The Geometry of Leaving
In Winnipeg's West End, surrounded by a different kind of history, Leo grapples with the idea of home. A powerful mural of migrating geese forces a conversation with Leaf about whether they're meant to stay or fly.
# The Geometry of Leaving
**Format:** Short Film / Anthology Episode | **Est. Length:** 10-12 minutes
## Logline
A young man, deeply rooted in his hometown, has his lifelong assumptions about stability and happiness challenged by a free-spirited friend, forcing him to confront whether "home" is a place to stay forever or a place you must leave to truly understand.
## Themes
* **The Comfort of Stasis vs. The Pull of the Unknown:** The central tension between the security of a known life and the inherent human curiosity for what lies beyond the horizon.
* **Defining "Home": A Place or a Feeling?:** An exploration into the nature of belonging—is it the physical space you inhabit, or the point of origin you always return to?
* **Generational Legacy and Personal Identity:** The weight and comfort of a tangible past versus the desire to create a new identity on a blank slate.
## Stakes
At stake is the protagonist's chance to define his own life, risking a future of quiet regret if he chooses the safety of the familiar over the possibility of self-discovery.
## Synopsis
On a walk through an older, un-gentrified part of Winnipeg, the NARRATOR and his friend LEAF observe the "ghost signs" of past businesses, remnants of immigrant families who built lives there. The Narrator, who has never lived anywhere else, contrasts this layered, fading history with his own tangible, ever-present past, questioning if his deep roots are a comfort or a cage.
Their conversation turns to this core conflict. The Narrator asks Leaf if she could ever settle in one place "for good." Leaf, who sees her life as a series of chapters, argues against reading the same chapter over and over, even if it's a good one. She feels the "pull of the next page," a feeling the Narrator recognizes but has suppressed in favor of stability and a steady paycheque.
Their walk culminates in front of a massive, powerful mural of Canada geese flying in a V-formation. The Narrator sees them as a symbol of loyalty to home, as they always return. Leaf offers a profound counter-argument: they *have* to leave to know home, to appreciate it. She posits that home isn't a place you stay in, but the place you always return to. Her perspective reframes the Narrator's entire internal conflict, leaving him to silently contemplate the mural and the geometry of his own potential departure.
## Character Breakdown
* **NARRATOR (20s):** Introspective, cautious, and deeply rooted. His entire life has been lived within a thirty-kilometer radius, and he is wrestling with the dichotomy of this stability—it is both his greatest comfort and his potential cage. He represents the fear of the unknown and the powerful gravity of home.
* **Psychological Arc:** The Narrator begins in a state of passive conflict, viewing his stable life as a comfortable but potentially limiting cage. Through his conversation with Leaf and the encounter with the mural, he transitions to a state of active contemplation, forced to consider that leaving might be a necessary part of understanding and appreciating his home, rather than an abandonment of it.
* **LEAF (20s):** Observant, philosophical, and transient. She is the embodiment of a life lived in motion, viewing experiences as chapters in a larger book. She isn't flighty, but purposeful in her movement, acting as the catalyst who gives voice to the Narrator's unspoken anxieties and desires.
## Scene Beats
1. **THE GHOST SIGNS:** The Narrator and Leaf walk down Sargent Avenue. Close-ups on flaking paint, layered signs in different languages. The Narrator’s voiceover establishes his deep connection to the city versus the immigrant stories on the walls. Leaf notes that "the ghosts are louder here," prompting the Narrator’s reflection on his tangible past.
2. **CHAPTERS VS. THE BOOK:** They turn onto a quiet residential street. The mood is calm, domestic. Here, the central philosophical debate occurs. The Narrator asks Leaf if she could "stay." Leaf explains her "chapters" philosophy. The conversation is gentle but highlights the fundamental difference in their worldviews. The Narrator confesses his internal war between the pull of security and the pull of "the next page."
3. **THE V-FORMATION:** They stop, captivated by a massive mural of Canada geese on the side of a community centre. The art is simple and powerful. The camera holds on the mural, capturing its sense of movement and purpose.
4. **LEAVING TO RETURN:** The Narrator interprets the geese as a symbol of returning home. Leaf counters with her circular, perfect logic: "They have to leave to know that." She suggests home is the place you return to, not just stay in. She turns and points at the lead goose. The camera focuses on the Narrator's face as he processes this paradigm shift. The question hangs in the air, unresolved.
## Visual Style & Tone
The style will be naturalistic and grounded, with a contemplative, verité feel. The cinematography will emphasize the textures of the city—old brick, peeling paint, overgrown gardens—to create a strong sense of place. The lighting should feel authentic to a prairie afternoon, with a warm, slightly melancholic quality. The pace is deliberate and character-focused, allowing moments of silence and reflection to carry emotional weight.
