Painting Otis

Synopsis

The story starts with a woman in colourful extravagant clothes walking through a grey, cold prison. Her name is Joelle Dubois (45 years old) , she’s coming to pick up Otis Gatlin, a 22 year old thief, to do a ‘payback through labour’. When the officer asks her what kind of labour Otis will do for her Joelle mentions she’s making a painting. Now we’re in a room that seems to be an art studio, filled with old paintings, sketches and paint tubes. We find out this is Joelle's painting studio and we learn she’s using Otis as a model. Otis tries to start a conversation, but Joelle keeps cold and distant. She has one goal: making a portrait of a criminal. This is the beginning of a period of two months where they get to know each other and change each other's mindset towards one another but also to their role in the society they live in. Through the story we cut between them having conversations in the painting studio, Otis' world in the cold and hard prison and Joelle's world in her dark and warm living room. Through their conversations we find out Otis stole two paintings of Joelle. This turns out to be the reason she specifically wants to paint him: he is her thief. But this is not as easy as she expected. Otis turns out to be way more than just a petty thief, he shows he has knowledge of art and actually seems to have a connection with the work Joelle makes. He also isn’t really impressed with her status, he dares to put Joelle in her place. In an outburst he confronts her with the fact that she just sees him as an interesting story, one the audience will love. Her intentions weren’t pure. At first this is frustrating for Joelle, she gets angry and hates the portrait she made thus far. We see her struggling to paint and failing to make good sketches at home. She decides to start the painting over. This time she looks at him differently, she doesn't really feel like she’s above him anymore. Now two equal souls are talking. Both of them put the prejudices aside they had for one another. They open up. Joelle realises she hasn’t been painting for herself the past few years. She painted to please people, what others wanted her to paint. Lost in her own success. Otis opened her eyes to this and in a way, humbled her. When Otis offers Joelle to tell her where he hid the paintings, she doesn't want to know anymore. Now the absence of her old work contributed to her newest work: his painting. The painting that made her regain her passion for creating art. Joelle finishes the painting and is fully content. This is the last time we are in the painting studio. She allows Otis to take a look while she’s grabbing beers to celebrate ‘their’ new work. When she comes back with the drinks the painting is gone and Otis is too. She looks at the empty easel. Joelle realises she painted him well. She has seen him for what he is deep down and he has felt that. The theft of her new work confirms that, so it’s the best compliment she could get. A smile appears on her face.