Synopsis

Flawless is a psychological drama, the simple story of a man trying to deal with a minor glitch in his apparently perfect life. The story uses a real-life trivial anecdote to set the plot and create the problem for the protagonist to overcome. A deceptively easy solution becomes soon impossible to achieve, while the narrative slowly takes an unexpected turn and reveals our character's deep and very private struggle. The story explores the concepts of fear, frustration and disillusionment that are often associated with a violent and abusive domestic environment.

The story follows a mainly linear structure, although there is some fragmentation of the narrative and a number of flashbacks that result in a stream of consciousness type of narrative. The almost casual surfacing of flashbacks slowly reveals the main character's motivations and gives the whole story a sense of fate and inevitability. The progression of the narrative is initially comfortable and steady, but soon the pace speeds up and becomes more frantic and tense in rhythm.

Director's statement

I had intended to write a story about domestic abuse for some time. I was interested in exploring a difficult, abusive relationship and the suffering involved which is often more psychological than physical. Often the normal day-by-day life routine manages to successfully camouflage such extreme situations within layers of normality. As a writer I was looking for a simple idea that was able to both effectively disguise the cruel reality of the abusive relationship, but at the same time gradually reveal it to its audience. Flawless has the potential to engage the audience as it deals with that delicate balance very well. This makes the message even stronger and more compelling.

Visuals and sound

Visually we want this film to look extremely polished and sophisticated from the first scene. This approach will be complemented by more gritty looking scenes in the flashbacks. The idea is to depict the layer of upper-class ordinariness as an elegant surface under which the authentic story takes place. Also, bright interior scenes in the modern house and the designer furniture shop will alternate with darker and more dramatic, gloomy images when the drama unfolds.

We envision a subtle and atmospheric soundscape filled with natural noises as well as unusual and modern sound treatments. An original and gripping music score will slowly take the audience into the guts of the story, as the tension builds up. Silence will also have a major role, to underline the isolation of our main character.