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THE DUCHESS OF MALFI

GALLEON FILMS LTD - as PROD

Drama - Development 2020

'When life is forged through death and love is impossible, the animal within will out.'

- Year of production
- 2020
- Genres
- Drama
- Countries
- UNITED KINGDOM, LUXEMBOURG
- Languages
- ENGLISH
- Budget
- 5 - 10 M$
- Writer(s)
- Alice DE SOUSA
- Producer(s)
- Alice DE SOUSA (Galleon Films Ltd.)
- Synopsis
- Following the death of the media mogul ‘the Duke of Malfi’, his daughter ‘the Duchess of Malfi’ inherits the family’s considerable fortune. This angers her two brothers. The eldest, ‘the Cardinal’, who has all his life presumed himself to be the natural heir, is resolute in his plans to secure control over the Malfi Empire. The Duchess’ incestuously obsessed twin brother Ferdinand, whose difficult birth cost their mother her life, is determined to control and retain the closest of contact his sister. The success of their sinister and dangerous power play depends on The Duchess remaining unmarried.
  Meanwhile Bosola, who has been in prison for a crime which The Cardinal and himself committed, returns to Malfi demanding his dues and becomes drawn, once again, into serving the Malfi brothers. He is ordered to spy on The Duchess.
  Secretly, the Duchess of Malfi has wed Antonio; who her father had employed before his death to provide constant film footage, of his off spring’s management of the family Empire to a secret Council, who are to oversee matters after his death.
  The marriage, between the Duchess and Antonio, is successfully concealed from the Malfi brothers, until Bosola secures proof that the Duchess has had a child. This provokes a shocking and emotionally charged reaction her brother Ferdinand and devious and Machiavellian plotting from The Cardinal. Ferdinand violently confronts The Duchess in her bedroom and threatens to kill her lover and child. The Duchess sends Antonio with their child into hiding, with the assurance that her brothers will never dare to harm her.
  Meanwhile, the Cardinal orders Bosola to imprison the Duchess, psychologically torture and finally to kill her. Throughout her imprisonment Ferdinand’s emotional turmoil and grasp on reality violently weakens and this provides the Cardinal with the opportunity to have Ferdinand detained in a gruesome asylum.
  Following the murder of the Duchess, Bosola becomes conscience stricken. The close and prolonged contact with the Duchess of Malfi, the psychologically and emotionally revealing discussions he held with her and in particular the dignity with which she faced her death, affect him deeply. He begins question his actions, his life and in particular the wisdom of continuing to serve the corrupt and immoral Malfi brothers.
  Following The Duchess’ murder the Malfi world implodes and the remaining characters brutally turn on each other to avenge suffered wrongs.
  The plot resolves itself with a shocking blood bath and a climatic and cinematically thrilling all consuming fire. Whereas, the film concludes as intriguingly as it commenced and with the audience left wondering whether the now apparently repentant Bosola will continue his journey into the unknown with only his guilt and tortured thoughts for company; or whether, he will carry out his orders and kill the Duchess’ and Antonio’s child.
  • For further information contact: GALLEON FILMS LTD.
  alicedesousa@galleonfilms.com