Philomena

Synopsis: Philomena is a 2013 British drama film directed by Stephen Frears, based on the book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee by journalist Martin Sixsmith. Starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, it tells the true story of Philomena Lee's 50-year search for her forcibly adopted son and Sixsmith's efforts to help her find him. The film was co-produced in the United States and the United Kingdom. It gained critical acclaim and received several international film awards.
Genre: Biography, Drama
Production: The Weinstein Company
  Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 32 wins & 76 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.6
Metacritic:
77
Rotten Tomatoes:
91%
PG-13
Year:
2013
98 min
Website
1,360 Views


PHILOMENA sits at a pew in a largely empty church - there aretwo other WORSHIPPERS dotted about; there is no service. She

is looking at a statue of Madonna and Child.

*

*

*

A PRIEST passes PHILOMENA and stops to talk. He is dressed ina black sweater and dog collar rather than formal robes.

*

*

PRIEST:

Hello Philomena, haven’t seen youfor a while?

*

*

*

PHILOMENA:

I just came in to light a candle.

*

*

PRIEST:

Someone special?

*

*

Yes.

PHILOMENA *

*

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
22:47 PM

blank)

But she pointedly doesn’t elaborate any further. The PRIESTtries to continue the conversation:

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
22:54 PM

blank)

*

*

PRIEST:

How’s the new hip?

*

*

PHILOMENA:

It’s very good. It’s Ti-tanium.

*

*

PRIEST:

Oh, the bionic woman...

*

*

She smiles, but he can see she’s not really in the mood fortalking.

*

*

PRIEST (CONT’D)

Well, always nice to see you.

*

*

He carries on. PHILOMENA returns her gaze to the Madonna andChild.

*

*

CUT TO:
*

B INT. MOTHER BARBARA’S STUDY - NIGHT

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
23:05 PM

blank)

B:

MOTHER BARBARA:

YOU ARE THE CAUSE OF YOUR SHAME.

YOU AND YOUR OWN INDECENCY.

ON YOUNG PHILOMENA’S FACE, PETRIFIED AND ASHAMED.

CUT TO:

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
23:35 PM

blank)

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
23:43 PM

blank)

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 8:
32:57 PM

blank)

PHILOMENA - Final Shooting Script 2.

C INT. CHURCH - NIGHT C *

PHILOMENA stands before a row of dozens of little candles

burning in sockets. She puts a pound coin in a box, takes acandle and lights it. She plants it in a socket and stares atthe flame, emotional.

*

*

*

*

We see her face through the flame, distorted by the heathaze, and on this we...

*

*

CUT TO:
*

D EXT. FUNFAIR - NIGHT D

YOUNG PHILOMENA LOOKING IN THE MIRRORS, FACE DISTORTED. WE

CUT THIS TIGHTER, SHARPER; WE BECOME AWARE OF THE YOUNG MAN

COMING UP BEHIND HER AND ONLY USE THE LINES:

JOHN:

I HAVEN’T SEEN YOUS ANY PLACE.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM. ARE YOU FROM

LIMERICK THEN?

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
27:55 PM

blank)

CUT TO:

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
23:35 PM

blank)

E INT. CHURCH - NIGHT

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
23:45 PM

blank)

E *

Before she leaves the church, PHILOMENA dips her fingers inHoly Water and blesses herself.

*

*

CUT TO:
*

F EXT. FUNFAIR - NIGHT

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
23:48 PM

blank)

F:

YOUNG PHILOMENA AND JOHN KISS PASSIONATELY BY THE CARAVAN. WE

SEE THE TOFFEE APPLE FALL TO THE GROUND.

CUT TO:

G EXT. JANE’S HOUSE - NIGHT

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
23:51 PM

blank)

G *

PHILOMENA is walking along a street at night, trafficswishing past her, lost in thoughts.

*

*

CUT TO:
*

H INT. MOTHER BARBARA’S STUDY - NIGHT

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
24:02 PM

blank)

H:

MOTHER BARBARA:

AND DID YOU ENJOY YOUR SIN?

SISTER HILDEGARD

HE GOT AN AWFUL LOT FOR HIS TOFFEE

APPLE...

CUT TO:

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
28:16 PM

blank)

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
28:16 PM

blank)

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 8:
04:49 PM

blank)

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
29:05 PM

blank)

PHILOMENA - Final Shooting Script 3.

I EXT. JANE’S HOUSE - NIGHT I *

PHILOMENA walks up to a front door and presses the bell. Onher face as she waits for it to be answered...

*

*

CUT TO:
*

J INT. ROSCREA - NIGHT J

A VIVID FLASH OF YOUNG PHILOMENA ENDURING THE AGONY OF

CHILDBIRTH.

SISTER ANUNCIATA

I don’t know how to do it!

CUT TO:

K INT. FRONT ROOM, JANE’S HOUSE - NIGHT K

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
29:02 PM

blank)

PHILOMENA sits in an armchair deep in thought. The TV is on,

but she isn’t listening. From her we...

CUT TO:

L INT. ROSCREA - NIGHT L

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
28:39 PM

blank)

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
28:16 PM

blank)

WITH A FINAL SCREAM THE BABY IS BORN, HELD IN THE ARMS OF A

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
28:22 PM

blank)

NUN, HER CROSS VISIBLE.

