"Teen Star" by Juan Pablo Tirado

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

Close up shot of religious imagery. A statue of the Holy Mary. Lit candles of St. Judas.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
I always knew I was different.
Close up shot of a barbie doll.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
Very early on I learned to adapt - the mannerisms, how to speak, where not to let my eyes stray..
Close up shot of various student awards and certifications.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
For a while there was a gilded age where all that mattered were my dreams and ambitions. But
sooner or later I knew it would come. And come it did.
EXT. PARK - DAY
JONATHAN, seventeen, is sitting atop a green hill, alone. In the far distance children are heard
playing. JONATHAN is crying.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
My demons had caught up with me, and I had befriended them.
Side view shot of JONATHAN's face.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
I don't know how it all came to be. But I always had this strong sense that it would lead up to
this.
INT. ROOM - DAY
JONATHAN and his three friends, ALEX, ISABEL and GISELLE are laying together in the
corner of a room. They are drinking alcohol heavily and letting loose.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
I had lost the power of choice, and I had found a group of people as empty and ugly as I was on
the inside. We did what we did because we had nothing else better to do. That sounds awful
because it was. But that was us, always seeking for a greater perhaps. I had become the epitome
of everything I once hated - a Teen Star.

ALEX turns to attentively look at JONATHAN. He signals him to meet him in the other room.
As they both get up, ALEX grabs JONATHAN's hand and leads him out. Once inside the other
room, ALEX pushes JONATHAN against the wall and leans in to kiss him. JONATHAN
succumbs. JONATHAN then hesitates.
ALEX
C'mon, you know you want to.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
And I did. But only because I wanted to feel.
JONATHAN
This isn't me.
JONATHAN then tries to let loose of ALEX's grip. ALEX gets violent and restrains him against
the wall. JONATHAN pushes him and runs out of the room.
INT. JONATHAN'S ROOM - DAY
JONATHAN storms in and proceeds to trashing his room. He knocks things over on his desk. He
rips out pictures from his wall.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
Why me. Why me. Why me.
He slams to the wall back-first and slides down to sit on the floor. He has tears in his eyes. He
turns to look at a bottle of pills sitting on the nightstand next to his bed.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
I'd be lying to you if I said I hadn't considered suicide. It was such a perfect ending to the
downward spiral that I had become subject to, it was almost poetic. It would have been the
perfect revenge.
JONATHAN gets up and grabs the bottle. He slowly walks back to the place he was sitting and
stares at the
bottle.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
Maybe if I was gone they would finally get a feel at the pain that I dealt with. The pain of having
to fall for someone you couldn't have. The pain of knowing you could amount to everyone's
expectations and more, but you would always that little defect. That little curse that would
exempt you from being the perfect son. It would be the perfect revenge.

JONATHAN opens the bottle and pours some of the pills to the palm of his hand. He stares long
and hard at the pills.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
But I couldn't do it. Because I was too selfish. Because something in me stirred and I embraced
it. It was hope.
JONATHAN pours the pills into the bottle and closes the cap. He then places the bottle on the
floor and pushes it. The bottle rolls down the floor until it reaches the bottom of the bed.
He then gets up and throws himself onto his bed. The camera from above slowly starts to close
up on his face.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
My dad used to tell me that when I was younger I would absorb everyone's energy inside the
room and turn it into my own. I was supposed to be someone. It wasn't always supposed to be
this way. A star shines its brightest in the darkest of nights.
EXT. PARK - DAY
JONATHAN remains sitting atop the hill. The camera closes in on his hands, which now reveals
a tangled crucifix.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
The day I started to like boys was the day Jesus wanted a little more color in the world.
JONATHAN gets up, wipes the tears from his face and begins walking.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
Today I'm a champion. I am a champion because I chose.
The camera follows him as he walks down the street, hands in his pockets.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
I wish I could tell you that their is an objective goal or answer to all of this or that it will get
easier. But the answer is subjective, and it will probably get harder before it gets easier.
INT. JONATHAN'S ROOM - DAY
JONATHAN is seen sitting on his desk, writing avidly on his journal.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER

Being gay has given you a unique perspective in life.

JONATHAN gets up, looks under his bed and fetches the bottle of pills. The camera follows him
to his restroom, where he dumps the pills into the toilet and flushes.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
Find what you love and chase it. Realize your vision. Turn your pain into passion. Rome wasn't
built in a day and Elton John went through the same thing you're going though before he became
a fucking superstar. Forbidden lovers, have faith.
JONATHAN walks out of his room and takes a stroll in the street.
JONATHAN VOICEOVER
My name is Jonathan. I am a seventeen year old gay dreamer and I am on my way. See you on
the other side.