Screenplay: Atelophobia
Screenplay
FADE IN
INT. HOME KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Two friends are serving themselves a small and simple dinner
ALICE, a pretty high school student, stands over her friend
at the kitchen table and scowls at her friend’s filled plate
ALICE
That’s too much, idiot
VICTORIA, another high school student, looks at her own
plate, drops the serving ladle in shock and placed her head
on her hands in irritation. She picks up her fork, measures
the rice, and cuts it into a smaller square (five by five).
Then also removes two thin slices of cucumber-- making it
six in total.
VICTORIA
Now?
Alice looks at her own plate and back to Victoria’s plate,
quietly comparing them and nods. Victoria puts each of their
plate on opposite ends of the table. After Alice sits down
she counts the amount of food on her plate and realizes
there’s a mistake.
ALICE
THERE’S EIGHT!
Alice flings her plate across the room and watches it fall
to the ground, panting wildly while gripping her own hair.
Victoria rushes next to Alice
VICTORIA
Alice, please stop. You’re scaring
me
Alice visibly calms down, sits back on her chair and serves
herself again while carefully counting the amount of food on
her plate.
ALICE
Thanks for the meal, Vicky
Both continue eating their dinner in silence
CUT TO THE PAST:
SCHOOL HALLWAYS - LUNCH TIME
AMBER, a classmate from Victoria and Alice’s school
AMBER
(Shouting)
Vicky, wait up! You have got to
take her off my hands.
Amber pulls Alice through the hallways and stop in front of
VICTORIA
AMBER
Okay, quick introduction. Alice,
Victoria. Victoria, Alice.
Amber runs out
VICTORIA
H-hi! It’s nice to finally put a
face to the rumors I’ve been
hearing around school.
ALICE
Excellent bone structure. Skin
needs work. You need more sleep.
VICTORIA
What?
ALICE
I was distracted by the bags you
have under your eyes. You need to
sleep.
VICTORIA
UH... I- don’t.. Uhm.. But you..
ALICE
I think I have something for you.
Alice hands over a facial cream in her locker
ALICE
The next time I see you, Sleeping
Beauty better look well rested.
WIPE LEFT:
CUT TO:
2.
VICTORIA’S BATHROOM - EVENING
Victoria is starring into the mirror with a confused
expression and playing around with her face before finally
putting on Alice’s cream. Then shaving her legs all over
again, being careful on detail.
INT. ALICE’S ROOM - AFTERNOON (A FEW WEEKS LATER)
ALICE
Don’t you ever wonder how great it
would be if we were perfect?
VICTORIA
To answer your question, again. No,
you know it’s unattainable. And as
people grow older, it becomes
harder for us to keep the wrinkles
off of our faces, and the gray hair
from our head. Why even bother.
ALICE
It’s just... I was thinking that
true perfection is possible if we
put in enough effort. The word
flawlessness came from somewhere
and it exist for a reason.
VICTORIA
(Sigh)
It’s easy for you to say, Alice
ALICE
Hey, don’t say that.
VICTORIA
I’m telling you, it’s impossib-
ALICE
Come on, I’ll prove to you that I’m
right and you can try to prove me wrong. It won’t kill anyone and it’ll be fun.
3.
CUT TO:
INT. DAY - ALICE’S ROOM
SWISH PAN AND CLOSE UPS
MONTAGE
-Beauty products and makeup are scattered on a counter
-Alice applies makeup on Victoria’s face.
-Alice fixes Victoria’s hair with hairspray
END MONTAGE
FADES OUT TO PRESENT:
INT. VICTORIA’S BATHROOM
Alice and Victoria are both starring at their thin bodies in
the mirror.
VICTORIA
I can’t believe you were right
about it.
ALICE
Of course I’m right, I knew I would
be right all along.
VICTORIA
How did you know?
ALICE
Just needed to know the right way
to achieve that perfection.
Alice looks at Victoria through the mirror and sees two
ugly, black circles under her bloodshot eyes. In shock,
Alice turns to Victoria’s face and examines her closely but
finds nothing wrong.
ALICE
Y-you’re eyes...
VICTORIA
Alice? What’s wrong with my eyes
ALICE
N-nothing... I-I think you need to
take care of your dark circles
again. Their starting to appear
again.
(CONTINUED)
4.
CONTINUED:
5.
VICTORIA
Really? You’re lying...
ALICE
Maybe, maybe not. But I’m not lying
when I say your eye proportions are
a bit off and your lips are too
chapped and thin.
