Genre
Synopsis
In the vein of "Hunter for the Wilder People" and inspired by Don Quixote, AMERICAN KINGDOM depicts the epic journey of self-proclaimed knight Donovan Keaton (57) and his young sidekick squire Jess Garcia (15) as they travel together from Texas to California on a fantastical quest for self-realization.
A year after his wife died in a tragic accident at a Renaissance Fair, Don becomes obsessed with everything medieval. He slowly retreats into a fantasy world, adopting a new identity as a chivalrous knight on a mission to better the kingdom he dutifully serves. Don has successfully managed schizophrenia for over 30 years but stopped taking medication after losing his wife's insurance. Worried about his mental health and the astronomical cost of medication, Don’s sister Melissa thinks it best to commit him until they can pay for his treatment. Overhearing this prompts Don to plan his escape: he'll ride his "trusty steed" (a vintage sidecar motorcycle) across the American Kingdom to a Renaissance Festival he saw advertised on TV, where he will win the "King's riches" for defeating the "Black Knight," who he believes has personally challenged him to a duel.
On his way out of town, Don finds Jess, a teenage neighbor, perched upon a bridge. Jess, a spirited tomboy, carries an indescribable longing deep within. Feeling unaccepted by an oppressive mother named Crystal, their paths converge in this pivotal moment. Jess convinces Don to let him be his faithful squire on this knight-errant journey to the faraway lands of California.
They encounter divine detours and unexpected adventures along the way. Don gets officially knighted by King Lear at a Shakespeare play. They visit a shaman who concocts an herbal medication for Don, train with a dancing magician at Burning Man, and aid a Navajo protest against uranium mines. They even deliver a mother’s ashes to her estranged daughter across state lines.
With each diversion comes a new lesson or skill that will come to Don’s aid in his final duel. But the odds are starkly against him. With worsening mental health, visions of the Black Knight terrorizing him, and the fact that the police believe Don kidnapped a missing minor, they run into trouble every step of the way.
But Don’s fantastical spirit, combined with Jess’s resilience, drives this odd couple onward and shows that sometimes... believing in a new sense of self can be the best road to healing.
Bio
Sonia Sebastian is an award-winning, multi-talented writer, producer, and director from Spain. She just premiered her second directorial effort, “Freelancers Anonymous,” an English-language feature film produced by Full Spectrum Features in Chicago. Her first feature film, “De Chica en Chica” is now available on Amazon Video. Sonia also co-directed episodes of three Spanish TV Series: “Todo es Posible en el Bajo,” “Aqui Me las den Todas” and “Cuñados” for Spain’s TV networks Tele 5 and TeleMadrid. She was the showrunner, writer, and director of the first online web series in Spain, “Girl Seeks Girl,” which was subsequently released on DVD in the U.S. As a producer, her feature film, “Cuidate de mi” a romantic comedy about a clinician’s view of heartbreak, premiered at the prestigious Malaga Film Festival. Last year she made the short film “Yo Tambien,” which received the CIMA Award at the Zaragoza Film Festival as Best Filmmaker. She has a Master’s Degree in Film from San Antonio de Baños, Cuba, and a Master’s degree on Theatre at the Royal Academy of Art in Spain. Sonia has two TV series in development: “Extra Life” and “Our Home Is Your Home.” She is in pre-production on her third feature film “The virgin of Glendale,” a coming of age drama.
