Merzan, the Destiny of an Artist Read online

  Merzan, the Destiny of an Artist

  Written by Marc Blake

  from the screenplay, “Merzan,” by Marc Blake

  Copyright © 2014 Marc Blake, Sword of Creation. All rights reserved.

  merzan.com

  CONTENTS

  1 The Children’s Adventure

  2 The Distant City of Lights

  3 Reaching for Your Dream

  4 A Journey’s First Step

  5 An Island of Abundance

  6 Streets of Opportunity

  7 Here, at Last

  8 There’s No Trouble in Paradise

  9 The Calm Before the Storm

  10 His Eyes are the Window to Life’s Canvas

  11 Destiny or Coincidence?

  12 Where did the Magic Go?

  13 Treasures of the Human Spirit

  14 An Artiste is Born

  15 A Victim of Responsibility

  16 Fate Plays Another Card

  17 I Am not an Artiste

  18 What We do not See Shines Brightest

  19 Your Camera does not Make You a Photographer

  20 Caught by His Vision

  21 The Fire that Speaks Across the Globe

  22 The Princess has Landed

  23 Another Life is Changed Forever

  24 The Lycée Michelet Welcomes Her Royal Highness

  25 I Am Invisible

  26 This is not what I Expected

  27 The Artiste has Arrived

  28 A Destiny that can Never Be

  29 It will End Now

  30 Mother, what has Happened?

  31 This can’t be Happening

  32 She is Gone

  33 Sadness on the Winds of Mo’ore’a

  34 The Artiste becomes the Farmer

  35 Tropical Night, Lonely Night

  36 Homecoming

  37 Tough Hands Soft Heart

  38 Do You Believe in Destiny

  39 A Princess’s Prayer

  40 A Journey Beyond a Child’s Imagination

  41 Can Someone Guide Me?

  42 Merzan Arrives

  43 This is Not a Dream

  44 This is Mo’ore’a

  45 The Reception

  46 Merzan, Artiste de la Photographie

  47 What was in the Pouch

  48 The Ceremony that Changed the World Forever

  49 Life’s Biggest Blessing

  50 The Child of the Storm

  51 No Storm to be Found on the Farm

  52 The End of the Storm

  53 The Adventure is Over – The Light on the Horizon

  54 It Began on a Farm

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  1 The Children’s Adventure

  It was a pleasant day on a late spring afternoon. In 1963, the pace and lifestyle was slow and simple on this small farm located north of Paris near Montataire, France. Merzan L’Granaré, a creative and witty eleven-year-old boy, was holding a stick from a broken branch of a nearby fruit tree, which he fabricated into his sword. He stood bravely on the quarterdeck of his imaginary clipper ship, using his sword with magnificent finesse, commanding his imaginary crew of sailors while they journeyed on the high seas of the South Pacific.

  His younger eight year old sister, Geneviève, was trimming the sails frantically. Her long wavy red hair was swirling with every tug of the lines. Her pretty green eyes expressed her zeal and commitment to please her captain. Geneviève loved her brother Merzan deeply. Their imaginary adventures consumed the two children. Geneviève was Merzan’s most faithful crewmate. They were completely emotionally invested on these great adventures challenging the spirit of the high seas. Too often their childhood games were all that really mattered, even at the cost of neglecting their chores.

  What happened next wrote a fantastic story on the empty pages of the lives of many. Merzan’s childhood dreams and creative meanderings found their way into setting a course that even he could have never imagined.

  Geneviève, now completely out of breath, was physically spent. She was hard to locate, surrounded by the tall grass near the garden where she rested for only a moment while playing along with Merzan in the field. She was completely engaged with her older brother’s imaginary crew on their imaginary ship, every time on these imaginary adventure.

  Geneviève cries out with angst and dramatic overtones, “Prince Merzan, I am so tired. I see no island on the horizon. We are doomed captain!”

