Travis, accompanied by his family, arrives at his grandmother's house for her hundredth birthday party the following day. The grandmother, Nan, is sprightly and determined about securing a birthday letter from the UK monarch, Queen Elizabeth, as is the royal tradition.
After the premise has been established, and the viewer's attention engaged within the narrative, the most unexpected development occurs - Nan's sudden passing. This, in turn, leaves Travis and his indifferent, borderline hostile (delicately put) wife with the sole option of cancelling the party, and informing the rest of the family, while also forgoing Nan's dying wish to be buried with her favorite Queen Lizzie's letter. However, something even more unusual follows next, as Travis, in exchange for a designer bag, manages to bribe his wife into carrying out a bizarre scheme with him, but one that would ensure the acquisition of the letter from the Queen.
The final result of the film, in the process, gets suffused with the charming, effervescent and strangely endearing energy of its actors, bringing to life a story which is humorous, entertaining, and sure to stay with you even after you are done watching the film.
Read LessAfter the premise has been established, and the viewer's attention engaged within the narrative, the most unexpected development occurs - Nan's sudden passing. This, in turn, leaves Travis and his indifferent, borderline hostile (delicately put) wife with the sole option of cancelling the party, and informing the rest of the family, while also forgoing Nan's dying wish to be buried with her favorite Queen Lizzie's letter. However, something even more unusual follows next, as Travis, in exchange for a designer bag, manages to bribe his wife into carrying out a bizarre scheme with him, but one that would ensure the acquisition of the letter from the Queen.
The final result of the film, in the process, gets suffused with the charming, effervescent and strangely endearing energy of its actors, bringing to life a story which is humorous, entertaining, and sure to stay with you even after you are done watching the film.
In Australia, if you turn a hundred years old, Queen Elizabeth herself sends you a letter. My great grandmother got that letter and my fellow filmmaker’s grandmother literally died just before she got hers.
It was then that the ideas just poured out. What if a Queen Elizabeth superfan died on the eve of her hundredth birthday? What if her loving relatives wanted her to get that letter? What if her hundredth birthday party was already planned? What if they “Weekend at Bernie’s”-ed Nan and reported the death the following day? And that’s how this idea and our dark comedy was born.
It was then that the ideas just poured out. What if a Queen Elizabeth superfan died on the eve of her hundredth birthday? What if her loving relatives wanted her to get that letter? What if her hundredth birthday party was already planned? What if they “Weekend at Bernie’s”-ed Nan and reported the death the following day? And that’s how this idea and our dark comedy was born.
Vanessa Every-burnsProducer & Writer, 100 Candles
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