Screenplay

GIRL ALMIGHTY! CATHERINE WIGNALL

6TH OCT In a world where Hollywood movies continue to churn out sexist drivel, one girl fights to change the status quo . . . ACT ONE With front row tickets to the sequel of her favourite feminist blockbuster, DAISY REYNOLDS is ready to watch ROXY BLOODGOOD - kickass feminist warrior - take the world by storm. Unfortunately, Hollywood has other ideas. After watching Roxy brutally die on screen, all to generate pain for the male protagonist to angst over, Daisy is furious. Once again, she’d got her hopes up for nothing. Once again, she’d watched a woman die at the hands of a man. Daisy’s family don’t understand her anger. People die in stories. It’s not a big deal. They don’t understand what it’s like to watch yourself be marginalised again and again. It’s just the status quo. Only KAREN, Daisy’s Best Friend Forever, understands what she’s going through. Karen and Daisy get each other on a spiritual level. Same favourite movie (Legally Blonde), same fave boyband (One Direction, duh); and same weird favourite food snack (peanut butter and ketchup sandwiches, naturally). While ranting about the film helps, Daisy decides there’s only one thing they can really do: become filmmakers and change everything. Karen soon puts a pin in that. No one from their tiny town is ever going to make it to Hollywood. Dejected, Daisy agrees. For now. INCITING INCIDENT Aspiring director Will is spending his school vacation directing his own movie in order to enter it into the Rising Film Stars Competition. Of course, he sees no problem with murdering off a scantily clad woman in his opening scene. Daisy does, though, especially when she learns it’s for a film competition. After a loud and public argument with Will, Daisy declares that she’s going to enter the competition herself.

She’s not going to let another man murder a woman on screen and be praised for it. No way in hell. She’s going to enter this competition and stop Will. Will laughs; he’s been interested in film all his life: there’s no way Daisy’s a threat to him. Unfortunately, Karen takes some persuading. She doesn’t want to encourage Daisy’s feud with Will and thinks the whole thing is a fool’s errand. Though Daisy doesn’t realise it, Karen’s secret feelings for Daisy are the deciding factor; in the end, she’ll always choose Daisy and support her stupid schemes, no matter how stupid she thinks they are. ACT TWO While trying to recruit people for their film, the girls see Will tease FLO, a girl from school, for how she looks. Taking pity, Karen tries to bond with her: her efforts fail until she mentions that they’re trying to beat Will in a film festival. Flo immediately signs up as their first recruit. Trying to raise awareness of her filmmaking efforts, Daisy makes a facebook video that is soon turned into a meme and used to mock her. Nevertheless, girls still turn up to audition. They’re weird, overlooked, misfit girls, but, as far as Daisy’s concerned, they’re perfect. Daisy finds her leading lady in WINNIE CHEN, the only Asian girl in town. Winnie’s brother MARCO warns her that she’ll just be cast as the Sexy Asian or the Nerdy Asian but Winnie believes in Daisy’s vision. With her cast assembled, Daisy just needs one final piece: a guy to play the villain. Her brother, DYLAN, seems like the perfect victim, but there’s no way in hell he’s agreeing. That is until their dad agrees to help him with a downpayment on a car. Angry and frustrated to be hanging out with his sister, Dylan reluctantly agrees. Karen and Daisy start to confront the unaddressed feelings they have for each other, culminating in a cheesy kiss as they listen to their favourite boyband. However, their budding relationship is soon in jeopardy as Daisy lets the pressure of the film and her fixation on beating Will get to her. When her editor, LOTTIE (Flo’s sister), agrees to work on Will’s film as well as Daisy’s, Daisy fires her; she won’t