CUT TO:

M INT. JANE’S HOUSE - NIGHT M

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
28:33 PM

blank)

JANE enters, we carry on as before.

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
28:16 PM

blank)

EXCEPT JANE TAKES THE PHOTO FROM PHILOMENA, RATHER THAN

PHILOMENA OFFERING IT TO HER.

BLACK.

Under the black screen we start to FADE UP a voice:

ROBERT (V.O.)

... blood glucose fine. Liver

function, kidney function,

normal...

CUT TO:

1 INT. DOCTOR’S SURGERY - DAY 1

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
28:29 PM

blank)

MARTIN SIXSMITH, mid-40s, sits listening to someone (as yet

unseen), as a series of test results are read out to him.

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 8:
04:52 PM

blank)

PHILOMENA - Final Shooting Script 4.

ROBERT (OOV)

Platelet count normal, haemoglobin

levels normal, blood pressure, 131

over 92...

MARTIN:

(Pouncing on this)

Isn’t that high?

Now we see ROBERT, Martin’s doctor, mid-50s, chipper.

Caption:
London, 2002

ROBERT looks up from a folder of results he’s reading and,

familiar with Martin’s hypochondria, ignores the question.

ROBERT:

Weight fine... could do with losing

a centimetre or two off your waist.

Stool sample outstanding...

MARTIN finally perks up at this, raises his eyebrow, pleased

with himself. ROBERT notices this...

ROBERT (cont’d)

No, that means you haven’t provided

one yet.

MARTIN:

Oh right, yes. No, I’d remember.

ROBERT:

(As he shuts the file)

Did you think it didn’t stink or

something?

(Little smile from MARTIN)

There’s basically nothing wrong

with you Martin. Um... do you run?

MARTIN:

Well... I walk a lot.

ROBERT:

Try running.

MARTIN:

(Worried)

Do I need to?

ROBERT:

I do it. Good for your body and...

good for your head - Kate says you

think you’re mildly depressed?

MARTIN shrugs.

MARTIN:

I got fired. I’m unemployed.

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 8:
04:56 PM

blank)

PHILOMENA - Final Shooting Script 5.

ROBERT:

But it wasn’t your fault, was it?

MARTIN:

That’s probably why I’m depressed -

I was sacked for saying something I

didn’t say!

Silence.

ROBERT:

Try running-

MARTIN:

I said the exact opposite of what I

was sacked for!

Another silence. ROBERT tries a different tack:

ROBERT:

What are you working on at the

moment?

MARTIN:

(Beat)

I was... thinking of writing a

book.

ROBERT:

That’s good. What about?

MARTIN:

Russian history.

ROBERT:

(Beat)

What makes you think it’s

depression and not just feeling

sorry for yourself?

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
29:28 PM

blank)

Silence.

MARTIN:

Doesn’t have to be Russian history -

could be something else...

(Rectangle comment artist

11/5/2013 7:
29:32 PM

blank)

CUT TO:

2 EXT. FUNFAIR, LIMERICK - NIGHT 2

Nineteen year old PHILOMENA LEE, pretty, dark haired, wears a

lovely summer dress, that same crucifix glinting in the

sunshine. She picks her way wide-eyed, through the crowd;

bright lights, the air filled with noise and excitement.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes

Steve Coogan

Steve Coogan was born on October 14, 1965 in Middleton, Manchester, England as Stephen John Coogan. He is an actor and producer, known for Philomena (2013), Alan Partridge (2013) and Despicable Me 2 (2013). He was previously married to Caroline Hickman. more…

All Steve Coogan scripts | Steve Coogan Scripts

0 fans

Submitted by aviv on November 15, 2016

Discuss this script with the community:

0 Comments

    Translation

    Translate and read this script in other languages:

    Select another language:

    • - Select -
    • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
    • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
    • Español (Spanish)
    • Esperanto (Esperanto)
    • 日本語 (Japanese)
    • Português (Portuguese)
    • Deutsch (German)
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • Français (French)
    • Русский (Russian)
    • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
    • 한국어 (Korean)
    • עברית (Hebrew)
    • Gaeilge (Irish)
    • Українська (Ukrainian)
    • اردو (Urdu)
    • Magyar (Hungarian)
    • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
    • Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Italiano (Italian)
    • தமிழ் (Tamil)
    • Türkçe (Turkish)
    • తెలుగు (Telugu)
    • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
    • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
    • Čeština (Czech)
    • Polski (Polish)
    • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Românește (Romanian)
    • Nederlands (Dutch)
    • Ελληνικά (Greek)
    • Latinum (Latin)
    • Svenska (Swedish)
    • Dansk (Danish)
    • Suomi (Finnish)
    • فارسی (Persian)
    • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
    • հայերեն (Armenian)
    • Norsk (Norwegian)
    • English (English)

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this screenplay to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Philomena" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 10 Oct. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/philomena_622>.

    We need you!

    Help us build the largest writers community and scripts collection on the web!

    Watch the movie trailer

    Philomena

    The Studio:

    ScreenWriting Tool

    Write your screenplay and focus on the story with many helpful features.


    Quiz

    Are you a screenwriting master?

    »
    Who wrote the screenplay for "The Godfather"?
    A William Goldman
    B Oliver Stone
    C Robert Towne
    D Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola