Screenplay
SOS United States
Written by Mark Lund
AFIN 2021 Finalist
- 2021
- 120pp
-
USA - English
- Drama
- Political Thriller
- Action
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Synopsis
A state visit by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom turns into a political crisis when the President of the United States learns that a nuclear bomb is on an ocean liner heading to Boston.
Writer's Statement
I have always loved political thrillers, particularly those from the 1960s. When I started writing screenplays, I soon realized that no matter the genre or subject, they live in the world of political thrillers. In SOS United States my aim was to introduce two world leaders into a sea of personal and political conflict. What battles do they need to fight? What must they lose in order to prevail? My inspiration on setting and tone was drawn from Fail Safe (1964) and Seven Days in May (1964). In SOS I wanted to bring the audience directly into the rooms of power with our characters. How are two leaders of the free world dealing with the possible end of that world? Who are their supporters and detractors? I believe character motivations in political thrillers should be as complicated and involved as it is in real life. In this story, my goal was to to keep the audience guessing until the last pages when loyalty and character comes into question for all. I think that’s what makes for a solid political thriller - you don’t know who the enemy is until it’s almost too late.
What makes this one special
- 7 awards at other festivalsChhatrapati Shivaji International Film Festival · Gold Star Movie Awards · Golden Nugget International Film Festival and 4 more
- Programmed at 17 other festivals
Also selected at
7 awards, 2 finalist placings, 8 official selections across 17 other festivals
- WinnerChhatrapati Shivaji International Film Festival
- WinnerGold Star Movie Awards
- WinnerGolden Nugget International Film Festival
- WinnerIndo French International Film Festival
- WinnerLA Live Film Fest
- WinnerToronto Film and Documentary Festival
- WinnerWashington Film Festival
- FinalistArt Film Awards
- FinalistBeyond the Curve International Film Festival
- SelectionAustria International Film Festival
- SelectionBest Global Shorts Film Festival
- SelectionBeyond Earth Film Festival
- SelectionCarolina Short Film and Screenwriting Showcase
- SelectionFrench Independent Film Festival
- SelectionKashi Indian International Film Festival Awards
- SelectionOut of the Can International Film Festival
- SelectionWhite Nights Film Festival
Recorded by the filmmaker on their entry.
Writer's Biography
Mark Lund Writer
Mark Lund is an award-winning filmmaker and magazine publisher. He is also a TV personalilty. From 1993-2004 Lund founded and operated International Figure Skating magazine building it into the world's largest magazine for the sport. As a TV personality, Lund starred on FOX's Skating with Celebrities and has served as a TV analyst for the sport of figure skating since 1994, most notably for CNN during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Lund's first screenplay, First World, a science fiction drama, was nominated for three screenplay awards and later condensed to a short film version that screened in several countries. He is the author of Frozen Assets and First World: Covenant. Lund wrote Justice Is Mind in 2010 and produced a short film version, Evidence, in 2011 that led to the financing of the feature film. Justice Is Mind had its world premiere in 2013 with a limited theatrical run along with screenings at law schools and science fiction conventions around the world. Justice Is Mind's international premiere was on Cunard Line's Queen Elizabeth in 2014. First World, Evidence, Serpentine and Justice Is Mind are available on Amazon Prime and select VOD platforms. Lund’s second feature film, First Signal, is now on the festival circuit with a planned 2021 VOD release. For more information, visit www.markashtonlund.com