Half A Star: A Darkly Comic Descent into Chaos

Production Details

Title: Half A Star

Format: Feature Film

Production Begins: January 2026

Filming Location: Ottawa, ON

Composer: Ilona Smyth

Synopsis: A burnt out salesman checks into a crumbling roadside motel one night only to wake up the next morning next to a dead body of someone he’s never met… No memory of how it got there. No witnesses. No obvious exit. But it’s in his room – so to make sure no one thinks it was him, he does the only reasonable thing: He tries to deal with it himself. What follows is a claustrophobic, darkly comic spiral as he attempts – badly – to hide the body while the worst possible interruptions keep knocking: a cleaning lady, a cop, and reality itself. Every attempt to regain control only makes things worse.

About Half A Star

In this feature film, a weary salesman finds himself in a bewildering situation after a night at a deteriorating motel. Awakening to discover a lifeless body beside him, he is thrust into a chaotic struggle for clarity and control. With no recollection of the events that transpired, he faces an urgent need to navigate the increasingly complex predicament he finds himself in. The story unfolds as he clumsily attempts to conceal the body, encountering a series of unpredictable interruptions that complicate his efforts. A cleaning woman, law enforcement, and the reality of his circumstances relentlessly challenge his decisions. The film explores themes of desperation and absurdity, offering a darkly comedic take on a man’s fight against overwhelming odds.