PATRON SAINT

Screenplay Information

Logline: A parish priest coerces an impressionable teen to film "Hell scenes" for the church, which ushers his entire Confirmation class into a moral dilemma to confront the unknown.

Page Count: 98 Genres: Horror, Coming of Age, LGBTQ+ Expected Length: 1.5 hr

Tone: Sardonic, Bleak, Experimental Comp: Didi (2024) meets Heretic (2024)

Characters

Andrew Allen (lead, male, 17 yrs):

A Catholic altar boy. A passive observer and a rule-follower. However, his passion for filmmaking coupled with his growing obsession towards his peer Thomas forces a reckoning within himself.

Father Martin (lead, male, 60-70 yrs):

Loud and boisterous with a penchant for theatricality, Father Martin is more myth than man. He's large, pale, and hairless - a beast in a clergy collar who yearns for control, or an Icarus who loses himself in his many words.

Thomas Costa (lead, male, 17 yrs):

Thomas is a bad boy who cuffs his church polos. He's a non-conformist who is not afraid to question authority. And though he's getting Confirmed into the Catholic church, his strong views make him a target for abuse.

This project is currently seeking representation. If you are interested in reading the screenplay, please contact me at CoreyHouseholder.work@gmail.com.

If you are seeking information about the stage play version of Patron Saint, click HERE.

Supporting Work

Patron Saint was heavily inspired by the religious scare films of the 70's and 80's, particularly those made by the Ormond family. This, coupled with personal experiences, is the genesis of many of the themes involving identity, exploitation, relationships between parents and children, and the unknowns of being an adolescent. The following collage work is meant to reflect the tone and visual language of the screenplay.

Stage Play

In 2025, Patron Saint was turned into a three-act stage play which totally re-worked the core elements of the screenplay for an even more immediate, confrontational, and intense experience - expanding the themes and characters without page restriction.

Below is a preliminary illustration of the stage. If you are interested in reading the play, or requesting licensing rights for performances, you may do do through New Play Exchange.

Illustration done in Pen and Ink on paper, with additional Digital Collage.