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Innocent Target (A Story of Terrorism and Survival)
by greenj
(Posted 04-14-2008 02:29 PM)
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On September 4, 1997, DIANA CAMPUZANO, an American visiting Israel, was the victim of a terrorist attack which took the lives of seven people and injured 192, 8 critically. Diana was one of the 2 most critically injured. The attack drew international attention. Diana's picture, her face completely covered in blood, was displayed on the front pages of many major newspapers and magazines.  More photos of Diana before and after the attack, a photo of Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu visiting one Diana's injured friends, photos of the carnage that appeared in Newsweek, USA Today, and other publications, can be seen at InnocentTarget.com. In spite of the odds against her, Diana survived. The following screenplay, based on true events and characters, is Diana Campuzano's horrific story. EXT. ISRAEL - SEPTEMBER 4, 1997, 3:09 P.M. OUTDOOR CAFE IN BEN YEHUDA STREET SHOPPING PLAZA It is a warm, bright, sunny day. DIANA CAMPUZANO, 30, and a couple of friends, SHERRI and GREGG, enjoy coffee, cake and light banter in this crowded cafe. (Diana's face is not shown throughout this scene, for reasons that will become clear later.) Among the throngs of people moving in and out, 3 MEN IN OVERCOATS, a little overdressed for this weather, walk in, nervously shifting their eyes from side to side. One of the men is poorly disguised as a woman. Diana's eyes are diverted to this guy. DIANA That's odd. GREGG What? DIANA A guy dressed in drag ... in Israel? GREGG Why not? Somewhat apprehensive, Diana turns her attention to 2 ISRAELI SOLDIERS with machine guns just outside the cafe. Suddenly, one of the 3 men slips his hand under his overcoat. DIANA (jumps up and shouts) No! The soldiers swing around instantly, raising their guns. But not quickly enough. The three men activate detonators under their overcoats -- creating three HUGH EXPLOSIONS, in rapid succession, which rip through the cafe. The blast picks up Gregg and hurls him 8 feet away. Tables, chairs and many patrons go flying. When the smoke clears, we see Gregg with a broken leg, Sherri burnt over 30% of her body, and Diana bleeding profusely from the face. There are also dead bodies and body parts strewn about. CUT TO SEVERAL MINUTES LATER Ambulances, cops, military personnel and the news media are at the scene.  As Diana, in critical condition, is carried from the rubble into an ambulance, she is photographed by just about every photographer at the scene. But her face cannot be seen through all the blood. A PARKED CAR CLOSE TO THE CARNAGE Inside are ABU ATEF, the leader of a terrorist cell, and one of his cohorts. ABU (heavy middle eastern accent) (looking with glee at the dead bodies) Excellent. They drive off. CUT TO A CLOSE SHOT of headlines of an American newspaper reading, "Terrorist Attack in Israel Kills 7, Wounds 192, 8 Critically" EXT. CHURCH - ROCHESTER, NEW YORK - DAY - 13 YEARS AGO The pastor greets congregants as they leave Sunday services. Diana, 17 HERE, appears with her parents, RAMIRO and MABEL, and her brother, JORGE, about 2 years her junior. MABEL Excellent sermon, pastor. PASTOR Thank you, Mabel. Mabel nudges the kids. DIANA Yes, it was really nice. PASTOR Oh, thank you, Diana. INT. CAR - THE CAMPUZANOS DRIVING HOME - COUNTRY ROAD - DAY MABEL You didn't seem very attentive, Diana. DIANA Ma, I have finals this week. MABEL Well, I hope you at least do well in that. You're going to college after the summer, you know. DIANA I know, ma. JORGE She was thinking of Jason. (laughs) DIANA Shut up, Jorge. MABEL (grimaces) Isn't that the Jewish kid? DIANA I was not thinking of Jason. A couple of minutes later, they pass a small synagogue. Diana's eyes are fixated on the large Star of David on the front door. INT. CLASSROOM - PURDUE UNIVERSITY - DAY - 4 YEARS LATER Diana sits next to several friends, TIFFANY (her roommate), NORM and BRANDON. PROFESSOR (recites from memory, as if reading scripture) In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end. The professor calls on a student who is raising his hand. STUDENT Luke. PROFESSOR No ... Psalm 102. DIANA How do we authenticate one or the other? PROFESSOR We don't. In comparative analysis, we leave authentication to others. Our objective is to show commonality and equality of cultures and religions. DIANA But aren't some religions opposed to one another in principle? PROFESSOR Yes, they are, Diana. But why should that matter? DIANA Well, if one is true, the other one cannot possible be true. How can true and false possibly be equal? PROFESSOR Now that's just