**Tonal Comparisons:** The film aligns with the quiet, philosophical mood of character-driven indies like *Paterson* or *Columbus*, combined with the naturalistic, conversational intimacy of Richard Linklater's *Before* trilogy.
**Format:** Short Film / Anthology Episode | **Est. Length:** 10-12 minutes
## Logline
A young man, deeply rooted in his hometown, has his lifelong assumptions about stability and happiness challenged by a free-spirited friend, forcing him to confront whether "home" is a place to stay forever or a place you must leave to truly understand.
## Themes
* **The Comfort of Stasis vs. The Pull of the Unknown:** The central tension between the security of a known life and the inherent human curiosity for what lies beyond the horizon.
* **Defining "Home": A Place or a Feeling?:** An exploration into the nature of belonging—is it the physical space you inhabit, or the point of origin you always return to?
* **Generational Legacy and Personal Identity:** The weight and comfort of a tangible past versus the desire to create a new identity on a blank slate.
## Stakes
At stake is the protagonist's chance to define his own life, risking a future of quiet regret if he chooses the safety of the familiar over the possibility of self-discovery.
## Synopsis
On a walk through an older, un-gentrified part of Winnipeg, the NARRATOR and his friend LEAF observe the "ghost signs" of past businesses, remnants of immigrant families who built lives there. The Narrator, who has never lived anywhere else, contrasts this layered, fading history with his own tangible, ever-present past, questioning if his deep roots are a comfort or a cage.
Their conversation turns to this core conflict. The Narrator asks Leaf if she could ever settle in one place "for good." Leaf, who sees her life as a series of chapters, argues against reading the same chapter over and over, even if it's a good one. She feels the "pull of the next page," a feeling the Narrator recognizes but has suppressed in favor of stability and a steady paycheque.
Their walk culminates in front of a massive, powerful mural of Canada geese flying in a V-formation. The Narrator sees them as a symbol of loyalty to home, as they always return. Leaf offers a profound counter-argument: they *have* to leave to know home, to appreciate it. She posits that home isn't a place you stay in, but the place you always return to. Her perspective reframes the Narrator's entire internal conflict, leaving him to silently contemplate the mural and the geometry of his own potential departure.
## Character Breakdown
* **NARRATOR (20s):** Introspective, cautious, and deeply rooted. His entire life has been lived within a thirty-kilometer radius, and he is wrestling with the dichotomy of this stability—it is both his greatest comfort and his potential cage. He represents the fear of the unknown and the powerful gravity of home.
* **Psychological Arc:** The Narrator begins in a state of passive conflict, viewing his stable life as a comfortable but potentially limiting cage. Through his conversation with Leaf and the encounter with the mural, he transitions to a state of active contemplation, forced to consider that leaving might be a necessary part of understanding and appreciating his home, rather than an abandonment of it.
* **LEAF (20s):** Observant, philosophical, and transient. She is the embodiment of a life lived in motion, viewing experiences as chapters in a larger book. She isn't flighty, but purposeful in her movement, acting as the catalyst who gives voice to the Narrator's unspoken anxieties and desires.
## Scene Beats
1. **THE GHOST SIGNS:** The Narrator and Leaf walk down Sargent Avenue. Close-ups on flaking paint, layered signs in different languages. The Narrator’s voiceover establishes his deep connection to the city versus the immigrant stories on the walls. Leaf notes that "the ghosts are louder here," prompting the Narrator’s reflection on his tangible past.
2. **CHAPTERS VS. THE BOOK:** They turn onto a quiet residential street. The mood is calm, domestic. Here, the central philosophical debate occurs. The Narrator asks Leaf if she could "stay." Leaf explains her "chapters" philosophy. The conversation is gentle but highlights the fundamental difference in their worldviews. The Narrator confesses his internal war between the pull of security and the pull of "the next page."
3. **THE V-FORMATION:** They stop, captivated by a massive mural of Canada geese on the side of a community centre. The art is simple and powerful. The camera holds on the mural, capturing its sense of movement and purpose.
4. **LEAVING TO RETURN:** The Narrator interprets the geese as a symbol of returning home. Leaf counters with her circular, perfect logic: "They have to leave to know that." She suggests home is the place you return to, not just stay in. She turns and points at the lead goose. The camera focuses on the Narrator's face as he processes this paradigm shift. The question hangs in the air, unresolved.
## Visual Style & Tone
The style will be naturalistic and grounded, with a contemplative, verité feel. The cinematography will emphasize the textures of the city—old brick, peeling paint, overgrown gardens—to create a strong sense of place. The lighting should feel authentic to a prairie afternoon, with a warm, slightly melancholic quality. The pace is deliberate and character-focused, allowing moments of silence and reflection to carry emotional weight.
**Tonal Comparisons:** The film aligns with the quiet, philosophical mood of character-driven indies like *Paterson* or *Columbus*, combined with the naturalistic, conversational intimacy of Richard Linklater's *Before* trilogy.