THE FOREST
THIS FOREST HIDES A SECRET THAT YOU MAY NOT RETURN TO TELL.
STORY BY Daniel Figueiredo
THE FOREST
LOGLINE: Three friends have disappeared in a forest under mysterious circumstances. During the investigation process, controversial facts keep emerging.
TYPE: Feature Film
GENRE: Mystery / Investigative
DURATION: 110 Minutes
TARGET AUDIENCE: Young Adults / Adults
LANGUAGE: English
PRODUCERS: Carolina Brasil / Anselmo Martini / Daniel Figueiredo
PRODUCTION COMPANY: XpandFilms and Stone Horus Media
PROVOCATION
Three friends alone, in the dark, lost in an endless forest. It’s a deadly place, with wild animals and cliffs. However, the reality is that they have not been as alone as they initially thought. These friends become the subjects of a search and extensive investigation when they go missing.
During the investigation, the authorities come across rumors of ancient legends surrounding the very place where numerous people have vanished and met their demise in the past. In this forest lives an enigmatic aged man in a modest wooden cabin with his mentally ill son. On the day of their disappearance, this man said he saw light flashes in the forest. He also heard screams that night and mentioned the area often attracts visitors to participate in rituals of black magic.
The journalist assigned to work on this case instantly suspects that this man is lying to cover up something, while the detective believes the three friends have reason to kill each other.
STORY WORLD
THE FOREST where the expedition of the three characters takes place is in a southeastern region of Brazil, known for its Atlantic Rainforest. It is a dense forest with rock cliffs and climbing spots. This forest holds a series of local tales and mysteries.
This forest has been the site of other mysterious disappearances in the past. There are local legends that portray it as a cursed place. These myths could be actual events or just a cover-up of real-world crimes.
THE CABIN
Along the mountain path, there's a hut where an elderly man lives with his son. Adjacent to the cabin, there's a campsite frequented by travelers who usually set up their tents there.
THE POLICE STATION
During the investigation process, the Police Station is the place for inquiries, interrogations, and witnesses. It's also where the main characters meet.
MAIN CHARACTERS
Chloe and Michael (Mike) Green The couple ventures into the forest for an adventure, but mysteriously vanishes. However, during the invesgation, they eventually reappear.
Thomas Gardner is a close friend of Chloe and Michael. He is excited to join his friends on this journey. A while after they disappeared, Thomas reappeared, and he told his surprising story about the facts that would change the line of investigation.
Diane Curtis is the journalist assigned to work on the coverage of the case. She interviews the residents, the detective, the old man from the cabin, the police chief, and the missing friends. Diane is the main character, as it is through her perspective that the audience will watch the story.
Detective T.C. Scott is the lead investigator in this case. He is the one who interrogates suspects at the police station and interacts with Diane Curtis for the most part. Scott and Diane follow different paths in their investigation, as he doubts the local stories and firmly believes in a criminal act, while she becomes more convinced that there is a mysterious element within that forest.
Old Man in the Cabin (Elmer) Suspicious facts surround the old man. He has a rude and cold personality. The three travelers had set up a tent close to his house, where, in the past, other crimes happened.
Son of the Old Man Oliver has a mental illness, and his behavior leads the police to believe he could also be a suspect. Besides, on the day of the three friends' disappearance, he also disappeared and only returned home a few weeks later.
The Sheriff works at the police station, leading the investigation. He is the one to whom Scott reports all the evidence, and he gives all the orders.
The Mysterious Wanderer
A lone hiker passed the three friends on the day that they disappeared, heading for the uphill path. He is also considered a suspect.
REFERENCE MOVIES
SYNOPSIS
Chloe and Michael are a couple who decided to take a trip to a forest for a mountain hike. They invite their close friend Thomas Gardner to join them.
The locals who live nearby fear that place. They claim that the forest is cursed. In the past, other people disappeared there under suspicious circumstances. But for Chloe, Michael and Thomas this notion appears to be nothing more than a figment of imagination. They ignore all the warnings given to them and proceed straight to the forest.
At the beginning of the trail, there’s a humble cabin where a man lives with his son. The old man gives them a warning to go back home. They ignore it and set their camping tent in a field right next to the house, and then, one day later, they get into the forest. That night, they hear sounds of people walking around their tents, and suddenly they disappear, the three of them. Nobody knows where they are. As a result, the police have initiated a search and are actively looking for witnesses. The media has also shown a great deal of interest in the case. Detective T. C. Scott and journalist Diane have been assigned to collaborate on this investigation.
The police and Diane slowly gather evidence that guides them toward several potential explanations. Certain facts they uncover make them suspect that the old man, his son, the wanderer, or possibly someone else might be involved. Eventually, Thomas appears with an unexpected story.
Thomas says that during that night, while they were inside their tent, they heard the sounds of someone nearby. Thomas stepped out of the tent to investigate, while Chloe and Mike preferred to stay inside. They created a small hole in the tent to be able to watch as Thomas ventured outside. After some time, Thomas returned to his tent, only to find the couple missing. Their tent had been torn apart, and there was blood on the ground.
Thomas ran away and got lost. He injured his ankle and struggled for almost a month until he managed to find his way out of the forest. Once found, he informed the press that his friends were probably deceased, leading him to make the decision to write a book to share his story.
After some time, Chloe also emerges, telling a different story. One of them is possibly lying. Chloe is convinced by a producer to film a documentary and disclose her experience. Detective Scott discovers evidence indicating that Chloe and Thomas could have been in a romantic relationship and might have potentially murdered Michael.
After harboring various suspicions and considering several other potential scenarios, Michael eventually comes forward and accuses Chloe and Thomas of trying to murder him.
The police are almost convinced of the third version of the story, but the forensic team has access to emails revealing that the entire incident had been staged. They were broke and created the situation to make money. They chose the forest because of the local stories about it, knowing that these stories would confuse the police and divert their attention from their fraudulent plan.
PRODUCERS
DANIEL FIGUEIREDO
STORY & PRODUCER
Daniel Figueiredo is a renowned music producer and entrepreneur, recognized as one of Brazil's most accomplished music score composers. He has composed music scores for over 20 TV series, which have been broadcast in more than 150 countries, in addition to numerous films. Notable among his achievements are the successful soundtracks for telenovelas such as “The Mutants: Pathways of the Heart,” “Opposite Lives,” “The Law and The Crime,” “Joseph from Egypt,” “The Promised Land,” and the phenomenal success “Moses and the Ten Commandments.”
CAROLINA BRASIL
PRODUCER
Carolina Brasil was born in Rio de Janeiro and graduated from the University of Miami in 2007. In that same year, she founded a clothing company. As a promising new designer, she was invited to showcase her brand on the runway at Nolcha NY Fashion Week, where she garnered attention as a rising star in the fashion industry. Since then, her brand has gained recognition in the United States for its innovative collections.
ANSELMO MARTINI
PRODUCER
Anselmo Martini is a Brazilian-American producer, director, and experienced attorney who has worked in prominent law firms in Brazil, New York, and Los Angeles. With a wealth of knowledge in law, international affairs, and business, Martini has established his expertise in these fields. He has also been affiliated with the prestigious advertising group, WPP Group, located on Madison Avenue. In Los Angeles, Martini founded the Monarca Group and co-founded Stone Horus Media, while in Brazil, he established Monarca Filmes.