Reuben. Shifra's Father.

Creating memorable characters for a screen or stage play is a must. Show, but don't tell is what's required. So the writer has to get to know her characters intimately before you the audience get to meet them. This is daunting in the case of Reuben, Shifra's father. He's the baddie.

So for anybody reading this blog for the first time, creating Reuben will be a huge step forward in writing my screenplay.
So far, in my head, he is basically scarred for life by his Holocaust experiences. As an orphaned child of 10, he walks free from Auschwitz, followed by a frail fatherless five year old child called Anabel, and her young (artist) mother Sonia, carrying two slim books. Many years later, Anabel becomes his wife, and Sonia becomes a famous artist in Paris.

At the moment I haven't got a title for the movie. Maybe SHIFRA, or The Songs of Cybele. Or Sonia's Sketchbooks.

The present synopsis goes something like this:

Jewish Shifra, talented artist/dancer daughter of wealthy,cultured, damaged, French holocaust survivor parents, immigrates to Bolivia with acrobat boyfriend after long abortive Paris search to find her abducted baby daughter Cybele. A clairvoyant convinces Shifra she won't find the baby, but the baby will find her in South America when she's 18. In La Paz the young couple begin a new life teaching street kids circus skills. Four years later ,on the death of her father, Shifra's mother Anabel discovers a shocking truth. Her art collector husband Reuben arranged the abduction.

Why ?

Just last night I saw the movie August Rush. It has the same underpinning theme: Grandfather gets rid of grandchild. Why ? It's not too clear in this film except the grandfather may have a prejudiced against the Irish ?

In my case, it was my Irish grandmother who wanted rid of me. She arranged my adoption. Motive ? Shame. Her shame. She locked my mother in the coal shed every time somebody rang the door bell.
Now, in the US more than 40% of births are to unwed mothers.

Morals and motives change...
So, the task in hand now, is to create Rueben.

Age : 76 when he dies.
Physical appearance: Bearded, medium height, slim, handsome, shifty, slight turrets syndrome .
Likes beautiful women, secretive, prone to terrifying rage outbursts, lost his faith years ago... hates...?

What does he hate ?

"All the true vows are secret, you make a promise it will kill you to brake"
David Whyte.

What has Ruben vowed for himself and his family?

PS. This is what I love about writing and the mysterious creative process, things just happen. In writing this post today,I've discovered a new character, Shirfa's grandmother Sonia, an artist. Last week during my research of French Jews between 1939-45,I re-discovered the colorful life of artist Sonia Delaunay. There is a delightful story of her making a quilt for her new born son which becomes the inspiration for many subsequent paintings. I wondered how I could use something of her life and art in my story.

Have a look at the article below, and scroll down to the pic of Sonia Delaunay in a dress she designed.
Imagine having the luck to have someone like her as your grandmother! Welcome to the plot Sonia.

http://obit-mag.com/articles/the-colorful-life-of-sonia-delaunay
obit-mag.com