VICTORIA
You want to do this again? Fine.
Have you ever noticed how your chin
drooped more than it should and the
bridge of your nose is too flat.
ALICE
Ursula was right, you know? Ariel
didn’t need her voice. Eric still
fell for her. She was so lucky to
have her looks and her pretty face.
Beauty is all you need.
VICTORIA
Well, you’re pretty too!
Victoria abruptly hugs Alice and leans her head on her
shoulder
ALICE
You’re so beautiful, Victoria
VICTORIA
Liar
ALICE
Am I beautiful?
VICTORIA
Incredibly
VICTORIA (V.O)
At this point, in our minds we
created our own world where we were
the normal ones and everyone else
were the sicks one. In our eyes, we
were the most beautiful.
SCHOOL CAFETERIA
ANGLE ON FOODS AT THE TABLES:
VICTORIA (V.O)
We can only decline lunch so many
times before people started
accusing us of being too skinny. Of
course that’s not true. There’s no
such thing as being too skinny.
SCHOOL BATHROOM - NOON
Alice slams the door shut, after Victoria steps in, then
walks towards the sink to drink tap water as quickly as she
could for about a minute. Then she empties out the contents
of her stomach.
FAVORED ON: VICTORIA
After she was done, Alice looks at Victoria and invites her
to do the same. After swallowing the tap water from the
sink, Victoria walks towards the same bathroom stall as
Alice and kneels in front of the bowl
ALICE
Open up wide, Ahh...
VICTORIA
I-I can do it myself, Alice
ALICE
I like helping you with things like
this.
INSERT: TOILET’S LEVER
Victoria starts throwing up while Alice rubs comforting
circles on her back and helps her flush the toilet.
ALICE
Better?
Yes, thank you.
VICTORIA
6.
VICTORIA’S BATHROOM (FLASHBACK)
ANGLE ON MIRROR:
While she’s looking into the bathroom mirror, she distracts
herself by plucking out unwanted hair from her scalp.
MUFFLED VOICES
I’m the one who’s making you
perfect... So listen to me...
A doppelganger appears on the mirror with heavy make up
starring back at her with a smirk
MUFFLED VOICES
Your eye proportions are a bit
off... Your lips are too chapped
and thin...Open up wide.
Victoria screams and rushes back to her bedroom
VICTORIA’S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS (FLASHBACK)
Victoria makes a mess in her room. A pair of black hands
appear to stroke her back.
MUFFLED VOICES
Victoria...Victoria...Victoria...You need more sleep... You need to sleep right now!
The black hands push Victoria and she knocks her head on a
chair.
Victoria faints
VICTORIA’S BEDROOM- MORNING (PRESENT)
WHITE FLASH TO:
PAN: AROUND THE MESSY BEDROOM BEFORE SETTLING ON VICTORIA’S
BED
Victoria is talking on the phone with Alice
VICTORIA
(Whispers)
I keep hearing voices. Am I going
crazy?
(CONTINUED)
7.
CONTINUED:
8.
ALICE (OVER PHONE)
I guess Sleeping Beauty needs a
break from Snow White’s magic
mirror. It’s unhealthy.
DIAL TONE is heard
VICTORIA’S HOME - AFTERNOON
Victoria receives a phone call from Amber
AMBER (OVER THE PHONE)
Victoria! Alice is at the hospital,
right now. Her parents told me that
she’s severely malnourished. Do you
know about this?
PAN AROUND VICTORIA:
VICTORIA
Malnourished? I hope her parents
realizes that she shouldn’t be
locked away in hospital beds.
AMBER (OVER THE PHONE)
Vicky, what are you talking about?
She’s really sic-
VICTORIA
Don’t lie to me! It’s disgusting!
Victoria tosses the phone away
VICTORIA (V.O)
She’s perfect, of course Alice
isn’t sick. Sickness wasn’t
perfection. Death wasn’t
perfection.
VICTORIA’S KITCHEN - EVENING
ZOOM IN:
The home phone disturbs the house. Victoria picks it up.
Hello?
VICTORIA
AMBER
It’s about Alice... S-She d...died.
Victoria ends the call
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
9.
VICTORIA (V.O)
Twenty five centimeters squared of
rice. Six slices of cucumbers.
That’s what she taught me
VICTORIA (V.O)
Alice would definitely be back
tomorrow because perfection never
dies.
Victoria prepares her small dinner and measures her rice and
counts the slices of cucumbers carefully before sitting
herself down to eat.
VICTORIA
Thanks for the meal, Alice.
