GRADUATION

Written by

BEN YAMINE H.BEN YOUSSOUF

Instagram: benyamine_de.mandza
X: benyamine_h
 FADE IN:

INT./EXT. HALLWAY/HOSPITAL - DAY

We're behind a guy, dressed with graduation clothes. We
follow him... go past him. We are now in front of him. He's
young mid 20s. He's coming towards us. Panting. His pants is
cut half on the left leg. This same leg wears a bandage. For
the part of the graduation gown that is not black, it's all
stained with red... well with BLOOD.
He hardly walks along the hallway.
Gets outside, continues going out of the hospital.
People look. Shocked.
The young man continues, and starts saying...
YOUNG MAN
(in pain)
Where are they? ... Did they start?
He keeps repeating that and gradually losing speed. Until he
collapses to the ground but still repeating the same words.
Now, we can feel more of the physical pain he's experiencing
given his facial expressions and how his voice comes out.
A couple of nurse arrives to him pushing a movable bed. They
pick him up and put him in the bed. He keeps on saying the
same thing.

INT. CAR - SAME

An old couple 60s gets in their car, they reacts to the sight
of all that.
OLD WOMAN
My god! What happened to that kid?
They see a health carer passing by.
OLD MAN
(to health carer)
Hey, young lady.
(the health carer
approaches to their car)
What-what happened to that kid?
 2.

HEALTH CARER
Uh, He... he is the unique survivor
of a tragic accident that happened
earlier today.
OLD WOMAN
My god! An accident?
HEALTH CARER
Yeah, they were five students.
Apparently they were heading to
their graduation ceremony and got
hit by a truck.
OLD MAN
(to health carer)
Thank you.
(to her wife)
That's terrible.
OLD WOMAN
My god! Their families.

SUPER: "GRADUATION"

INT. DORM ROOM - DAY

Two young men wearing suits are in there.
One is lying on the bed watching graduation celebrations. His
name is GEOFREY (White, 23).
The other one sits at table, reading quietly a paper he's
holding. This is the young man we saw in the opening scene.
This is JALEEL (biracial, 24).
Another young man enters the room, wearing a graduation gown
over a gray suit and a graduation cap. This is Reginald aka
REGGIE (26, white). Ears and nose are pierced. You have the
feeling he wish he was a girl.
REGGIE
Guys, you still not dressed?
GEOFREY
We're boys, man. Anytime you want
us ready we'll be ready.
REGGIE
He Jaleel, do you agree with that?
How the speech going,
valedictorian?
 3.

Jaleel nods, greeting.

REGGIE (CONT’D)
Ah, busy. No words, sorry your
honor.

Jaleel gives him a look.

Reggie gets in front of a mirror, looking at himself, fixing

this and that.

Geofrey starts laughing.

REGGIE (CONT’D)
What is it? You think I'm doing too
much?
GEOFREY
You're not the center of the world,
Reggie.
(then)
Come see this.

Geofrey changes position to sit at the end of the bed. Reggie

joins him.

ON THE PHONE SCREEN: It's a compilation of graduation

celebration by students. A student is called. He comes and
does the Cristiano Ronaldo Siuuuu. Another one follows and he
does the Billie Jean dance.

REGGIE
No one did mine. The RKO. You
remember how it's done, right?
(Off Geofrey, confused,
then)
You'll play the opponent.

GEOFREY
What?
REGGIE
Yeah, I need an opponent and you're
the best qualified in the whole
batch.

GEOFREY
I'm the best qualified to get hit
an RKO?

REGGIE
Yeah! You'll be the student before
me, so...
 4.

GEOFREY
Ah, I forgot that. Okay, I'll do
it.
(then)
I-I can't choose between the
moonwalk and the Siuuu.
A message pops up in Geofrey's phone, the contact name is
PRECIOUS: "I'm going to take a bath and in 10 minutes I'll be
ready."
GEOFREY (CONT’D)
Man, let's go. If we want to wait
for this woman we'll find that
people are leaving the ceremony
when we get there.
Geofrey and Reggie get up.

Geofrey puts on his gown and hat.

Reggie enters to

INT. THE BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

He removes a small bottle of wine from his coat and drinks.

Then --

REGGIE
Geo! Geo! Come see this.

Geofrey enters. Reggie hands him the bottle from which he

takes a sip.

GEOFREY
(low voice, re:Jaleel)
He's gonna get mad.

REGGIE
(low voice)
Man, he'll never know. This day
happens once in a lifetime man...
and I'm a little nervous.

He takes a breath. Geofrey smiles

They get back in

INT. DORM ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Jaleel is already dressed like them, gown on.

 5.

They stands there staring at him.

JALEEL
Are we going or what?
REGGIE/GEOFREY
Yeah/Uh-huh.
JALEEL
(looking at them, holding
out his hand)
Gimme the key. I drive.
REGGIE
No, I'll drive.
Jaleel gestures "OK"
They go out.

EXT. DORMITORY - MOMENTS LATER

Our three guys descend the stairs. They find two other young
men dressed like them.
YOUNG MAN
(to our three guys)
Going?
REGGIE/GEOFREY
Yeah/ Let's go.
They all enter a car that was parked there.

INT. CAR - CONTINUOUS

Reggie behind the wheel. Jaleel in the front passenger seat,
he puts the seatbelt. The other three students are in the
back seat.
REGGIE
(smirks, to Jaleel)
Mr security. The personification of
the law.
JALEEL
You should do the same. We all here
represent the law.
REGGIE
Oh, come on. I’m no Toretto.
 6.

Reggie turns on the car. A voice reciting quran starts

playing on the radio.
REGGIE (CONT’D)
(stopping and changing it)
Um-Um. Sorry Jal but not today.
Today is a special day.

GEOFREY OTHER STUDENT

Yeah, put some music, bro. Yeah, let's get some good
vibes.
Jaleel looks at Reggie changing the music. Reggie starts
vibing to the song he has put.

REGGIE
(bobbing his head)
Yeah.

He and Geofrey sing along with the song.

The car enters the road.

Reggie is driving and still singing along with Geofrey.

As the car stops at a red light, Jaleel suddenly changes the

music putting back the quran recitation.

JALEEL
Now relax.

REGGIE/GEOFREY
Jal stop it/ Put the music back.

Reggie looks at the light: It's GREEN.

He advances slowly then-- a high fashion car drives past them

at a really high speed. He rapidly presses the clutch,
stopping the car.

REGGIE
Fuck, these people are crazy.

GEOFREY
Reggie, will you put the music
back?

REGGIE
(to Geofrey)
Man, let me breath, OK? I'm
changing it.
 7.

He advances the car while putting the music back, a truck

sound grows, Reggie turns his head to look through his window-
-BAM.
CUT TO BLACK:
Sounds of glass shattering, the car rolling. All along the
quran is still playing but the sound is like ears that have
been partially covered.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT

Jaleel lies on the hospital bed. Unconscious. He's still
dressed with the graduation clothes. Like in the first scene.
One of the nurse we saw in the first scene stands near him.
A doctor enters.
DOCTOR
(to nurse)
Why is he still wearing with this?
NURSE
He wouldn't let anyone take them
out. Even half conscious... He just
fell asleep minutes ago.
DOCTOR
Does he know that his friends
are...
The nurse shakes her head and instantly looks down.
The doctor gets out.

THE END