You too.
He touches the side of his cap in farewell, turns
around and starts towards the pub.
MARINA
Darby!
Darby turns around.
MARINA
I want to write something about
you for the Parish magazine. May
I?
Darby looks puzzled.
DARBY
It's very kind, but there are so
many others...But why?
MARINA
Will you tell me about the
Standing Stone? It's important,
isn't it?
DARBY
Well, if it's so. . .
(looks at Marina
seriously)
Yes it's very important. Very.
The bus is still waiting on the village green, with its
doors open, while Pranav, half-way into the bus, is
quickly tapping a text message. Judging by the actions
of Dasha, who, still a few metres away, is tapping on
her mobile with the same speed, they are sending text
messages to each other. Finally the bus driver, a big
tired-looking man (PETER), loses patience.
PETER
Hey, son, are we going anywhere
today or not?
Pranav nods, finishing his message. Dasha turns around
and walks to the house. Pranav looks at her, then goes
inside the bus.
The bus, looking like a big illuminated fish tank,
drives through the village.
7. EXT. FIELD NEAR THE VILLAGE, STANDING STONE - EVENING 7.
A slightly slanted Standing Stone looms at the top of a
small hill. Darby is sitting by the Stone. He has a
half-finished beer and an old amateur telescope on a
tripod pointed to the sky.
8. INT. GREGORY'S AND MARINA'S HOUSE, BEDROOM - NIGHT 8.
Marina is in bed, her eyes open. Gregory is snoring
softly. He moans in his dream, turns over and puts his
arm around Marina. Marina waits for a moment, then
gently crawls from under his arm. She switches the bed
light on, takes Valya's book from the floor and starts
reading.
The clock on the village church chimes. The darkness
outside the window lifts, giving way to a new day.
9. INT. GREGORY'S AND MARINA'S HOUSE, KITCHEN - MORNING 9.
Wrapped in a warm dressing gown, Marina enters the
kitchen. Dasha, already dressed in her school uniform
and with neatly brushed hair, is at the table, with a
book and a bowl of porridge. A dirty pan, and a jar of
honey with a spoon inside are left on the counter by
the sink. Dasha takes her eyes from the book and looks
at Marina in surprise.
DASHA
You're early! Are you going
somewhere?
MARINA
No. Just can't sleep anymore. .
.
Dasha produces a card and a nicely wrapped package. The
card has a big number 45 on the front.
DASHA
Happy Birthday! You're really
ancient now, but don't be too
upset!
Dasha kisses her on the cheek. Marina smiles and
unwraps the present. It's a book entitled 'Life Begins
After 45'.
MARINA
(shakes her head,
smiling)
Thanks.
While waiting for the kettle to boil, Marina retrieves
the spoon from the honey jar and absent-mindedly licks
it. It's raining outside.
Marina warms her hands on a hot mug, looking out at the
wet garden.
DASHA (OFF SCREEN)
See you.
There is the sound of the slammed door. Marina turns
around. Dasha has left. Marina walks to the front door,
opens it, looks outside. Dasha quickly walks to the bus
stop.
MARINA
Dasha! Dasha!
Dasha turns around.
MARINA
What about your coat?
DASHA
Don't need it.
She turns away and speeds up.
MARINA
Wait!
She throws on a raincoat, wraps it around her dressing
gown and puts her bare feet inside a pair of boots. On
her way out, she stumbles on a nondescript old rug
lying by the front door. Irritated, she kicks it away.
10. INT. VILLAGE, VILLAGE GREEN - DAY 10.
Marina runs out of the house. Holding the raincoat with
one hand, and carrying Dasha's coat in the other,
Marina runs across the square towards the bus stop
where several uniformly-dressed TEENAGERS are getting
inside a school bus.
Marina climbs a few steps and looks inside the bus. The
DRIVER and the teenagers, including Pranav, look at her
with curiosity. Dasha gets off her seat and steps down
to Marina, gently forcing her out of the bus.
DASHA
(whispering with
irritation)
I told you I don't need a coat!
Marina steps back helplessly. The bus drives away.
11. INT. GREGORY AND MARINA'S HOUSE, KITCHEN - DAY 11.
Gregory, in a warm dressing gown similar to Marina's,
is standing by the kitchen counter chewing a piece
toast with jam and looking through the sports pages of
a newspaper. He looks like a big blue teddy bear. He
hears Marina enter the house and looks up.
Fighting tears, Marina puts her raincoat and Dasha's
coat on a hook. She stumbles once again over the rug,
picks it up, opens the door and throws it outside.
GREGORY
Happy Birthday, darling!
He reaches to kiss Marina, but Marina turns away and
goes to the sink to wash her hands.
GREGORY
What's happened?
MARINA
She went without her coat again!
GREGORY
(reconciliatory)
Would you like some tea?
Marina nods, still fighting tears.
MARINA
She'll catch a cold and cough
all winter! I can't stand it. .
..
Gregory puts a cup of tea in front of her. Marina
mindlessly takes a sip.
MARINA
Could you speak to her please?!
If you speak, she'll listen!
GREGORY
Don't worry. She'll toughen up.
When I was a boy I never wore
anything except a tee-shirt. .
..
Marina is silent, and Gregory returns to his newspaper.
GREGORY
(checking football
results)
I've promised to help Jonathan
with the sheep tonight. . .
Marina puts her cup on the table.
MARINA
Can't the sheep wait till
tomorrow?... It's my birthday by
the way.
GREGORY
(lost)
Yes of course, but...I've
already promised, it'd be
embarrassing...But what would
you like to do? We can have
dinner in the pub I suppose. . .
MARINA
(unexpectedly)
I want to go to the theatre.
GREGORY
(puzzled)
The theatre?...
Finally, he takes his eyes off the football page, but
Marina is no longer there, only her dressing gown is
lying thrown on the back of a kitchen chair.