Max Joseph & Carlin Daley – Garden of Eden

“Garden of Eden” is a short film about two teenagers attempting to overcome the obstacles of sex and lust in order to have an honest and intimate relationship.

We are tackling the issue of over-sexualization of teenagers and adolescents.  We live in a moment where pop-stars are selling sex to minors and middle-schoolers, where omnipresent billboards use skin unabashedly to sell their products, and where internet pornography has robbed at least one generation (if not several) of what true intimacy really is.  Having once been an adolescent myself, I am personally aware of the effects of this over-sexualization and am wondering why it is something that is rarely talked about or addressed in art or popular culture.  How is it affecting boys’ perception of girls?  Of intimacy?  Of relationships?  And then for girls: what must it be like to be a 15 year-old girl and have boys in your class and men of all ages leering at you and projecting their internet-porn inspired fantasies onto you?  How does that change your identity?  Your sense of self?  Your view of men and relationships?  These were all of the themes and issues that inspired me to write “Garden of Eden.”  Taking the original parable about the tragic consequences of lust I thought it would be appropriate to adapt it to our current sex-obsessed culture.  The question at the heart of the movie is whether or not kids today can actually engage in a true and honest intimate relationship in the face of a society amped up on sex.

What I hope the film accomplishes is bringing this discussion of relationships and intimacy into the public forum.  This is a subject that permeates our daily lives, our commutes to and from work, our television sets, our computers, our families, and our relationships, but about which very little has been said.  We hope to broach this subject and present these themes in a compelling film with relatable characters and dramatic situations.

Max Joseph & Carlin Daley

Project Name: Garden of Eden
Project Type: Short Film

• Synopsis of Project:

Jake is a good kid –an impressionable high school freshman who daydreams about Kristin Sommers (17), the hottest girl in school.  When Jake’s great uncle suddenly commits suicide, Jake is left with his uncle’s beautiful house featuring a majestic garden.  Upon learning that Kristin is looking for an open house to throw a party, Jake offers up his uncle’s house. Kristen falls in love with the place, especially the garden, and suggests they play a game called “Garden of Eden…”   Jake happily agrees to play.

Question by question Jake and Kristin reveal themselves to one another divulging their secrets and their bodies.  The game continues for weeks unbeknownst to Russ, Kristin’s possessive boyfriend. But one day in a moment of weakness Jake and Kristin acquiesce to their true feelings for one another and “cross the line.” Realizing she has no true feelings for Russ, Kristin breaks up with him and asks Jake if they can meet at the house again, wanting to start over.  But this time Russ follows them home and witnesses their intimate game.  Seething with anger and jealousy, he confronts Jake and Kristin as the film builds towards its violent climax.

Issue:
Sexuality

Mission:
To update the parable of Adam and Eve to contemporary society.  More specifically, to explore the complexities of kids having a meaningful relationship in today’s over-sexualized climate.

Website:
Garden of Eden

CVF Involvement: 

Creative Visions Foundation (CVF) provides all business services including fiscal sponsorship and donor reports for Garden of Eden. 

For a one-time donation, click the “Donate” button below.

To set up automatic, recurring monthly donations, please use the “Subscribe” button.

Option 1 : $25.00USD – monthly Option 2 : $50.00USD – monthly Option 3 : $100.00USD – monthly Option 4 : $250.00USD – monthly Option 5 : $500.00USD – monthly Option 6 : $1,000.00USD – monthly

Optional Message