Desposyni

Being pursued by Roman assassins and becoming separated for three years, Ethiopian Princess, the Mari of Magdala and her child, Sara secretly and perilously journey from Judea to Egypt, over the sea and through Gaul, finally to Glastonbury to build the first Christian Church.

Desposyni is based on the legends of Mary Magdalene and Saint Sara la Kali; the Black Madonnas.

The story begins at a small Grecian fishing village with young Amora, who survives the Roman Conquest by stowing away on her father’s fishing boat. When Romans take the boat, Amora is displaced and escapes in Judea. There, she takes up with the followers of Christ, the Rabboni, who is soon assassinated.

After Rabboni’s ascension, the Mari of Magdala flees to Egypt to keep her pregnancy a secret. Amora travels with her. They take refuge in a Temple Complex where Mari gives birth to Sara and writes her sacred texts. Amora studies and learns mysticism at the Mystery School, and Sara grows to develop healing abilities. All is well for five years, until Rome catches up with them. There is a siege and a massacre at the Temple Complex. Amora carries the bag containing Mari’s scrolls and Rabboni’s Shroud, and flees into the labyrinth with Sara. Amora is wounded. She and Sara barely escape by boat.

Amora has a near-death experience; rising out of her physical body, she meets up with Rabboni and her father on an ethereal realm. She is overjoyed to see them, but they both tell her that she “must go back.”

Their tiny boat floats free on the sea and ends up off the coast of Gaul, where Amora and Sara struggle to be accepted by the locals. But Sara heals their matriarch, and Amora saves an infant. They strive there for three years developing relationships. Amora reads to the people from Mari’s scrolls, and all believe that she is the Mari of Magdala. Sara performs a mass healing and becomes a legend.

One day, the ships of Joseph of Arimathea appear on the horizon. He is called the Tin Man because he brings tin and other valuables for trade. Mari is on the ship and reunites with Sara. Together, they all sail off for the Isle of Glass to build the first Christian Church.

  • Jean Galliano
    Writer
    Script Editor, The Lost Girl
  • Project Type:
    Screenplay
  • Genres:
    Historical Fiction, Drama, Mysticism
  • Number of Pages:
    105
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • First-time Screenwriter:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Melech ha Malechim King of Kings The Jewish Film Festival
    Tele Aviv, Israel
    July 6, 2019
    1st Place Gold
  • Genre Celebration Festival
    Tokyo, Japan
    December 3, 2018
    1st Place Winner
  • Chhatrapati Shivaji International Film Festival
    India
    December 27, 2018
    1st Place Winner
  • Australasia's Film Festival of Time: Sci-Fi / Animation / Horror
    New Zealand, Australasia, Israel, Japan
    October 1, 2019
    #1 Best Screenplay
  • Rome Independent Prisma Awards
    Rome, Italy
    November 1, 2018
    Finalist
  • Top Indie Film Awards
    International
    January 14, 2019
    Finalist
  • Life Fest Film Festival
    Sacramento, CA
    April 10, 2019
    Finalist
  • Mexico International Film Festival
    Mexico
    May 16, 2019
    Top Five Award Winner
  • LIFFT INDIA FILMOTSAV - World Cine Fest, Lonavla
    India
    October 15, 2019
    Finalist
  • Screenplay Festival
    California
    October 25, 2018
    Semi-Finalist
  • Near Nazareth Festival ( NNF)
    Israel
    November 29, 2018
    Semi-Fanilist
  • Meraki Film Festival
    International
    February 11, 2019
    Semi-Fanilist
  • Atlanta International Screenplay Awards
    Atlanta, GA
    August 15, 2019
    Semi-Finalist
  • Diversity Film & Script Showcase
    Los Angeles, CA
    June 15, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Mediterranean Film Festival Cannes
    Cannes, French Riveria
    November 10, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Beyond Earth Film Festival
    Chennai, Tamil Nadu
    March 23, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Canadian Diversity Film Festival
    Toronto, Canada
    July 22, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Zero Degree Film Contest
    India
    January 5, 2020
    WINNER
  • BRIDGES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
    Greece
    January 5, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Prix royal - Monthly Screenplay Awards
    Tele Aviv
    January 5, 2020
    WINNER
  • Red Flight Pictures Screenplay Awards
    Philadelphia, PA
    January 29, 2020
    Finalist
  • Open Window International Film Challenge
    KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL
    March 6, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Kosice International Monthly Film Festival
    Košice, Slovakia
    May 3, 2020
    Finalst
  • Sochi Film Festival

    February 1, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Dreamanila International Film Festival
    Manila Philippines
    May 10, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Chicago Screenplay Awards
    Chicago, IL
    June 28, 2020
    Semi-Finalist
  • Vegas Movie Awards
    Las Vegas, NV
    April 6, 2020
    Best Original Story
Writer Biography - Jean Galliano

Jean Galliano shares her insights through poetry, visual imagery, public forums, articles, and screenplays. Jean’s books are entitled; Angel’s Eye and …is…what a Poet said. She has completed several feature length screenplays for hire and has an IMDb Credit for Script Editor of The Lost Girl, a feature length screenplay. Jean is the founder of The Mystery School Lecture Series and is one of the facilitators of The Poetry for your Mind forum in Philadelphia.

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Writer Statement

My plan is to write, produce and promote moving poetry and inspirational screenplays that may be appreciated worldwide throughout time.