  Merzan, however, is completely confident. He maintains the composure of a well-seasoned leader of men. Merzan replies, “Trim those sails sailors. The adventure of a lifetime is at hand. We sail beyond the light that glows like a fire on the horizon.”

  Merzan has an amazing, gifted, ability to envision things. We are taken on a journey into his mind, now able to see what he can see.

  There’s a grand ship on the sea. Merzan and Geneviève are now sailing in an island paradise. Seabirds are flying around the mast of the ship. Merzan and his crew are dressed in beautiful costumes glistening in the light. There is even treasure and plenty on board. It’s a perfect moment on this clipper ship with the gallant Prince Merzan in command as his ship is cutting through the ocean swells with grace. Certainly their journey must be blessed by the gods.

  The day of high sea adventure begins to wind down into the actual setting sun blazing past the rolling hills, backlighting the tall grass of their Northern France farm.

  Lily L’Granaré, Merzan’s and Geneviève’s mother, is indoors preparing the evening’s meal. Lily is in her early 40’s. She’s a loving mother and practical in her ways. She always finds a way to keep the occasional chaos that can occur in any family situation at bay with her patience. She’s equally motivated by the love she has for her husband and two children.

  Lily calls out from indoors to her children, “Merzan! Geneviève! Venez maintenant. Votre dîner sera froid. Bring in the bushel young prince.”

  TRANSLATION: Come now. Your dinner will be cold.

  Merzan and Geneviève abandon ship and chase each other toward their farm cottage. Merzan stops to grab a bushel filled with the farm’s offerings.

  2 The Distant City of Lights

  The family is seated around the table. Food is being served. Vincent L’Granaré, the man of the house, is settling in for the meal making adjustments to his chair, napkin and place settings. He sneaks in an extra few moments to try to see what the day’s newspaper has to offer.

  Vincent is in his early 50’s. He’s worked on a farm his whole life. In fact, this very farm was passed along to him from his parents. The farm has been in their family for a number of generations. Vincent is a leather-skinned man from years of the sun’s exposure, unshaven, yet kind and gentle despite his efforts to act gruff.

  Dinner is ready so Vincent folds away the newspaper. Observant Merzan catches an advertisement for an art show in Paris as Papa is putting the paper aside.

  Vincent notices Merzan’s attentiveness and tries to make sense of his daydreaming son’s interests.

  “Merzan, look at you! Your hands are softer than your sisters. Where is your mind all day?”

  Merzan is preoccupied thinking about the art show notice he saw in the newspaper as it was being folded away by his father. Merzan is not paying attention to his dad’s comments or question.

  Geneviève, as always, comes to Merzan’s defense, “Papa! You don’t understand. Merzan is a prince of the sea.” She uses a contrived overly done French accent, “He must find zee Island of the Sun, Papa.”

  Vincent interrupts using an equally faked accent, “Merzan must find noszing but zee milk from zee téton of zee cow.”

  Merzan snaps back to the moment. He picks up the pitcher of milk and fills his father’s cup. />
  “For you Papa, I serve zee fine wine from zee cow,” Merzan announces and smirks with his playful performance.

  Lily, standing by the stove, watches and smiles with pride as her son defends himself with such imagination. Vincent, noticing his wife’s approval, tries to act outwardly annoyed even though he isn’t!

  In order to save some degree of face, Vincent scorns to try to regain control of his family and demonstrate his dominance.

  He reprimands his wife barking out her name, “Lily!”

  She laughs at his harmless, empty scolding, counting it off as silly.

  Vincent, now tries to think of something more important, more insistent to say.

  He asks for more bread as if that will show everyone who’s the boss!

  “Plus de pain s’il vous plaît.”

  Lily brings more bread, delivered with a patronizing smile. Playfully, she says to her husband, “Papa! Zee bread from zee cow pour vous.”

  We see Geneviève watching the interaction of everyone in the family, like it’s a tennis match. Her big green eyes are shifting from person to person, serving this, passing that. Holding back her giggles, she is openly entertained by the ongoing exchanges that are occurring. She hardly realizes her own playful behavior started this entire volley.

