In 1960, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has recently been evacuated by Belgian forces in the face of violent uprisings, leaving new Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba's, 35, shaky government to ward off both America and Russia, who contend for the rich natural resources of uranium, diamonds, copper, and cobalt. The capital city of Kinshasa is war-torn and violent, prone to constant uprisings and full of security checkpoints. Fires and gunfights rage day and night.

Narrator: Val Cole

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about? KISS OF DARKNESS tells a love story amid true-life tragedy, bridging the predations of colonialism, the greed of US-Russian intrigue, and the personal struggle of individuals caught up in the not-so-Cold War.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under? Romantic thriller with period/political overtones (and notes of oak, tannins, and shoe leather in the palate)

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie? We are still dealing with both the political ramifications, and the resource predation, in sub-Saharan Africa today. The events shown in KISS OF DARKNESS have affected hundreds of millions over the decades, and there has been virtually no attention paid (or restitution demanded) for the CIA'S role in this tragedy.

4. How would you describe this script in two words? Meticulous mayhem

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life? TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT, CHINATOWN, WINGS OF DESIRE (I know; that's cheating)

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay? A very early draft draft was completed in 2016 and this version was substantially completed in 2021.

7. How many stories have you written? I have completed 5 screenplays (2 produced); 6 full-length plays (2 produced); 4 10-minute plays (2 produced); and am variously working on: several spec screenplays, 2 hour-long pilots, 1 novel, 1 chamber opera libretto

8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?) "What is Hip," "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," "Caravan" (cheating again...)

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay? I was an unproduced screenwriter when I started this project, and even as a produced writer now, it is difficult to gain traction for a nuanced political thriller that is probably at least $5MM below the line. If only I liked writing 'contained, limited-location horror features, max budget $1MM' — 🤪

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about? I am a multi-instrumentalist, and perform in a number of different groups — everything from second line to jazz/funk to kids' music. I'm also a competitive racing navigator with a number of very competitive sailing teams.

11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site? It's not as user-friendly as Coverfly or ISA, but it gets the job done.

12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received? I am passionate about strong female characters, and I'm excited at everything you all are doing to raise the focus on parts for some of the fantastic women actors we have today.