About

The Faerie Rings – a live-action feature film adventure about the promise of visionary plant medicines, and the cruelty of those who would outlaw them.

A desperate young artist and his rebellious friends must free their grim world from the grip of powerful tyrants by finding the forbidden realm of Faeries. 

The Faerie Rings is an allegory about our world’s fear, misunderstanding, and condemnation of expanded states of consciousness, and the importance of human curiosity.  With an award-winning screenplay and epic faerie-tale visuals, The Faerie Rings is a unique vision with a potent and timely message on the freedom to explore our own minds.

Featuring world-class underground circus performers as the Cannabis Faeries, Psilocybin Mushroom Faeries, and the Ayahuasca Faerie.

From the creators of the award-winning film, Dreams of the Last Butterflies, screened at 50 film festivals in 13 countries worldwide.

SCREENPLAY AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:

17 SCREENWRITING AWARDS – 55+ COMPETITION PLACEMENTS:

  • WINNER – Best Screenplay – San Antonio Film Festival
  • WINNER – Best Screenplay – Kyiv Film Festival – Ukraine
  • WINNER – Best Screenplay – Vienna Independent Film Festival
  • WINNER – Best Screenplay – Mexico City International Film Festival
  • WINNER – Best Fantasy Screenplay – Amsterdam International Film Festival 
  • WINNER – Best Fantasy Screenplay – Marina del Rey Film Festival
  • WINNER – Best Fantasy Screenplay – Hong Kong World Film Festival
  • WINNER – Best Fantasy Screenplay – Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival
  • WINNER – Best Fantasy Screenplay – Best Script Award – London
  • WINNER – Best Sci-Fi Screenplay – Action On Film /Hollywood Dreams International Film Festival
  • WINNER – Best Screenplay Writing – Le Festival du Film Fantastique de France
  • WINNER – Best Screenplay – International Cannabis & Hemp Film Festival
  • WINNER – Script d’argent – PRIX ROYAL Paris Screenplay Awards
  • WINNER – Best Screenplay 2nd Place – Woods Hole Film Festival
  • WINNER – Best Screenplay 2nd Place – Bowery Film Festival
  • WINNER – Best Screenplay 2nd Place – Visionfest Screenwriting Competition
  • WINNER – Best Screenplay 2nd Place – Switzerland International Film Festival
  • Award Nominee – Best Screenplay – AFIN International Film Festival Australia
  • Award Nominee – Best Screenplay – SENSEI Tokyo FilmFest
  • The Daffodil List for Screenplays of Outstanding Achievement – International Film Festival of Wales
  • Top 20 Finalist – Best Unproduced Feature Screenplay – FilmQuest 
  • Top 50 Semi-Finalist  – Cinequest Screenwriting Competition
  • The Red List – Top 10 Fantasy Features on Coverfly
  • Finalist – ReelHeART International Film and Screenplay Festival
  • Finalist – Madrid International Film Festival
  • Finalist – London Independent Story Prize
  • Finalist – Las Vegas International Film & Screenwriting Festival
  • Finalist – Miami Screenplay Awards
  • Finalist – Swedish International Film Festival
  • Finalist – Script Summit Screenplay Contest
  • Finalist – INFLUX Film Awards
  • Finalist – Le Festival du Film du Fantasme – (Paris)
  • Finalist – ReelHeART Screenplay and TV Pilot Script Competition
  • Semi-Finalist – Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival
  • Semi-Finalist – Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival – (Spain)
  • Semi-Finalist – BlueCat Screenplay Competition
  • Semi-Finalist – The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival
  • Semi-Finalist – Brisbane Indie Film Festival
  • Semi-Finalist StoryPros Awards Screenplay Contest
  • Semi-Finalist – New York International Screenplay Awards
  • Semi-Finalist – ISA Sci-Fi & Fantasy Genre Busting Screenplay Competition
  • Semi-Finalist – Big Apple Film Festival and Screenplay Competition
  • Semi-Finalist – Stockholm Film & Television Festival
  • Semi-Finalist – New York Metropolitan Screenwriting Competition
  • Semi-Finalist – Zed Fest Film Festival and Screenplay Competition
  • Semi-Finalist NYC International Screenplay Awards

The Story

Simon is a disillusioned young artist,  struggling with the anguish of a meaningless life.  His few rebellious friends are all that keep him going.  Their unforgiving world is controlled by the Truthsetters, three harsh rulers whose words all must obey.  Simon hears about the fabled Faerie Rings, strange mushroom circles growing deep in the forest that can open a portal to the Faerie realms.

The Truthsetters forbid anyone from searching out the Faerie Rings, and punish those who would use them.  They believe the Rings have the power to disrupt their carefully controlled world, so they demonize and destroy them wherever they are found.

Simon and his friends know the dangers of being caught, but they’re determined to escape their grim situation and see the Faeries for themselves.  They search for a Faerie Ring far out in the forbidden woods, rumored to be the last in the world.  To uncover their mysteries, they must risk everything and save their bleak world from the Truthsetter’s oppression.

JOIN THE ADVENTURE AND HELP BRING OUR PLANT POSITIVE MESSAGE TO LIFE.

Currently seeking financial patrons, sponsors, and additional partnerships.

oUr Award-Winning screenplay is available to read by request

After completion, The Faerie Rings will be submitted to the world’s top film festivals.

