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By Eric P. Granger

For 17-year-old Minika, dance was her only escape from hustling as a street vendor in Nigeria, but the lure of fame from a Brazilian dance promotor thrust her into a dark world of human trafficking and her struggle to return home.

Feature-length Movie | Dramatic Action

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Pitch Deck

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Think of Trafficked
meets Taken.

Synopsis

Be careful what you wish for

In Nigeria, 16-year-old Minika has a natural ability to dance to the native drums of Africa. She and her younger sister are raised by their overbearing Aunt, who forces them to work as street vendors. The two girls encounter a dance group preparing for “Carnival,” and Minika joins in. Dance leader Eyo invites Minika to join the group.

In Rio de Janeiro, dance company owner Carlos takes his entire troupe to Nigeria to join Eyo’s dance team. Carlos is impressed with Minika’s talent and invites her to move to Rio so the world can enjoy her dancing. He lavishes her with expensive gifts and convinces her to leave Nigeria.

Arriving in Rio, Carlos gags Minika, and she passes out. She is alone in a small cell when she awakes and can hear other girls through the walls.

Back in Calabar, Eyo launches an investigation as to Asari’s whereabouts and travels to Brazil.

Three months later, Minika and some of the other girls have been sold to a wealthy drug lord, Dario, in his well-guarded compound in Caracas. Dario plans his 60th birthday party for four hundred guests, including Carlos’ dance troupe from Brazil. Eyo travels to Brazil to confront Carlos but Carlos has left for Caracas. Eyo schemes to go to Caracas to free Asari and the other girls.

In Caracas, Eyo learns that the whole town loathes and fears Dario, but with some convincing, they will help free the enslaved girls. At the party, Eyo spikes the cigars with Nigerian Dream Root extract that causes hallucinations. Monika is forced to dance for the guests, not knowing that Eyo is there. When she begins her dance, the dream root takes effect on Dario and the other many hombres in the room. During her dance, an older woman emerges from the kitchen at the sound of the drums. It is her long-lost mother.

Explosions rock the fortress from outside. Fires ignite inside the compound. Four hundred guests panic and try to escape the compound at once. Fights ensue. Minika’s mother with the headmistress. Carlos with his girlfriend. Eyo with Carlos. In the chaos, Minika finds her mother. Eyo grabs them both, and they head for the kitchen as an escape. Dario, now very drugged, stands with a gun at the exit.

One of the local enslaved girls stabs him in the back as he fires at Minika. Eyo dives and takes the bullet in his arm. Carlos escapes in the chaos. They flee as the mansion goes up in flames. Minika, her mother, and Eyo return to Calabar, to her Aunt’s house only to find that Carlos was just there and he has now taken her little sister.

What Makes this Project Special
Children of the Night Logo Image

2018 Gold Award - Feature Screenplay International Independent Film Awards Logo Image

2018 Gold Award – Feature Screenplay
International Independent Film Awards

2019 Best Screenplay Finalist Mallorca International Film Festival

2019 Finalist – Feature Screenplay
Mallorca Film Festival

2019 Best Feature Screenplay Finalist Hollywood Magazine Film Festival

22019 Finalist – Feature Screenplay
Hollywood Weekly Magazine Film Festival

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Script

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Budget

Executive Producer

Sara Hamilton Headshot Photo

Executive Producer

Michael Sowinski Headshot Photo

Co-Producer

David Jay Lasky Head Shot Photo

Eric's Projects