one possibility ... (looks around the classroom for an answer) ... any other possibilities? The professor calls on one of several students raising their hands. STUDENT (smiling) False and false. PROFESSOR Excellent, Walter. INT. RUN DOWN BUILDING - GAZA STRIP, ISRAEL - DAY CLOSE SHOT of a map of Israel on the wall. ABU (V.O.) Our mission will be over when this entire region will be known as Palestine ... CAMERA PULLS BACK revealing ... Abu and about a half dozen middle eastern men, all between 18 and 28, are in this decrepit looking room. All pack pistols, some have rifles. ABU ... martyrdom cannot be measured with money. It can be measured only with its power to persuade ... KNOCK ON DOOR All jump up and surround the door, guns drawn. Abu peeks through a crack in the door. ABU It's them. Abu opens the door. In walk 2 of their comrades, pulling 2 crates. They open one crate; it's full of scuba diving gear. EXT. PURDUE UNIVERSITY - DAY Diana comes out of the school's main hall with her friends, Tiffany, Norm and Brandon. NORM Lighten up, Diana, it's just a stupid course. DIANA Norm, if everyone took things as lightly as you, we'd still be galloping cross country. NORM (laughs cockily) Yea, but we wouldn't be seriously disturbed about it. TIFFANY Norm, you're disturbed. (to Diana) Di, you coming tonight? DIANA Tonight? TIFFANY Brook's party. INT. DIANA AND TIFFANY'S DORM ROOM - NIGHT Tiffany is all dressed up and ready to party, Diana is still getting dressed. The TV BLARES in the background. DIANA Tif, why don't you go ahead. I'll catch up. TIFFANY Oh no, Di, I wouldn't go without you. DIANA No, really, it's okay. I'm not ready yet. TIFFANY You sure? DIANA I'm sure. TIFFANY (as she leaves) Okay, see you there. A news report comes on about a terrorist attack in Israel. Diana's eyes are glued to the TV. PHONE RINGS DIANA Hello. (listens a second) (affectionately) Hi. (listens) Just getting ready for the party. (comically) Well, if you weren't so damn smart and hadn't graduated a year before me, we'd be going to the party together instead of being miles apart. (listens) Miss you too, Stuart. Hangs up. EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS - NIGHT All dressed up, Diana walks toward what seems like a loud party in one of the dorms. She is about to enter, when she turns around and heads for her car. CUT TO DIANA DRIVING DOWN A DARK COUNTRY ROAD She passes a small rural synagogue that's brightly lit. Through the windows, she can see it's crowded. She makes a u-turn and heads back toward the synagogue. This time she drives into the parking lot. INT. SYNAGOGUE Diana appears at the door, obviously nervous about being there. The congregation is standing as THE CANTOR recites some prayers. Diana takes a prayer book and moves into a pew. The entire congregation sits down. A woman next to Diana keeps looking at her then glancing at her prayer book. Diana glances back several times, but doesn't know what to make of it. Finally, the woman takes the prayer book from Diana, turns it right side up, then hands it back. The woman smiles, Diana smiles, the CANTOR GETS LOUDER IN THE BACKGROUND. CUT TO AFTER SERVICES Diana and the Rabbi, the only 2 left, are involved in conversation. RABBI ... Diana, my advice is to you is to follow in the faith of your parents. If they fear God, if they love their fellow man, that's really all you need. DIANA How about the deeper dimensions? RABBI Why burden yourself? With greater aspirations, come greater trials and tribulations? DIANA So what you're saying is that it's too challenging for me? RABBI What I'm saying is that sometimes tests are commensurate with a person's will and determination. You do look to me like a very strong-willed person. But why test the waters? DIANA Rabbi, I've never run from a test. RABBI (sighs, as if not wanting to say this) That's what worries me, Diana. You seem TOO ready for the challenge. INT. DIANA'S DORM ROOM - A SHORT WHILE LATER Diana walks in and finds Tiffany back from the party, lying on her bed, face down, crying. DIANA Tif, what's wrong? TIFFANY Brad left with Camrin. DIANA (with empathy) Oh, Tif. Tif, listen, there are so many guys this semester, you'll forget about him before you know it. (strokes her hair to sooth her) Remember Brian? You were a wreck. Two weeks later, you didn't know he was alive. TIFFANY (sobbing subsides somewhat) Maybe you're right. DIANA I know I'm right. TIFFANY (stops crying) (comically) If Brad's still alive in two weeks, I'll kill him. (forces a smile) What happened to you? DIANA Oh ... I went to another party. You know, a last minute thing. TIFFANY Oh. Who else made a party? DIANA (thinks for a moment) Uh ... Rabbi Tenanbaum. TIFFANY Who? EXT. BIG CAMPUS LAWN, GRADUATION