Submitted for the BIFF Short Film Screenwriting Workshops

 

Have you ever felt trapped? In a city, a situation, or an environment where the only way out is to look up at the sky? This script was born from that intimate sense of urgency.

 

On June 4, 2024, I visited the Tate Modern in London, where I came across Portrait of Maria Marc (Franck) (1906), by Expressionist painter Franz Marc. From the very first moment, I imagined this young aviator longing to discover what the world had in store for him. During my third winter in Europe, while writing one of my undergraduate final projects, I experienced the harshness of winter—not only because of the physical cold, but also because of the hostility and isolation created by the lack of sunlight. From the combination of my desire to escape an endless winter, my fascination with the painting’s aesthetic, and my inherited interest in airplanes from my father, I developed Frank’s obsession: a visceral need to escape from a town buried beneath clouds and surrounded by mountains.

 

This is not simply a story about flying machines; it is a reflection of my own search for freedom and a message of encouragement to those who feel trapped and dream of something beyond their reality. Beyond its focus on airplanes, El Aviador is a conceptual exploration of liberation and the emergence of solidarity through personal growth. Frank and Neyla represent two different forms of confinement. Frank is a young inventor who embodies the classic traits of an misunderstood and isolated adolescent. Neyla, on the other hand, is trapped in a mystical captivity connected to the disappearance of the sun and driven by a purely altruistic desire.

 

The project has evolved significantly since its academic conception. I abandoned the idea of a physical antagonist—the “Storm King” from my earliest drafts—in order to focus on the human conflict and the consequences of living in a hostile environment. The heart of the script lies in this confrontation: a young man’s realization that, in order to fly and heal, he must help someone else break free from their chains. The struggle for freedom is always collective. The environment itself acts as an active character. From the script stage, I aim to establish a strong contrast between a yellowish town muted by gray and bluish clouds and Neyla’s appearances, filled with brightness, color, and saturation. Animation is the ideal medium for bringing this universe to life, as it gives us complete freedom to explore the movement of the aircraft and create unique visual textures within the clouds.

 

This script has gone through several rewrites since its earliest versions were presented to La Fémis juries. In response to their criticism regarding the initial disconnect between the protagonists, the current version gives their relationship the necessary space to develop. However, the BIFF Screenwriting Workshop represents an ideal opportunity to confront the project’s current weaknesses. I need to work further on the second act in order to deepen the emotional layers between Frank and Neyla and make Frank’s final turning point feel organic and emotionally earned. I am also seeking guidance to refine the dialogue surrounding the conflict with his father, giving greater weight to the subtext of his absent mother. The project is at a precise point in its development: solid at its core, but still flexible enough to be shaped by an experienced perspective.

 

I hope this story can move audiences and return to them some of the warmth we all need on a cloudy day. I hope Frank’s determination can inspire them, just as it inspired me when I needed it. Just as Frank never gave up on his airplanes, I will never give up on his story.