Donovan's Echo

Synopsis: A series of uncanny déjà vu events force a man to re-examine his tragic past, memory, instinct, and future.
Director(s): Jim Cliffe
Production: Carlson/Spring
  4 wins & 6 nominations.
 
IMDB:
6.2
Rotten Tomatoes:
14%
PG-13
Year:
2011
91 min
Website
98 Views


You've created some

beautiful things Donovan.

There's hope...

and it's you.

Thirty years...

hard to believe you're

actually here.

This place had quite a few

renters over the years

but when it was empty,

you know, I made sure to

keep the pipes drained

and the furnace down low.

Figured you'd let us know

if you wanted to sell it.

There's a fresh coat of

paint in the living room.

New phone, new

answering machine.

I picked up that beater out

back for next to nothing.

A friend of mine was

giving it away so...

it's not pretty, but it runs.

Thanks.

Look Donovan,

I know this has got to be

kind of strange for you,

but uh... Susan, both

of us, are so happy

you finally decided

to come back.

You're family.

Thanks Finn.

Yeah.

So I've got to get

my day started,

so I'll let you get

settled in and uh,

let us know about

Saturday okay?

Susan, she just can't

wait to see you.

Okay.

- Alright.

Post doctoral in '50,

Doctor of Physics in '48.

Los Alamos.

The Manhattan Project?

Yeah.

30 years though, that's

quite a gap in your resume.

I mean what have you been

doing exactly?

I just uh...

moved around.

Different things.

Anyway, I'm interested in your

introductory physics program.

I'll tell you what

I'm interested in.

Your paper "Elements

of Low Energy".

Cold fusion, right?

Yeah, that's

over 30 years old.

Typically a school like ours is

funded through the government,

tuition fees and so forth.

But another source of

revenue is through grants

that our professors

are able to bring in

with their own research.

Now, something like this...

research into a cheap,

abundant, renewable

energy source...

This is something

we can get behind.

I think... cold fusion

has been debunked.

Okay.

Well, we'll certainly

keep you in mind.

Hi.

I saw you still have

lots of leaves in your yard

and I was just wondering...

- No thank you.

It's only $5, and I'll

do a really good job.

Can I put you on my list?

Let me see that.

Hmph.

So he wishes me luck

on my interview,

and about 20 minutes later

in the parking lot he pulls up,

sirens just blaring,

leans in and says

"You know I'm going

to have to arrest you

for stealing my heart".

Thank you so much,

thank you so much.

But no, bad puns aside,

it's been an amazing journey

no regrets.

Drink, be merry.

And if you're driving,

just be merry!

And have cake!

Hey stranger.

You manage to settle in yet?

It's a work in progress.

Oh, well then maybe

I'll come over tomorrow

and help you unpack.

No thanks, I'll be fine.

I could at least throw

some roses in a vase.

Put some pictures up?

Give the place

a woman's touch.

No.

- I just..

- No, no!

I've got to go.

Divide by 100.

March 10th, 1941.

Magic!

Math!

- Hey Kaisha.

The old birthday bit?

Still a good bit.

I thought you uh...

had a party to host.

Oh we wrapped that up early.

Just can't pull all nighters

like we used to.

Oh, speaking of

birthday bits...

You forgot your gift.

Not my birthday yet.

Close enough.

You know Susan

would have me

giving out Christmas presents

in July if I let her.

You know, we're going out

to the cemetery tomorrow

to visit Jasmine and Magnolia,

bring some flowers.

If you're up to it

you're welcome to...

I'm sorry.

You know, I just thought

you'd come back

because you didn't

want to run anymore.

Is that what I'm doing?

Thought I was drinking!

Okay now, we don't see

you for years at a time,

we don't really even know

if you're still kicking and...

really Don, why

are you back?

I don't know.

30 years, Don.

This is not the life she

would've wanted for you.

Well we all can't be pillars

of the community, can we?

Thanks for the lecture

don't let the door hit you

in the ass on your way out.

Have a good walk home.

Kaisha!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey Kaisha!

No!

You suffered one

heck of a trauma.

Technically you had

a mild heart attack.

Kaisha...

His car was broad-sided

by a truck.

Is he okay?

He was pronounced

dead at the scene.

It was a hit and run.

You were very lucky

you weren't struck.

Oh, Jesus.

I'm very sorry.

I could have stopped it...

You need to take these warning

signs very seriously.

I'm prescribing a beta-blocker

to reduce blood pressure,

and I'd like to run an ECG.

Excuse me?

The little girl and her mom.

What happened?

Are you family?

She's my neighbor.

Father was street racing...

his truck flipped.

Will he be okay?

He just passed away.

You know, I already

made my statement Finn.

Well okay, if you don't

remember anything about the truck,

tell me more about

this hunch,

you knew Kaisha

was going to get hit?

No.

Like I said, I had a feeling

that something was wrong.

It was like a moment

of clarity.

It was as if it already

happened as it was happening.

I can't explain.

You ever felt this kind

of thing before?

I don't know.

Hey, I got it.

No let me get it.

Goddamnit,

I said I got it!

I'm... I'm sorry Finn.

It's okay.

If I hadn't been drunk,

if I wasn't distracted,

I would've reacted faster.

You know, Kaisha's dead

because of me.

It's Jasmine and Magnolia

all over again.

There's nothing you

could've done for him.

Or for the girls.

I mean, don't let this

stay with you, y'know?

- Yeah.

- Just... you know,

when you're ready...

promise you're going

to get some help.

You know, whether you

reach out to Susan,

or to me or to whomever.

It's just... because

we want to help.

Okay.

I'll see you.

Sobriety empowers us

to handle situations

that used to mystify us.

When we see others overcoming

problems not unlike our own,

it gives us hope.

Three months ago, Kit came home

after a very long time.

But packed in his bags

he carried with him,

both a problem and a promise.

A promise of making

some very big changes...

that started with a meeting.

I didn't want

to come tonight.

It's been a bad week.

Just lost my brother in-law...

he was a really good friend.

Anyway, uh Ray said

it'd be good if I came.

Encourage some of you...

Sorry I uh...

chair's stuck.

Hey, Kit! Kit!

Please... join us.

Would you like to introduce

yourself?

Donovan.

Hi Donovan.

Hi Donovan.

Welcome, I'm Ray.

Perhaps you'd like to share

something about yourself?

When was the last time

you had a drink?

It's been a while.

Well, we're glad you came.

Hey, buddy,

Hey, buddy,

Susan said you got

a job at the grocery.

That's great man.

Listen, if any other details

from the accident come to you.

Anything at all,

maybe jot them down, okay?

Take care, later.

November 9th, 1 964,

my birthday.

"Can't shake these

strange thoughts.

It's been a very

peculiar week."

November 4th, 1 964.

...strange feelings...

...scaffolding...

...dj vu...

Donavan...

A girl left this.

Your total

comes to $28.22

Who left it?

Outside. Can you catch her?

It's $28.22.

Wow.

Sounds like you

deserve a raise.

Absolutely!

- You asked me if there's

a reason I returned.

I think I know.

I told you I had... sensed

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Jim Cliffe

Jim Cliffe is an award-winning writer, director and artist, with a professional background in illustration and animation. His first feature, Donovan's Echo, was released in 2012. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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