THE END.
FADE IN
INT. HOME KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Two friends are serving themselves a small and simple dinner
ALICE, a pretty high school student, stands over her friend
at the kitchen table and scowls at her friend’s filled plate
ALICE
That’s too much, idiot
VICTORIA, another high school student, looks at her own
plate, drops the serving ladle in shock and placed her head
on her hands in irritation. She picks up her fork, measures
the rice, and cuts it into a smaller square (five by five).
Then also removes two thin slices of cucumber-- making it
six in total.
VICTORIA
Now?
Alice looks at her own plate and back to Victoria’s plate,
quietly comparing them and nods. Victoria puts each of their
plate on opposite ends of the table. After Alice sits down
she counts the amount of food on her plate and realizes
there’s a mistake.
ALICE
THERE’S EIGHT!
Alice flings her plate across the room and watches it fall
to the ground, panting wildly while gripping her own hair.
Victoria rushes next to Alice
VICTORIA
Alice, please stop. You’re scaring
me
Alice visibly calms down, sits back on her chair and serves
herself again while carefully counting the amount of food on
her plate.
ALICE
Thanks for the meal, Vicky
Both continue eating their dinner in silence
CUT TO THE PAST:
SCHOOL HALLWAYS - LUNCH TIME
AMBER, a classmate from Victoria and Alice’s school
AMBER
(Shouting)
Vicky, wait up! You have got to
take her off my hands.
Amber pulls Alice through the hallways and stop in front of
VICTORIA
AMBER
Okay, quick introduction. Alice,
Victoria. Victoria, Alice.
Amber runs out
VICTORIA
H-hi! It’s nice to finally put a
face to the rumors I’ve been
hearing around school.
ALICE
Excellent bone structure. Skin
needs work. You need more sleep.
VICTORIA
What?
ALICE
I was distracted by the bags you
have under your eyes. You need to
sleep.
VICTORIA
UH... I- don’t.. Uhm.. But you..
ALICE
I think I have something for you.
Alice hands over a facial cream in her locker
ALICE
The next time I see you, Sleeping
Beauty better look well rested.
WIPE LEFT:
CUT TO:
2.
VICTORIA’S BATHROOM - EVENING
Victoria is starring into the mirror with a confused
expression and playing around with her face before finally
putting on Alice’s cream. Then shaving her legs all over
again, being careful on detail.
INT. ALICE’S ROOM - AFTERNOON (A FEW WEEKS LATER)
ALICE
Don’t you ever wonder how great it
would be if we were perfect?
VICTORIA
To answer your question, again. No,
you know it’s unattainable. And as
people grow older, it becomes
harder for us to keep the wrinkles
off of our faces, and the gray hair
from our head. Why even bother.
ALICE
It’s just... I was thinking that
true perfection is possible if we
put in enough effort. The word
flawlessness came from somewhere
and it exist for a reason.
VICTORIA
(Sigh)
It’s easy for you to say, Alice
ALICE
Hey, don’t say that.
VICTORIA
I’m telling you, it’s impossib-
ALICE
Come on, I’ll prove to you that I’m
right and you can try to prove me wrong. It won’t kill anyone and it’ll be fun.
3.
CUT TO:
INT. DAY - ALICE’S ROOM
SWISH PAN AND CLOSE UPS
MONTAGE
-Beauty products and makeup are scattered on a counter
-Alice applies makeup on Victoria’s face.
-Alice fixes Victoria’s hair with hairspray
END MONTAGE
FADES OUT TO PRESENT:
INT. VICTORIA’S BATHROOM
Alice and Victoria are both starring at their thin bodies in
the mirror.
VICTORIA
I can’t believe you were right
about it.
ALICE
Of course I’m right, I knew I would
be right all along.
VICTORIA
How did you know?
ALICE
Just needed to know the right way
to achieve that perfection.
Alice looks at Victoria through the mirror and sees two
ugly, black circles under her bloodshot eyes. In shock,
Alice turns to Victoria’s face and examines her closely but
finds nothing wrong.
ALICE
Y-you’re eyes...
VICTORIA
Alice? What’s wrong with my eyes
ALICE
N-nothing... I-I think you need to
take care of your dark circles
again. Their starting to appear
again.
(CONTINUED)
4.
CONTINUED:
5.
VICTORIA
Really? You’re lying...
ALICE
Maybe, maybe not. But I’m not lying
when I say your eye proportions are
a bit off and your lips are too
chapped and thin.
VICTORIA
You want to do this again? Fine.
