BOAT PEOPLE – 2023 Nicholl Semifinalist

Format: Feature | Genre: Historical Survival Thriller / War Drama
(*Inspired by many true stories — including my wife’s)
Logline: As Saigon falls, two American POWs escape on a refugee boat — only to face starvation, betrayal, and their enemies hunting them down.

SYNOPSIS:

We fade in...

To the Fall of Saigon and follow Army Ranger, JOHN BEAUREGARD (28-34).

He’s escaping a Viet Cong prison camp, with several young Marines. Many get

killed. But with U.S. forces already pulled out, John and COOP's only exit, is to

now flee with the South Vietnamese boat people.

*Coop (mid-20s, Black) – strong, smooth, and always looks out for number one.

Now on a fishing boat bound for the Philippines, John's injuries get treated by a

Vietnamese woman named MY-LINH (early-20s).

Unbeknownst to the Americans, the VCs from the prison camp– both John and

Coop had escaped from earlier, where they killed two high-ranking VC officers…

have been hot on their trail and have finally caught up. And although John and

Coop manage to save everyone, all their water gets lost to the fiery battle.

Days drag on, and whispers of mutiny simmer against the Americans – not only

for losing their water but for abandoning their war-torn country.

And just when it reaches its boiling point, My-Linh lifts her violin. The first note

cuts through the anger like sunlight through storm clouds. One by one, shouts

fade. Hands still. Eyes widen. Every soul is captive to her extraordinary talent.

And in her beautiful music, John feels it – an undeniable pull toward My-Linh, a

longing he had sworn off for good. For the first time in years, his walls crumble.

Later that night, from out of the fog, come Thai pirates. They forcefully board

their boat, killing anyone who stands in their way – including My-Linh's father.

They take the women and leave the rest of the refugees for dead.

But when the survivors get spotted by an American chopper, and John's just

moments away from leaving all his experiences behind, he realizes he only wants to

rescue My-Linh.

Meanwhile, My-Linh – and dozens of other Vietnamese women we’ve never seen –

have been dragged to a hidden island, where they are auctioned off to the highest

bidder. Every attempt she makes to break free is met with brutal resistance; escape

feels impossible, and hope is slipping through her fingers.

Can John save My-Linh before she disappears without a trace? If he can, he just

might be able to save himself.

Imagine “Boat People" inspired by many true stories from real boat people

survivors – including my wife.

BOAT PEOPLE