PRAISE FOR THE FAERIE RINGS:

“Lavishly visual, richly imaginative, and in many ways spellbinding as it unfolds, this script melds the dystopian future vision of iconic books like 1984 or BRAVE NEW WORLD with the alluring escape of films like AVATAR or THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, immersing its audience in a journey and a world not quite like any other.  The story proves consistently creative, rendering a cinematic experience that feels both enjoyable and thought-provoking beyond its final pages. The richness of the world in this script is as impressive and inspiring as it is immersive. With a unique, singular vision, and an inspired sense of originality in its premise and setup, this script plants its flag in a genre that comes ready-made with a built-in fan base. As a luminous adventure with a sense of heart and something to say, it harbors the potential promise to land a cinematic blockbuster.” – The Black List screenplay review

“A mighty, moving story that packs enough of an emotional punch to stay with us long after the final page. The writer has created a world we don’t want to leave, one rich with messages, metaphors, and magic. The writing style is lean, fast-paced, and filled with visceral and unique descriptions that transport us deeply into the story, with unexpected and surprising plot twists and turns that keep us on the edges of our seats. There are numerous highlights to this script, but the most important one is the message, which could not be more relevant or timely. We are living in desperate and challenging times the world over right now, dominated by rules, restrictions, and limitations on our personal freedoms, and the story resonates powerfully as all can relate to and connect with the deeper messages in The Faerie Rings. As the writer takes us on a journey through the darkness of a life without freedom, of light, color, and creative expression, as characters face terror and fear, but still fight on, hearts full of belief in magic, even when we can’t see it, the belief pays off and the reward is stepping into a world of light and hope. Given all of the above, there’s huge potential for the script.” – Bulletproof Script Coverage (Recommended Script)

“A highly engaging screenplay with an original fresh story!  The idea of THE FAERIE RINGS is truly compelling.  It is not often that one reads a screenplay that manages to create a ‘new world’ within a story –the decaying modern world vs. the forest realm – that captivates a reader without feeling like the entire set-up is lifted from another book or movie.  World-changing projects that have broken new ground include the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, the CHRONICLES OF NARNIA books, along with Lucas’s STAR WARS universe.  All these inspirations work well within the script, helping to define its potential place in the legacy of great fantasy stories. The ‘new world’ established in THE FAERIE RINGS is striking and intriguing. It follows in the footsteps of the Master Storytellers, though giving the story its own twists and treats.  THE FAERIE RINGS has big potential to become a successful movie franchise!” – Industrial Scripts review

The Faerie Rings is a great blend of strong world-building, interesting characters and relatable personal journeys, relevant themes, and heart. It is extremely vivid, entertaining, and page-turning. In only 116 pages, it captures an entire universe that’s bursting with story. There’s dark and grit, paired with bright, magical surrealism. The concept is very strong and very unique. This story is very marketable in the current film and TV space. Thematically, it touches on many relevant and relatable topics of today. It is a story that needs to be told.” – The Script Lab screenplay review

The Faerie Rings, an epic fantasy adventure that follows a group of friends intent on saving their dystopian town by exposing the truth about faeries, is an ambitious, original, and exciting script with great potential to grow into a franchise. The concept is unique and unlike one seen before.” – Slated screenplay review – (Recommended Script – 76 Script Score)

The Faerie Rings is refreshingly novel on a plot level, just as much as it is on a concept level. The central plot of the film is exceptionally daunting, and the pacing of the script is just brilliant. It reads like a proper edge-of-your-seat thriller. The marriage between the real, the surreal, and the fantastical is brilliant. It has the potential to entice the mainstream studios as well as the streaming platforms.” – WeScreenplay review

Character Costume Test + Concept Art

*A real Cannabis Faerie – brought to life in our character promo. (Watch full screen!)*

Cannabis Faerie – Character & Costume Test
Cannabis Faerie – Character & Costume Test
Cannabis Faerie – Character & Costume Test

Cannabis Faerie designer/performer: Madeleine Belle

Photography: Burke Heffner

(please note, this is a live-action film – concept art provides design examples only.)

Production Team

Zina Brown, Writer/Director

When Zina was born, his heart wasn’t beating. The first thing that ever happened to him was an electric shock to jolt him back to life. He’s carried that lighting-bolt energy with him ever since. Zina’s unique visual and narrative style has been screened in film festivals across the world, including the FICMA Barcelona International Environmental Film Festival,  Dances With Films, the Miami Short Film Festival, Films for the Forest, and New York City’s VisionFest. He has over 20 years of directing experience, including numerous music videos and festival favorite short films. His most recent film, Dreams of the Last Butterflies, was screened at 50 Film Festivals in 13 countries on 5 continents, as well as winning many awards and appearing on RollingStone.com.

Dreams of the Last Butterflies is absolutely magical!”

-Film Shortage

“Director Zina Brown has made something rather beautiful and unlike anything I’ve really seen before.”

-Ain’t It Cool News

“New York film director Zina Brown creates mesmerizing film masterpieces.”

-Miroir Magazine

Gavin J. Behrman, Executive Producer

Gavin is a 30-year veteran of the movie industry. He has worked all over the world on the production of over 35 feature films – both Hollywood blockbusters and independent film festival favorites such as Blade Runner 2049, Terminator: Genisys, Robocop (2014), The Adjustment Bureau, Call of the Wild, Rosewater, Spider-Man, Erin Brockovich, and The Horse Whisperer.  He is currently working on Netflix’ Stranger Things season 5, recently was Producer on Amazon’s Jack Ryan series, Co-Producer on Showtime’s critically acclaimed Escape at Dannemora, and Lucasfilm’s Mandalorian for Disney+.  Gavin’s other projects include the award-winning short film Admissions, starring James Cromwell, and the upcoming The Principal, a teaching film about cyber-bullying.  Gavin believes that important films can send a powerful message to the world, influencing society’s views and ultimately the destiny of humankind.

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Kurt Huggins: Concept Art

We, the filmmakers, are passionate about the need for art that explores the incredible potential of plant medicines and society’s misunderstanding of them.

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