DAY - DAY A stage is being prepared for graduation ceremonies, and hundreds of chairs are being lined up. EXT. OPEN SEA - SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST - NIGHT With 2 Israeli gunboats in the distant background, a relatively small boat, with about a dozen men on board, shuts its engine and comes to a halt. CLOSE SHOT of the small boat reveals Abu and his men, and a few new faces. Abu and his men are dressed in scuba gear. Next to them are SEVERAL OPEN CRATES loaded with explosives. A NEW FACE (pointing to a bulge on one of the crate's cover) Flotation devices. Suddenly, a siren goes off on one of the Israeli gunboats. Abu's gang hits the deck, with guns drawn. They lie motionlessly, as they observe some activity at a distance. CLOSE SHOT of the Israeli gunboats The Israelis go after some teenagers in a small speedboat who have crossed a security line. The teenagers stop. The Israelis board their boat. EXT. GRADUATION DAY CEREMONIES - PURDUE UNIVERSITY - DAY Diana and her friends are decked out in the usual graduation garb; robe, hats, etc. As the graduates give their commencement addresses from the stage, an audience of mostly parents sit and listen. TIFFANY (finishing her address) ... so I'd like to thank my professors, my mentors, for making a brighter future possible. Thank you. As she descends from the stage to applause, Diana is called up. CLOSE SHOT of Diana's parents, her brother, and her boyfriend, STUART, in the audience. DIANA I'd like to begin by thanking my parents for giving me the opportunity to attend this great institution. I know I've grown scholastically. Hopefully, I've also grown intellectually. I realize it's been a sacrifice for them ... (SHOT OF HER PARENTS' emotional look) ... I will forever feel indebted to them ... EXT. BACK TO THE OPEN SEA - NIGHT The Israelis are completing their check of the teenagers' boat. ABU'S BOAT By now Abu and his men have taken out some big guns and have them pointed directly at the Israelis. THE ISRAELIS They return to their gunboats, wave the teenagers on to a secure zone, then retreat into the background. ABU'S BOAT Abu and his men breath a sigh of relief, then close each crate and lower them into the water. Each crate has a rope attached to it. Abu and his men jump into the water. CUT TO underwater Abu's gang pulls the crates underwater; the crates are submerged, with their tops floating just beneath the surface. EXT. BACK TO THE GRADUATION - DAY Diana finishes her speech. DIANA ... so it is with a heavy heart that I leave my alma mater. I know that no matter how far I go in life, I will always remember my experiences here as the foundation of my adulthood. Thank you. The audience applauds. As Diana leaves the stage, she is greeted by her family and boyfriend. STUART (impressed) God, where'd you learn to write a speech like that? DIANA I just graduated college, Stuart. Hello ... INT. DIANA'S ROOM - THE CAMPUZANO HOME - ROCHESTER, NY - NIGHT INTERCUT PHONE CONVERSATION with Rabbi Tenanbaum (whom Diana met while in college). Diana holds a note in her hand with the following info scribbled on it: Rabbi David Mallach Kabalist 972-2-555-7182 212-555-8716 RABBI He comes to New York twice a year. KNOCK ON DOOR DIANA Excuse me Rabbi. (louder, toward the door) Yes. RAMIRO (Diana's father) (V.O.) Stuart's here. DIANA I'll be right there. (to Rabbi) Rabbi I have to thank you for everything. RABBI No problem. All the best. EXT. A BOWLING ALLEY Stuart and Diana pull up in his car and get out. Tiffany and Brandon are already waiting. BRANDON What took you guys so long? STUART (comically) Don't look at me. Prima donna here couldn't find her bowling gown. DIANA Stuart, sit on it. Like you're always on time. INT. BOWLING LANE A SHORT MONTAGE of the four bowling. EXT. ISRAELI KIBBUTZ - MORNING INT. ONE OF THE HOUSES EZRA and his wife, SHOSHANA, both about 25, are in the kitchen with their 5 year old daughter having breakfast. (All speak with Israeli accents.) SHOSHANA (looking into the fridge) Ezra, we need milk. EZRA I thought I got it last night. SHOSHANA No, you dreamt you got it last night. EZRA Okay. (heads for the door) Anything else. SHOSHANA No, just milk. EXT. Wearing a small-caliber gun and holster, Ezra comes out and steps into his car. The CAMERA PANS with his car for a second then stops at a figure in the bushes -- it's Abu, holding a 2-way radio. ABU (quietly into radio) Okay. Suddenly, several houses in the kibbutz blow up. Ezra frantically makes a u-turn and heads back to his house, which is engulfed in flames. He is met with gunfire as he tries to run toward his house. Jumping behind his car for cover, he returns the fire. Continue...
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