  Geneviève takes far too big a bite of her potato and half of it spills from her mouth as she starts to speak. The family notices her over-consumption, each, in turn, responding with a curious look; Merzan smirks. Papa scorns. Mama simply adores her baby girl who can do nothing wrong.

  Geneviève, knowing she’s become the center of attention, struggles to speak, sarcastically, under her breath so as not to be heard, “Zee pomme de terre from zee cow.” Potato portions fall from her mouth a little.

  TRANSLATION: The potato from the cow.

  Dinner ends and the evening winds down. Merzan is in his bedroom, sitting up against the backboard of his bed. It will be lights out soon on the farm.

  Merzan has the paper his father folded away at dinner. He picks it up to get a closer look at the art show ad and to look for any other gallery advertisements or exhibition notices. The ones he finds, as always, take place in Paris. He imagines going to Paris one day.

  Merzan is intrigued and begins to dream of the art and being an artist. He traces over the artwork pictured in the publication with his finger. “One day I will be an artist,” he reminds himself. Being an artist is not a new aspiration for Merzan. He’s always felt a calling. As creative as he truly is, he suffers from one major setback though. He seems to have no talent whatsoever when it comes to drawing.

  When Merzan reaches over to turn off his bedside lamp, he becomes absorbed in the way the light catches his hand as he moves it from one angle to the next. He studies the different looks of light and shadow created from the lamp light.

  Looking closely at Merzan’s eyes, we know that he is “on to something” important!

  Merzan is fascinated by the light and shadow. What he views from his vantage point, still sitting up in bed, magically turns into a visual masterpiece as if it were painted by a great master. Merzan’s imagination builds detailed, vivid pictures in his mind.

  Merzan imagines himself becoming a well-composed renaissance work of art. He leaves nothing behind. Merzan envisions everything in his room transforming into classical architectures and period items from the 1700’s. Soon, Merzan’s imaginary painting becomes a completed masterpiece. The artwork is now framed in his mind’s eye and looks as if it were painted by one of the great masters.

  Merzan’s desire to draw intensifies and with each effort to do so he is equally frustrated by the fact that he just cannot seem to put two lines together that resemble anything close to an accurate artistic drawing. This failure goes on and on. Merzan is very sincere about being an artist. He does not easily give up. For four years he continues trying to draw, to be an artist. Even so, by his own admission, it’s to no avail.

  3 Reaching for Your Dream

  Merzan is now fifteen years old, soon to be 16. He is leaning up in bed holding his bedside lamp in his hand while his younger sister, Geneviève, is striking slow overly exaggerated fashionable poses acting like model. Geneviève enjoys playing along with what she interprets as another of Merzan’s vivid fantastic adventures. She is so supportive of her brother. Geneviève would sacrifice her own needs for him in every situation.

  Merzan moves the light back and forth, up and down in every direction while framing her face with his other hand – like an artist who is composing and pre-visualizing the picture of the scene he’s about to paint.

  Geneviève asks her brother, “Merzan, am I beautiful?”

  Geneviève brushes her hand through her very long golden red hair – continuing to adjust herself with a variety of fashion-like poses.

  Merzan, without hesitation replies, “You are a princess of paradise and your kingdom rings with the destiny of...”

  Mama interrupts Merzan’s response calling out from the other room, “Geneviève!” She sternly says and without exception. “TO BED! Or must I take Papa from his pipe to remind you of the way to your room?”

  Geneviève tweaks her nose at Merzan laughing at Mama’s empty threats. This is not a household ruled by a heavy hand in any way whatsoever. She leaves Merzan’s room and just as she gets to his doorway, looks back to smile and say “good-night” to him. The light from the other room radiates through her beautiful wavy hair and Merzan holds up both hands to frame her into view. Then, without thinking, Merzan surprises himself when he blinks one eye simultaneously making a clicking sound with his tongue.

