Amélie Franconi

Amélie is one of the many passengers you can pick up in Night Call.

Passidex

 * You have met Amélie.
 * This is unmissable. You'll get it upon your first interaction.


 * You did not so much as glance at Amélie at the beginning of the trip.
 * You lied to Amélie.
 * You were honest with Amélie.
 * You chose not to answer Amélie's questions.
 * Amélie helped you with your investigation.



Transcript
« 14th arrondissement... Thanks. »

The passenger who enters your cab... seems familiar to you. She gives you her address and you start to drive. You glance back at her from time to time, trying to remember where you've seen her before... It's no use. Suddenly she gives a little pout, clearly annoyed by your insistent gaze.

« Don't we know each other? »   « Sorry, your face seems familiar to me. »   (Keep trying to place her.) (Leave her alone.)

See below...

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She breathes an audible sigh.

AMÉLIE: "Could be."

She pauses deliberately.

AMÉLIE: "I'm in porn."

That's who she is, an actress...

AMÉLIE: "A former actress..."

You'd seen her in a couple of movies a few years ago.

AMÉLIE: "That's probably why you recognise my face."

Your mouth suddenly goes dry. Her eyes and voice show no sign of emotion whatsoever. She might as well have said she were a teacher or a dentist.

« Do you like it? »   « You're not just an actress? »   « That's... unusual. »   « Oh. »

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A faint smile flickers across her face.

AMÉLIE: "Yes, I do. A lot. It's my job. I'm proud of what I do, actually. Though I'd be lying if I said it was always easy. But given the state of the industry nowadays... And even then... sometimes it's..."

An illuminated shop window catches her eye. She stops for a moment.

AMÉLIE: "Especially with the parents at my son's school. Some of the fathers recognise me."

She's watching you closely.

AMÉLIE: "Some of the mothers too, for that matter."

She smiles.

AMÉLIE: "Usually I can see they're either amused or ashamed, which is too bad either way."

« What do you mean? »   « I can imagine... »

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AMÉLIE: "Well... Everyone loves porn. Even if you say you don't, the idea of porn... it's natural really. Well personally, I think it's natural. But when you talk about it... out loud... it gets people all worked up!"

Her eyes widen.

AMÉLIE: "Just admitting you watch it... is an actual feat! These days for example, the 25-35 crowd is really into bisexual threesomes. Two girls and a guy... Two guys and a girl... But who'd be willing to admit they like it? That they watch it? That it turns them on?"

She answers with a shrug... She looks away. You sense she is being utterly honest.

AMÉLIE: "Afterwards, you know..."

She goes on, with a faint smile.

AMÉLIE: "But that's no excuse for your lack of tact... The profession has changed a lot since then. And I want to bring about even more changes."

She leans forward slightly.

AMÉLIE: "Before, actresses could count on working for a dozen years or so, fifteen if they started young. They'd have a moment in the spotlight and then it was over. The next career step was merely a slow decline. But nowadays... Actresses have power. Thanks to the media, to streaming, and Twitter..."

She catches her breath. You can sense she is... full of energy... electrified by the discussion.

AMÉLIE: "I started my own production company... and we make porn."

She loves talking about it. You can see it in her face.

AMÉLIE: "Gender-positive porn. Committed. Respectful. Some call it feminist, but I'm not sure that's how I'd describe it..."

Her voice is calm. A gleam of passion lights up her eyes.

AMÉLIE: "We shoot with pros. We are respectful of our bodies and personalities. Our actresses and actors are paid well. They receive residual earnings. It's brand new, a first. It's fresh, and it works. Zero tolerance when it comes to those dubious types, to wandering hands, to any assaults on the well-being of our actors and actresses. Respect. Diversity. Creativity."

She lets out a sigh.

AMÉLIE: "I spend a lot of money defending our profession, going after sites illegally broadcasting our videos, making sure pirates are punished."

« Pirates? »   (Say nothing.)

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She leans forward.

AMÉLIE: "But by the way... Do you... do you like that kind of porn? I'm just asking because... I'm curious about what people like to watch."

HOUSSINE: "I... It's not really my thing."

AMÉLIE: "It's ok to talk about it, you know..."

(Tell the truth.) (Avoid the subject.)

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HOUSSINE: "It's true... I hardly watch any."

AMÉLIE: "Hardly any..."

HOUSSINE: "Yeah."

You blush slightly.

AMÉLIE: "Come on, there's nothing to be ashamed of. Do you prefer younger women? Older women?"

« Yeah. »   « No... »   (Say nothing.)

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AMÉLIE: "Alright, fine. Do you watch movies? Do you read magazines?"

« Yeah, magazines. »   (Say nothing.)

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AMÉLIE: "Magazines? But don't you... You know it's not the Middle Ages anymore?"

She smiles.

(Laugh.) « I like the pictures... »   (Don't react.)

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HOUSSINE: "There's no awful screenplay... No... blah blah blah. Only images. There you have it..."

She's observing you as you talk.

AMÉLIE: "Thanks. I haven't looked into that side of the business... but it might be worth it."

She gives you a smile.

AMÉLIE: "Thanks anyway... And... sorry for all the personal questions."

You can't help reading in her eyes... a touch of satisfaction. As if she'd enjoyed asking you all those questions. Before long, you arrive at the address your passenger had given you. You have trouble parking: None of the streetlights are working. There's nothing stranger than an unlit Parisian street in the middle of the night. Your client gives a slight cough behind you.

AMÉLIE: "You wouldn't mind... staying here until I'm in the building? They're doing work... the lights aren't working..."

She doesn't even finish her sentence.

HOUSSINE: "No problem."

AMÉLIE: "Thanks, I... I have to say I've been feeling a little insecure lately."

All her energy suddenly seems to have vanished. She hesitates a moment, as if... as if she can feel your connection with the killer, before speaking.

AMÉLIE: "I knew one of the victims of... of the serial killer... Nathalie... I knew her pretty well, in fact. We'd worked together and... sometimes she babysat my son. You know... She was a great girl... It was..."

She starts talking about her friend... Who she was. Who she had been seeing. How she had changed just before she died... [NEW CLUE] You make a mental note of the new information.

HOUSSINE: "I'll stay here until you're in the building, ok?"

AMÉLIE: "Thank you."

She hands you the fare and exits the cab slowly, crossing the street in total darkness to the door of her building. You remember that night. The pain. The stab of the knife in your side. If only... you had turned your head... you would have seen your assailant's face... Maybe they would have killed you that night. Maybe your attacker would have already spotted you in your cab... Your passenger waves to you as the building door closes. You wave back. Fear spreads slowly through your body. You breathe in slowly and... drive away.

