September 13, 2004

Synopsis
Charles is a 17 year old kid from South Chicago who coexists with his foster mother. He wishes to leave his home and explore the world. On Sept, 13, 2004 on his way to school with his best friend Quentin, they discover something that would forever change their lives.

  • Derrick Benton
    Writer
    Wasted Talent
  • Derrick Benton
    Story
  • Roosevelt Tucker
    Story
  • Project Type:
    Screenplay, Short Script, Television Script, Treatment, Other
  • Number of Pages:
    13
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • First-time Screenwriter:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Competition
    Nashville, TN
    July 22, 2022
    Finalist
  • Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards
    Los Angeles , CA
    September 28, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Lonely Wolf London International Film Festival
    London, UK
    July 31, 2021
    Nominee
  • Sydney Indie Short Festival
    Sydney Australia
    June 30, 2021
    Semi-Finalist
  • IndieX Film Fest
    Hollywood, CA
    May 17, 2021
    Outstanding Achievement Award (Short Script):
  • San Francisco Indie Short Festival
    San Francisco, CA
    May 15, 2021
    Semi-finalist
  • Independent Short Awards
    Hollywood, CA
    April 24, 2021
    Finalist
Writer Biography - Derrick Benton

Derrick is a Brooklyn native and graduate of SUNY Oswego with a B.A. in Cinema Screen Studies. He dedicated most of his coursework to film theory, philosophy, and storytelling through the medium of screenwriting. In 2018 Derrick received an award for outstanding screenplay at SUNY Oswego for his Senior Thesis script “Acid Rain”. His stories often explore themes of identity, existential anxiety, and social inequality.

Add Writer Biography
Writer Statement

I remember sitting down with my friend one spring afternoon during the 2020 pandemic. The days were blurry at the time, the future looked uncertain anyway so maybe my mind just made room for the things that were important. What made that day so important wasn’t anything significant, just the laughter and joy I felt thinking about two teenage boys getting tickets to Oprah back in the day. This year like for many was a dark time but despite being surrounded by death, darkness, and uncertainty there was still moments of laughter, always has been, and it was for that reason I had to write “September 13, 2004”.

The story of “September 13, 2004” was a happy accident. I wanted to tell a story about two boys from the hood whose lives changed in one day. I wanted the story to depart from tales about the dark gritty realities of our world, but amongst the dark times there are times where it’s straight up wacky, outlandish, and fun. I like that the story has a sort of innocence to the story, like a feeling of a simpler time. The early shape not only my whole life but an entire generation, the music, colors, the tacky styles- it was a true vibe.

One of the key themes in the story is about freedom. For a long time, I didn’t know if I even had it, but I was told that I had it every day. The characters in a way are looking for freedom, from their situation, troubles and I like to think of it that we all have that wish for one day to be free from everything, and that is why the story resonates with so many people.