Feature Film
Genre: Thriller
Duration: 90 mins
Writer: Angelo Salamanca
Story Consultant: Susannah Farrow

Synopsis

As a ten year old, PAULA felt responsible for a family death. Now, some years later, she is trying to deal with it the best she can.

Paula has felt alienated from her parents, MR and MRS JENKINS ever since the tragedy. She seeks an avenue to redemption and self-forgiveness and clutches at any semblance of love.

For Paula, “family” comes in the form of QUIN, a twelve year old street kid whom she has taken under her wing. She teaches him to read, makes up songs and sings to him. Quin is there for her as someone whom she can love and be loved unconditionally.

At eighteen, Paula, has for the past two years been working in the sex industry. Much of the work is provided by EDDIE whose ear is always close to the ground. He rents her a dingy flat where she occasionally receives her clients - one of whom is Eddie himself. Eddie resents Paula wasting money and energy on Quin, and looks for any opportunity to separate them. When Quin steals the keys to a car owned by one of Eddie’s friends, Eddie metes out savage punishment.

Paula and Quin hit the road in the stolen car with the intention of visiting Quin’s mum at a country prison. When it transpires that she has unexpectedly disappeared after being paroled, Quin’s need for emotional support becomes even more profound.

On the road, Paula and Quin meet BEN, an apiarist who enjoys sharing his passion for bees and honey. Ben takes an immediate shine to the travellers. But Paula doesn’t feel equipped for “romance” and resolves to return to her parent’s house in Melbourne for temporary sanctuary. Paula intends to escape the sex industry, get settled, and find suitable accommodation in order to officially adopt Quin.

But in the Jenkins home, emotional scars still run deep. The house conjures memories of the fateful incident eight years before. It will take some bridge-building before Paula’s parents will accept both her and the “stray” into their lives. And there’s still Eddie to contend with. He demands that she return to work for him. But Paula wants none of it. Finally, she’s prepared to take desperate measures in order to dump the past and arrive at a fresh start.