Have you ever noticed how your chin
drooped more than it should and the
bridge of your nose is too flat.
ALICE
Ursula was right, you know? Ariel
didn’t need her voice. Eric still
fell for her. She was so lucky to
have her looks and her pretty face.
Beauty is all you need.
VICTORIA
Well, you’re pretty too!
Victoria abruptly hugs Alice and leans her head on her
shoulder
ALICE
You’re so beautiful, Victoria
VICTORIA
Liar
ALICE
Am I beautiful?
VICTORIA
Incredibly
VICTORIA (V.O)
At this point, in our minds we
created our own world where we were
the normal ones and everyone else
were the sicks one. In our eyes, we
were the most beautiful.
SCHOOL CAFETERIA
ANGLE ON FOODS AT THE TABLES:
VICTORIA (V.O)
We can only decline lunch so many
times before people started
accusing us of being too skinny. Of
course that’s not true. There’s no
such thing as being too skinny.
SCHOOL BATHROOM - NOON
Alice slams the door shut, after Victoria steps in, then
walks towards the sink to drink tap water as quickly as she
could for about a minute. Then she empties out the contents
of her stomach.
FAVORED ON: VICTORIA
After she was done, Alice looks at Victoria and invites her
to do the same. After swallowing the tap water from the
sink, Victoria walks towards the same bathroom stall as
Alice and kneels in front of the bowl
ALICE
Open up wide, Ahh...
VICTORIA
I-I can do it myself, Alice
ALICE
I like helping you with things like
this.
INSERT: TOILET’S LEVER
Victoria starts throwing up while Alice rubs comforting
circles on her back and helps her flush the toilet.
ALICE
Better?
Yes, thank you.
VICTORIA
6.
VICTORIA’S BATHROOM (FLASHBACK)
ANGLE ON MIRROR:
While she’s looking into the bathroom mirror, she distracts
herself by plucking out unwanted hair from her scalp.
MUFFLED VOICES
I’m the one who’s making you
perfect... So listen to me...
A doppelganger appears on the mirror with heavy make up
starring back at her with a smirk
MUFFLED VOICES
Your eye proportions are a bit
off... Your lips are too chapped
and thin...Open up wide.
Victoria screams and rushes back to her bedroom
VICTORIA’S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS (FLASHBACK)
Victoria makes a mess in her room. A pair of black hands
appear to stroke her back.
MUFFLED VOICES
Victoria...Victoria...Victoria...You need more sleep... You need to sleep right now!
The black hands push Victoria and she knocks her head on a
chair.
Victoria faints
VICTORIA’S BEDROOM- MORNING (PRESENT)
WHITE FLASH TO:
PAN: AROUND THE MESSY BEDROOM BEFORE SETTLING ON VICTORIA’S
BED
Victoria is talking on the phone with Alice
VICTORIA
(Whispers)
I keep hearing voices. Am I going
crazy?
(CONTINUED)
7.
CONTINUED:
8.
ALICE (OVER PHONE)
I guess Sleeping Beauty needs a
break from Snow White’s magic
mirror. It’s unhealthy.
DIAL TONE is heard
VICTORIA’S HOME - AFTERNOON
Victoria receives a phone call from Amber
AMBER (OVER THE PHONE)
Victoria! Alice is at the hospital,
right now. Her parents told me that
she’s severely malnourished. Do you
know about this?
PAN AROUND VICTORIA:
VICTORIA
Malnourished? I hope her parents
realizes that she shouldn’t be
locked away in hospital beds.
AMBER (OVER THE PHONE)
Vicky, what are you talking about?
She’s really sic-
VICTORIA
Don’t lie to me! It’s disgusting!
Victoria tosses the phone away
VICTORIA (V.O)
She’s perfect, of course Alice
isn’t sick. Sickness wasn’t
perfection. Death wasn’t
perfection.
VICTORIA’S KITCHEN - EVENING
ZOOM IN:
The home phone disturbs the house. Victoria picks it up.
Hello?
VICTORIA
AMBER
It’s about Alice... S-She d...died.
Victoria ends the call
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
9.
VICTORIA (V.O)
Twenty five centimeters squared of
rice. Six slices of cucumbers.
That’s what she taught me
VICTORIA (V.O)
Alice would definitely be back
tomorrow because perfection never
dies.
Victoria prepares her small dinner and measures her rice and
counts the slices of cucumbers carefully before sitting
herself down to eat.
VICTORIA
Thanks for the meal, Alice.
THE END.