Bleeding Orange

Description

My story is based on the parable of the Good Samaritan and takes place in post-Brexit Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland, where violence is on the rise again. Sean is a 17 year old boy from a poor Loyalist community, who is being dragged into the conflict by his peers. During one of their attacks in a Catholic neighborhood, Sean gets injuring so badly that he cannot walk anymore, leaving him out on the street as his companions flee. Sean manages to crawl away from the site of the attack, and soon a passerby spots him, clearly bleeding, yet he decides to turn a blind eye, in fear of getting dragged into a conflict that he doesn’t want to be a part of. Soon after, Noah, a man from the Catholic community passes by and identifies him as one of the attackers, yet decides to help Sean. But Sean begs him not to call the authorities, so Noah instead calls a friend of his, a doctor, to help him save Sean’s life. When Sean is back in his old neighborhood and his wounds have healed, he is a changed man, heading down a better path for good.

Biblical Connection

The main biblical source material for my short film is “The Parable of the Good Samaritan”. However, another quote has been a huge influence on this story as well, when Jesus says “Love your enemy, do good to those who hate you.” in Luke 6:27-36. This quote, preached in the parable as well, is something I have focused on because I believe it is an important message that is getting more and more forgotten in a world where political agendas are enabled by hate. My adaptation of the parable will be set in post-Brexit Northern Ireland, where the Troubles are starting to break out again, and where Unionists and Nationalists have yet again become more radicalized. The Israelites and Samaritans were not exactly like the Catholics and Protestants, but there is enough animosity and shared history between the two that a story of kindness in both worlds stands out. The main character in my story, the Good Samaritan, will be a Catholic civilian who decides to help an injured Protestant youth who is part of a radicalized para-militant group that was left out on the streets by his peers and others who were afraid to get involved.