Genre: Historical Fantasy/Thriller

Logline:

Logline: After the death of her only daughter during the American Civil War, a grief-stricken doctor travels to rural France to uncover the mystery behind an inherited house, where she finds that Death has no borders, and no intention of letting her go.

After the death of her daughter and husband, Marion Valentin, one of Manhattan’s earliest female physicians in 1865, is haunted – literally – by Death personified. When she unexpectedly inherits a mysterious estate in southern France from a woman she never knew, Marion sets out to unravel secrets buried deep within the vineyard’s history. Accompanied by the enigmatic specter, she investigates a string of concealed tragedies involving young women and uncovers ties to her own lineage. Gothic, atmospheric, and driven by sharp dialogue and emotional gravity, Death Is My Shadow is a historical supernatural drama about grief, autonomy, and the cost of truth.

This is a genre-straddling screenplay—period drama, gothic mystery, and supernatural allegory—that may not immediately signal “mainstream” commercial viability, but it holds strong potential for prestige or awards-focused platforms. With the right casting (a Marion akin to Florence Pugh, Saoirse Ronan, or Ruth Wilson; Death as someone like Tom Hiddleston or Adam Driver), the project could attract top-tier production companies and streamers (e.g., Searchlight, A24, or Netflix Originals). Budget-wise, this could be managed as a mid-tier production, especially if limited to a few key locations. Given the rise of atmospheric, female-led period dramas and interest in historical feminist stories, Death Is My Shadow could find a home among both art-house distributors and elevated streaming releases. – WikiScreenplay Competition

Accolades