CULTURE Written by NASCOSTO NOTES FOR PRODUCTION Setting: Top-level parking lot (Casino Lac-Leamy or any large open space). Props: 2 camping chairs 1 shisha setup 1 portable speaker or radio 2 small Arabic coffee cups 1 box of baklava (with red ribbon) 1 Red Audi (Victor’s) Wardrobe: Abdallah & Tarek: thobes, sandals Victor: casual jeans, dark tee Arturo: hoodie, baseball cap, relaxed streetwear Soundtrack: Fairouz – Kan Enna Tahoun (background) Romanian hip-hop or instrumental (car interior) Tone: Slow pacing, natural dialogue, long pauses. Authenticity over action. The silence means something. EXT. PARKING LOT – LATE AFTERNOON We’re in a large open parking lot, maybe the one at the Casino Lac-Leamy, near the edge overlooking the city. Cracked asphalt. Empty spaces. Wide horizon. A red Audi (Victor’s car) enters the frame slowly, engine echoing against the concrete. 2. ANGLE ON – THE CORNER OF THE LOT. Two Arab guys, ABDALLAH and TAREK, sit in camping chairs. Between them: a shisha pipe, glowing coal resting on foil, thin smoke curling upward. A small radio or Bluetooth speaker plays Fairouz softly — “Kan Enna Tahoun” or something nostalgic. They’re both wearing thobes, relaxed, arguing about something small — we only catch pieces of it, the rhythm more important than the words. ABDALLAH (in Arabic, muffled) Bro, I’m telling you, it’s mint, not apple. TAREK (laughing). They laugh, exhale smoke, and sip Arabic coffee from small metal cups resting on the ground. CUT TO – THE CAR (Camera on hood) VICTOR (mid-20s, Romanian, stoic but with a dry humor) drives. ARTURO (Latino, energetic, curious) rides shotgun, one arm out the window. The engine growls, Romanian hip-hop hums from the speakers, blending with Fairouz in the distance — two worlds about to collide. CUT BACK TO – WIDE SHOT THE LEBANESE GUYS They hear the engine now. The sound climbs the hill, cutting through Fairouz’s voice. Abdallah leans forward, squinting. CUT BACK TO – THE CAR (Camera in backseat) ARTURO (grinning) You sure this is the place? VICTOR (doesn't respond) He parks the car and nods to Arturo with his head singling to get out with him. CUT BACK TO – WIDE SHOT THE ARAB GUYS Victor steps out, and wearing jeans, a black T-shirt. He shuts the door gently, walks to the backseat, pauses. Victor looks over to Abdallah and Tarek — nods his head slightly, a calm “what’s up?” kind of gesture. They return it, amused, curious. 3. CLOSE-UP – EXCHANGE Victor opens the back door. Reaches in and pulls X wrapped in a small towel like it’s something valuable. He holds it out slightly, an offering. Abdallah raises an eyebrow, then looks at Tarek. Tarek smiles, stands, and reaches under his chair. He pulls out a small white box of baklava, tied with a thin red ribbon. They meet halfway — no dialogue. Just mutual understanding. They exchange items, both nodding. ARTURO That’s real. Victor turns back toward his car, gives a small wave. Abdallah and Tarek return to their seats, placing X between them like a centerpiece. They laugh quietly, take another puff of shisha, and resume their conversation as Fairouz fades back in. Victor gets in, starts the engine. The car rolls out smoothly, the sound echoing as it disappears down the ramp. In bold, red text across the screen: CULTURE NOT A BRAND. JUST HUMAN. THE END