SYNOPSIS:

HIS MASTER’S VOICE by Erick Alwora The script had a semi-final placing at the StoryPros Screen Writing Competition and received good reviews and coverage from them and the Chair to the UCLA Screenwriting program Synopsis January 2008. The Republic of Kenya is in Political turmoil after a rigged election. The streets are rocked by violent protests against the Government. The police respond with deadly force. A bloody civil war rages pitting tribe against tribe. JOHN WAZIRI, a powerful cabinet Minister a.k.a His Master’s Voice, is out of touch and in denial about the severity and ravages of the on going bloody civil war. His arrogant wife MIRIA is pampered at a Beauty Parlor. Their spoiled children, son JUNIOR and daughter MICHELE, attend an exclusive French School. Assigned a bodyguard and armed security, the affluent family is insulated from the chaos. The family is flying in their personal to the Seychelles for a belated Christmas vacation when the plane crashes in the jungle killing the PILOT. They survive and are whisked to safety by SILVESTER their bodyguard. The plane explodes leaving them with nothing but the clothes on their backs. John Waziri is without his briefcase with his money, identification and medication for his diabetes. A rescue helicopter fails spot the family. Fleeing from BANDITS guarding a large marijuana plantation near their crash site, their bodyguard is killed as they escape across a crocodile infested river that almost claims Miria’s life. They are on their own. They trek through the ‘killing fields’ and witness and live the sights, smells and atrocities of the civil war. Their lifeline becomes a lone hut with a starving grandmother. They have to bury the dead and perform menial chores to put food on the table. On the highway, they meet a severely injured mother from the enemy tribe. She leaves Miria her infant daughter and six year old son before she dies. They soon run into a brutal militia group led by THE BOSS out for vengeance. They set up road blocks to flush out and kill members of the enemy tribe. They also run a refugee camp. As their tribesman, John Waziri is forced to swear an oath to kill the enemy. At the camp, the oath is put to test when The Boss orders him to kill the six year orphan boy. In a tense stand off, a defiant Waziri offers his own life in exchange. As the Boss corks the gun to kill him, John stars to sing the Kenya National anthem. He is joined by all the other refugees. The entire camp rebels against the Boss and his militia. Humbled, the Boss reveals that he too is a victim of the chaos and shows them his horrific burn scars. He and his soldiers leave the camp in a huff. In an act of atonement, sends a stolen bus to return the refugees to the city to escape the advancing warriors. On the road to safety the bus faces various escalating road blocks each increasing in scale. These are manned by menacing mobs baying for their blood. Inside the bus there is corresponding conflict as various factional allegiances clash. Each apportioning blame and responsibility for the political turmoil and bloodletting. There are bare knuckle fist cuffs, with a now disheveled and barefooted Miria as one of the combatants. In what can be best described as a miracle, the disintegrating bus gets them to the city with a bare footed and unrecognizable John Waziri in the driver’s seat when the bus driver collapses at the wheel. The story is a family’s journey from a life of luxury to that of destitution, self discovery, humility and final redemption. Humbled by their experience, the once obnoxious family opens up their mansion, and their hearts to others. The story, a work of fiction is inspired by actual people and events. Two prominent Kenyan Politicians, a now retired top Kenyan Civil Servant and a radio announcer are on trial at the International Criminal Court at The Hague facing charges of crimes against humanity.