Field Trip a Le Louvre (a short silent film script)

Entering Le Louvre

EXT. FAÇADE OF LE LOUVRE (GLASS PYRAMID) – DAY

LE LOUVRE TOUR GUIDE/TEACHER drags/pulls 10 giddy SCHOOL CHILDREN hand-by-hand (primary school pupils, of varied sexes and races, in school uniforms) across the plaza in front of the facade of Le Louvre.   EMILE, an 8 year old boy of African descent (with name tag: “Bonjour!  Je m’appelle Emile.”), is running to catch up with the queue of SCHOOL CHILDREN.

 

Escalator at Le Louvre

INT. LE LOUVRE ESCALATOR - DAY

Shot of stressed-out LE LOUVRE TOUR GUIDE/TEACHER and visibly excited SCHOOL CHILDREN descending down the escalator into the main foyer of Le Louvre.  EMILE is the last in queue and he is trying to hide the fact that he is unwrapping a piece of chewing gum and pops it quickly into his mouth as the group descends.

The Jesus Hall

INT. LE LOUVRE GALLERY HALLWAY - DAY

Shots of various art work depicting Jesus (note all artwork depicts Jesus as a Caucasian man with blue/green/brown eyes and light brown or sandy blonde hair) during various stages of his life, intermittent with shots of the SCHOOL CHILDREN's reactions, i.e., Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus /SCHOOL CHILDREN smiling, perhaps giggling at any nudity; gruesome depictions of the Cruxifiction/SCHOOL CHILDREN terrified.  EMILE looks at portrait of the Cruxifiction through his fingers, much like one does when watching a scary movie. EMILE is visibly chewing his gum.

EMILE's Photo

Shot of artwork of the Resurrection. EMILE pulls a wallet out of his pocket and opens it.  Among other photos of family peeking out in his wallet, EMILE pulls out a worn photo of a black Jesus (bleeding heart--apparently some church benediction card perhaps his grandmother gave him) Close shot of "Black Jesus" and then EMILE looking at White Jesus on the wall.  Shots of two more white Jesus portraits intermittent with EMILE looking quizzically at the Black Jesus photo in his hand.  EMILE is still visibly chewing his gum.

Busted!

LE LOUVRE TOUR GUIDE/TEACHER catches EMILE chewing gum and via angry sign language reprimands him.  She points to a rubbish bin in the corner of the gallery.  There is a 50-something, stern-looking African SECURITY GUARD posted near the rubbish bin; SECURITY GUARD's eyes are following EMILE.  EMILE walks up to the rubbish bin and pretends to put the chewing gum in the trash (unaware that the SECURITY GUARD is watching him.)  When LE LOUVRE TOUR GUIDE/TEACHER is no longer paying attention, he puts the chewing gum on the back of the Black Jesus photo.

 

Leaving the Jesus Hall

As LE LOUVRE TOUR GUIDE/TEACHER and SCHOOL CHILDREN move on to another portion of the gallery, EMILE hastily sticks the Black Jesus photo on the wall (with chewing gum on the back) right in the middle of two White Jesus portraits and runs to catch up with the other SCHOOL CHILDREN. Long shot of Black Jesus "gummed" to the wall between two acclaimed white Jesus portraits.

Final Scene

SECURITY GUARD walks past Black Jesus photo just as it falls off the wall.  SECURITY GUARD picks it up, inspects it, looks around to see if anyone is watching, and puts it back up on the wall.  SECURITY GUARD walks away nonchalantly.  MUSEUM CROWD shows up, briefly look at the first White Jesus portrait and stop to look at Black Jesus Photo carefully.

FADE OUT