*Released
Logline: Two travelers embark on a journey that will change them forever in the Afterlife.
Synopsis
Matthew and Isabel meet on the train to SFO and realize that all their digital devices are gone. It’s foggy and gloomy with no way to tell what time it is; lack of signage inside the train doesn’t help either.
Isabel attempts to move to another train car and finds that all doors are jammed. Matthew has tried everything and gave up, and this discovery creates an instant bond between them.
With nothing left to do, Matthew opens up to Isabel about his girlfriend’s infidelity, and she brings up her own relationship trauma. There’s an intercom on the wall that wasn’t there at first, so they rush to learn more about their trip from the operator. Something is off. A robotic voice tells them to “be seated until they reach their destination”.
At last, they see a small screen above the intercom, where the news anchor covers local obituaries. Turns out, Matthew jumped off a rooftop the night before, and Isabel overdosed on sleep medication.
“Imagine if we met sooner? - None of this would have happened.” becomes the central dramatic question of the film.
They walk toward the glow seeping from under the train door. It’s dark yet also bubbly, effervescent. Matthew takes Isabel’s hand into his, and together, they dissolve into the shimmering light.
Key Characters
Our characters bond over similar relationship traumas and open up to each other despite their insecurities. A conversation between two strangers evolves into a possibility with a long-term potential where anything could happen… If it wasn’t too late.
Isabel
Main struggles: trust issues, anxiety, relationship insecurity.
Matthew
Main struggles: partner’s betrayal, feeling lost, ground taken from under his feet.
“Increased access to potentially lethal prescription opioids has made it easier for women, specifically, to end their own lives.”
— Sage Journal of Health and Social Behavior
The World
Set in the modern-day San Francisco, Effervescence seeks to understand key struggles people face in their lives.
There are so many reasons to give up on one’s dreams: personal challenges, failed relationships, financial hurdles and more. And yet, most of these issues are temporary.
Temporary issues don’t need permanent solutions.
To anyone struggling: Keep going. You never know what’s waiting just around the corner.
Given the socio-economic situation and the world we live in, now is the perfect time for this message.
Schedule
Behind the Scenes
Core Team
Writer, Executive Producer
Olga Gabris is a Writer, Director and Producer based in the San Francisco Bay. Having spent 10+ years in tech while being a writer-first, she now produces Psychological stories exploring the meaning of life with a focus on mental health.
Production Company
THIRD EYE Media (TEM) provides innovative media solutions for clients in the US, UK, and EU, specializing in workplace strategy, design, and culture. Kaushik Amruthur, the Film Director and Founding Principal of TEM aims to tell compelling stories through media.
Production Company
BraveMaker is a San Francisco Bay Area 501c3 film organization that exists to elevate brave voices for justice, diversity and inclusion. Tony Gapastione is the Founder and the Executive director of BraveMaker. He is a SAG-AFTRA actor and filmmaker writing, producing, and directing film and TV. His life is all about telling stories and collaborating with storytellers.