Logline:

While camping in remote northern Australia, a suburban Mum fights to save herself and her nine-year old son when an alien microbe infects her husband - amplifying his violent, controlling nature.

Synopsis:

Office worker KERRY (42), her controlling husband ROB (45) and their diabetic son LIAM (9) are holidaying in Crater Lake National Park when a violent earthquake strikes.

The event unleashes ancient parasites from deep within the earth - alien microbes deposited by a meteor millions of years ago. Rob and the other campers become infected…and the savage parasite makes them slaves to their lizard brains.

The camp quickly descends into a primal and anarchic state. Rob is the dominant male - and he takes control.

But Kerry and Liam escape infection. Caught in heavy rain, they shelter away from the camp with REX (35), an Indigenous park ranger.

Soon all three are hunted - furiously tracked through dense tropical bush and completely cut off from the outside world. Until Kerry is forced to take survival into her own hands.

With Liam’s health failing, she is forced to face Rob and break his iron grip over her...somehow.

An iron grip he has held for decades.

Crater Lake is a powerful sci-fi allegory of domestic violence and coercive control set in Queensland’s wild, primordial north.

Target audience:

Mainstream; 25-34 & 35-44; Male and female

Comps:
Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Invisible Man (2020), Bird Box

Project history:

Submitted to 2020 John Hinde Award for Excellence in Science Fiction Writing (Unproduced Script Category). Progressed to second round of judging.
Selected for the Melbourne International Film Festival ‘Post Script & Direct’ pitching program - 2021.

Stage of development:

First draft.

Request a pitch-deck, and/or read the script.

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Crater Lake (Feature)

While camping in remote northern Australia, a suburban Mum fights to save herself and her nine-year old son when an alien microbe infects her husband - amplifying his violent, controlling nature.