have any fraternisation with the enemy. Daisy becomes more and more isolated from her cast and crew. Meanwhile Dylan, still angry, spitefully stirs the pot, asking Winnie if she minds that her character is basically a ninja. Realising that she’s the “token Asian” she always feared, Winnie breaks down on set. MIDPOINT When Winnie tries to quit, Daisy is completely blindsided, and it’s only Karen who is able to save the day by listening to Winnie’s concerns and helping her turn the role into something she’s comfortable with. Instead of being grateful, Daisy is upset that Karen felt she could change the script without consulting her. They argue and Daisy demotes Karen from co-director. In retaliation, Karen quits. Angry and spiteful, when Daisy bumps into Lottie she spitefully asks what it’s like to sleep with her sister’s tormentor. Lottie is clearly blindsided – she had no idea Will bullied Flo. Frustrated with the film and her cast’s unhappiness at Karen’s departure, Daisy has almost hit rock bottom. She changes Karen’s original ending – which saw the girls overcome darkness because of their friendship – and makes it angrier and bloodier, despite the advice of everyone else. Lottie comes to her and offers to sabotage Will’s film; Daisy agrees. Seeing Will and Karen talking in the park, she immediately assumes Karen is joining his team; Will encourages the idea, taunting her until she punches him. Finally finding a release for her anger, Daisy doesn’t stop punching him until someone drags her away. Will doesn’t press charges, but her parents ground her and almost stop her from working on the film until her brother agrees to supervise her at all times. Alone, and too stubborn to admit she made a mistake, Daisy soldiers on with the film, though the original camaraderie she felt with the cast and small crew has now disappeared completely. Finishing the last day of shooting doesn’t bring Daisy the joy she thought it would; she just wishes Karen was with her. To rub salt into the wound, Daisy sees part of Will’s finished film and realises it’s good. Maybe good enough to win. Realising she needs to make amends, she apologises to Karen. Despite this, Karen won’t return to the film; she’s not willing to watch Daisy’s anger consume her.

Absolutely heartbroken, she realises she’s lost not only her friends but her best friend and possible girlfriend; she’s the talk of the town for beating Will bloody; her parents are ashamed of and disappointed in her; she put the film in jeopardy; her brother has to babysit her wherever she goes; and Will is a genuinely talented human being. Everything she cared about is in pieces. ACT THREE Daisy starts to understand that lashing out hasn’t helped her; instead of being angry, she’s going to be a force for good. She tells Lottie not to sabotage Will’s film: she’s going to compete against him fair and square. She sets up a blog showing other young girls how to make their own films; it attracts a following. When it comes to submitting the film to the competition, Daisy includes Karen’s name as co- creator/director alongside her own. Against all odds, their film makes it through to the finals and she receives an invitation to the awards ceremony. She attends with her family, and is reunited with a cast that is willing to forgive her. Unfortunately, she can’t find Karen. As the finalist films screen, we see that Will’s film really is great. During a break he taunts Daisy but – to the surprise of everyone – she doesn’t react. When Daisy’s film plays, we realise that Daisy restored Karen’s original ending. Overwhelmed with the realisation that Karen isn’t here for this moment, Daisy rushes to the bathroom. As she tries to calm down, Karen enters. Daisy is overjoyed and apologises once more. She’s tired of being so angry: she knows now that she can’t live her life fuelled by hate. She needs to use her anger to create good things and empower others, not lash out at those who challenge her. Karen is a force for good in her life, and she never wants to lose her. Reconciled, the girls rejoin the ceremony together, reassuring each other that whatever happens with the film, it’ll be okay. However, they both cross their fingers and wait. Will’s film wins. Daisy looks like she might punch something, but she doesn’t. It’s okay. She’s proud of their film, and Will’s success doesn’t take away from that. A final surprise award is announced: Future One To Watch – to be presented by ANDREA TRENGA, the actress who plays Roxy Bloodgood. Daisy and Karen look

at each other: this can only mean one thing. And they’re right – they win. Thrilled, they take the stage: together, they know they can do anything. After the ceremony, they check their social networks to find thousands of messages from young women and girls celebrating them and wanting to go out and make their own films; Daisy’s blog has gone viral. Without realising it, the girls have started a movement. Finally, the girls have achieved what they wanted: they’re making a difference. In a final scene, Daisy and Karen are in a meeting about a new film, feeling on top of the world as they’re praised for ‘Girl Almighty’. They’re a little older now, but still full of their youthful enthusiasm. Then an exec turns to them and asks: “What if the woman dies?” Karen and Daisy look at each other. They’ve won a battle, but not the war. Seems like they’ve got work to do. Look out, Hollywood. Here they come.