The Golden Son
The Golden Son is a historical tragedy centered on Alcibiades, a brilliant and dangerously charismatic Athenian whose rise unfolds during the Peloponnesian War. Shaped by the competing influences of Socrates, who teaches restraint, and Pericles, who teaches power, Alcibiades becomes indispensable to Athens while drifting from its moral center. As war and rival systems reshape him, a harsher truth emerges: his ambition, suffering, and identity matter less than the survival of the city itself. The story culminates in a wounded Athens once again placing its hope in Alcibiades, revealing that it was never about the man, but about the city that creates, uses, and endures him.
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Riley DonovanWriter
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Project Type:Screenplay
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Number of Pages:129
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Language:English
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First-time Screenwriter:Yes
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Student Project:No
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International Indie Film and Screenplay Festival
Nominee
I grew up acting, which naturally led to writing plays, which eventually turned into film and television once I realized I wanted control over the entire story, not just my lines. Performance taught me rhythm, subtext, and how people lie with their faces; writing lets me weaponize that knowledge.
I specialize in dramatic writing, particularly character-driven stories about power, ambition, loyalty, and the cost of survival. I’m drawn to flawed people, moral gray zones, and situations where the wrong choice feels inevitable. I like stories that hurt a little, but honestly.