  He ponders and questions what he just did considering what “that” was all about. Even so, Merzan lets it go without trying to understand the reason for “his blink and click.”

  Merzan begins looking at the many papers, books and brochures scattered on his bed with information of the great masters, art shows, exhibits, galleries and the numerous cultural activities that take place in Paris.

  Merzan, as he has done so often over the years, tries to draw on his sketchpad but his artwork is still awful. He knows he can’t draw. Frustrated, he throws the pad across the room. The edge of the pad catches the corner of a page on one of the newspapers on his bed. That causes the page to turn. Merzan sees an invitation to be accepted as a student at the Lycée Michelet, a city school in Paris installed on the former estate of the Prince of Condé.

  Merzan studies the information to learn that he can write an essay as part of an application for acceptance to this high school. He gets out of bed to retrieve his drawing pad then begins to focus his thoughts on why he must go to this high school. He starts writing his essay. He hopes this might help to fulfill one of his dreams, to study art history – and better yet, in Paris!

  4 A Journey’s First Step

  Many months have now passed. Merzan’s chores around the farm, along with less youthful but still playfully imaginary adventures, continue to be the norm for he and his sister.

  A letter arrives, delivered to their farm. Merzan has been accepted to study at the Lycée Michelet. His family is completely supportive and after necessary preparations are seeing him off to school by delivering him to the train station in Montataire. Geneviève is not pleased to have her brother go away to school but rises above her own feelings to make sure he knows that she insists that he takes his studies on with the most dedicated spirit. One would think Geneviève knows what’s best for Merzan the way she takes things like this so seriously! Geneviève is quick to sacrifice her own desires in support of her brother finding his life’s path. She’s very intuitive as well and not much gets past her.

  Merzan, now traveling to Paris to begin his study at his new high school, is entrenched in the scenic views passing by through the train’s windows. Unsurprisingly, Merzan takes himself into a dreamlike sequence as the excitement of Paris, the City of Lights, grows closer. Merzan is very happy and unafraid. He gets out his sketchpad to try, once again, to draw even thou
gh he knows his fate. Without drawing at all, he chooses to put away his pencil collection and stuffs the sketchpad back into his pack. He gazes out the window and the strobe-like light patterns from the sun shining between the trees seems to hypnotize Merzan into an enlighten state. It’s easy for anyone looking at him on the train to notice the intrigue on his face. He appears to be learning something of value from these strobe-like light patterns. The light fascinates Merzan.

  Merzan draws in a deep breath of confidence and discovery. He looks around the train car to confirm his own safety. He closes his eyes and can see the strobe patterns of light and dark inside of his closed eyelids. Stimulated by memories of his playful childhood adventures on the tropical high seas, he imagines hearing island music.

  While Merzan drifts off onto another of his imaginary creative journeys, this time including the island music, our story takes us elsewhere to a different reality halfway around the world. We’re suddenly transported to the Island of Mo’ore’a, an outer island 17 kilometers from Tahiti in the South Pacific. It’s part of the French Polynesian islands.

  5 An Island of Abundance

  It’s 1967. There are a strobe-like light patterns reflecting from the sun-made diamonds on the sea. The illuminating highlights are washing over the view on the beach. It’s much like the light patterns that Merzan is experiencing on his train ride to his new school in Paris.

  Finishing a strand for her pukka shell necklace, Matahina is enjoying her time on the sand finalizing each adjustment as she ties off her new island jewelry with faultless precision and patience.

  Matahina, 15, has long, wavy, silky black hair and extremely light blue (aquamarine) eyes. She is the daughter of Temaru who, in his early 50’s, is his Tahitian Royal Highness, the King. Matahina’s mother, the Queen, is Élise. She is a French woman who Temaru calls Eeva. Temaru and Élise (Eeva) met in Paris twenty years before when, Temaru, a prince at that time, was involved in a cultural exchange-based trip to the City of Lights.