BLUE SUICIDE
an OLIVER VALENTE short film
LOGLINE
‘When childhood friends turned organised criminals are ordered to betray each other, a simple exchange reveals the inescapable curse of a mysterious stone’
In an abandoned car park in berlin, far from their homeland, Jasper and Andrew are waiting to make an illicit exchange for the worlds largest Tanzanite. Reluctantly they accept orders to kill Owen, their childhood friend and accomplice, once the exchange is complete. When owen shows up late for the handoff his overzealous personality and cringeworthy naivety only make his pending execution more palpable. As the three await the gem’s vendor they trade tall tales about the mysterious origins of the stone and it’s rumored curse. When the exchange is done and owen’s time is finally up it seems the stone’s curse has struck again. It is he who is there to do the killing.
SYNOPSIS
TRUTH VS. LIES • MYTH VS. FACT • TRUST VS. BETRAYAL• PERCEPTION VS. REALITY • LOYALTY VS. FRIENDSHIP
THEMES
MOODS
JASPER VAN DER KAAP (41)
The son of South African Migrants to Tanzania. His family plied their living in the way they knew best: Farming and big game hunting. Using his bush skills and nature hardened disposition he has climbed the ladder of the organization to a position of leadership and authority. Highly regarded for his cut-throat, sociopathic temperament Jasper is a sword for the organization’s objectives.
CHARACTERS
OWEN PERLESON (29)
Of Norwegian origin, but born and raised in Tanzania as the son of aid workers. A long held self identity with hip hop culture. Entered the world of crime through his older brothers connections and was taken under the wing of the organization after his brothers death. His indiscreet and obnoxious disposition often make him the subject of his colleagues frustration and aggression. He frequently sticks his nose where he shouldn’t.
ANDREW JIWE (35)
Tanzanian born and raised Andrew is the son of Tanzanian diplomats. Formally educated in the United Kingdom his eagerness to return to his home country and carve out a name for himself led him to less than savory pursuits. His practical disposition makes him and excellent and sought after member of this criminal enterprise. Stern but amicable.
The films central macguffin and narrative driving force is a rare and precious stone found only in the foothills of Tanzania’s mount Kilimanjaro. The Tanzanite is unique in a number of key features, namely its ability to display 4 different colors, blue, purple, red and yellow depending on each stones individual characteristics. The deep, rich blue is the most valuable and highly sought after variant.
The particular Tanzanite of this story is the largest ever found weighing in at 9.7 kilograms with a retail value of over 20 million euro. The stone has not been seen publicly since its sale in 2019 and there is mounting speculation as to its whereabouts. the characters of our story have been in pursuit of it for a long time and their search has led them to a small deserted car park in Berlin.
THE STONE
LOCATION
Set entirely in an abandoned dry dock harbor car park in berlin with a majority of the scenes shot in a parked vehicle. The film location is a symbol of solitude, displacement and transition.
CREW
Award winning film, documentary and live television director and cinematographer with over 15 years industry experience in a wide variety of mediums across a multitude of cultures.
OLIVER VALENTE WRITER/DIRECTOR
Award nominated cinematographer with broad cross-genre experiences in different cultural contexts that have shaped his cinematic signature.
ARSENIJ GUSEV CINEMATOGRAPHER
Film-maker and producer with over a decade of experience producing short films and live-streamed digital content.
JENNIFER STOKKA PRODUCER
Extremely talented, experienced and knowledgeable gaffer with over five feature film credits and a plethora of short film and commercial credits.
SERAFIM GUSEV GAFFER
A narrative born from a longing for home and desire for a sense of belonging ‘Blue Suicide’ is an exploration of the mythology that comes from an unintended amalgamation of cultures. Through the depiction of characters that are simultaneously familiar yet unmistakably foreign and by employing cinematic language and iconography that have echoes of the mainstream but overtones of the unknown ‘Blue Suicide’ is an unashamed attempt at delving into a new cinematic landscape.