This sparked the basis for this story. I wanted to make a film about a boy and his biggest fear, however I didn’t want to tell your traditional coming-of-age tale. Not directly. I wanted a story about a boy versus his “inner-demons” and where those “demons” originated.
Therefore, I decided to ask people from all walks of life a mere question: Where did your fears stem from when you were younger? What was the root for your nightmares and how did you overcome those fears? Through this research, I received the expected answers – scary stories, horror movies, weekly television series, etc.
However, that being said, several answers I wasn’t expecting emerged. A few sources revealed that their personal family drama served as a catalyst for the fears. Whether it was divorce, abuse, or an absent parent, these revelations proved that it’s not only a wandering imagination that causes a child’s “inner-demon” to be revealed.
That’s my intention with this film. When does reality seep so deep into a child’s subconscious it begins to take on a completely different form? And who’s actually telling the truth – the child or the parent?
There’s so much more conflict hiding in the deep shadows than just a child’s fear. As adults, we may be too preoccupied with everyday life to notice. Yet, to a child, there may just be something even bigger disguised underneath. Perhaps it’s purely an idea, or a heightened imagination. Or perhaps, it really is a monster…
- Elias Benavidez
Writer/Director
2010
