The Medici Mirror (a screenplay with Jeff Yang)

02/22/2026

In Holland's preeminent antique mirror studio, restoration of a Renaissance work reveals an ancient prisoner whose immortal curse drives him to abduct across the centuries.

FADE IN:

INT. ANOUK BEERENTS STUDIO – Amsterdam - DAYTIME

Rows of antique mirrors surround the ground floor of a classic Dutch canal rowhouse. Many hang from a custom architectural rail, while others lie against the wall. Baroque, Venetian, Flemish, Dutch Golden Age -- a gallery reflecting history.

The rear atrium's glass ceiling is exposed to Amsterdam's gloomy morning, casting a dull light onto the close-up hands of CRAFTWORK ARTISANS. They move with exquisite delicacy around a large worktable. Upon it lies THE MIRROR, a stunning Renaissance-era piece.

Two hands lightly dusting the delicate gilded frame are accompanied by a soft Dutch whisper, as the uniquely worn, speckled glass with ancient character is revealed.

WORKER #1 (V.O.)

(low, conspiratorial)

This is THE MIRROR.

WORKER #2 (V.O.)

From Vienna?

WORKER #1 (V.O.)

No, Medici. Firenze.

WORKER #2 (V.O.)

A GHOST?

A female hand sensually caresses the crest of the frame.

WORKER #1 (V.o.)

No. A prisoner. Sapere troppo e miseria.

SUBTITLES:

Too much knowing is misery.

FLASHBACK – FOUR YEARS EARLIER

dissolve to:

EXT. RINGSTRASSE - Vienna, Austria - NIGHT

Beneath the amber-filtered glow of Viennese streetlamps, a slim, male SHADOWY FIGURE (50s) in a classic noir trench coat, appears from the dark crook of an alley.

The FIGURE whistles Ave Maria. Ominous echoes of the Renaissance and religious salvation are discordant to the city of the waltz.

Across the grand boulevard, two youthful women emerge from an imposing doorway -- a BRUNETTE (21), and SOPHIA, a BLONDE (20) actress. Both are tall and elegant, wearing stylish trench coats. They walk together as the FIGURE reemerges to stalk them.

The FIGURE pauses. SOPHIA and the BRUNETTE embrace longingly and part ways at a street corner. The FIGURE follows SOPHIA.

EXT. GRABEN - Vienna, Austria - CONTINUOUS

The voyeuristic view of an apartment building and many windows, some lit and some dark, recalls Hitchcock. Seen through a window, SOPHIA enters the penthouse overlooking the commercially central Graben -- a sign of unmistakable privilege.

INT. SOPHIA'S FLAT - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Inside, SOPHIA contemplates her reflection in THE MIRROR:

A portal to memories from long ago...

She removes her contact lenses as the mirror faintly glows.

Lights in the apartment flicker and power off. SOPHIA exhales: another power outage. The SHADOWY FIGURE appears with shocking speed and engulfs her in a white light.

CUT TO BLACK.

FLASH FORWARD – TODAY

FADE IN:

EXT. PRINSENGRACHT - Amsterdam, Netherlands – DAWN

ELISABETH (25), the BRUNETTE, arrives by bicycle on the Princely Canal, dismounting before a traditional narrow canal house in the Negen Straats. She unlocks the gate to the ANOUK Beerents studio, where she works as an apprentice refurbishing mirrors on a central table, THE WORKING TABLE.

MONTAGE – ELISABETH sets to her craft.

— Dust is brushed away. A carved frame emerges.

— The weathered glass lifts out.

— The glass is treated with contemporaneous chemicals.

— The mirror is re-set.

— A complete art is restored.

INT. ANOUK BEERENTS STUDIO - AFTERNOON

ANOUK BEERENTS (60s, distinguished, warm authority) is the proprietor of the world's preeminent studio for antique mirror restoration. She stands across THE WORKING TABLE from a seated ELISABETH. Between them is THE MIRROR.

ANOUK

I remember when you first came to me, lieverd. So young and afraid.

ELISABETH

I needed a change.

ANOUK

Indeed. The mirror was just like you. Look at it now.

ELISABETH

(playfully)
Did you find a buyer for me too?

ANOUK

Yes. There is...one condition. The buyer’s agent has requested a private dinner to seal the purchase.

ELISABETH

Why are you telling me?

ANOUK

You...are invited as the guest of honor.

Silence.

ELISABETH

No.

ANOUK

ELISABETH --

ELISABETH

This is my dead friend's mirror.

ANOUK

(quietly)

The ownership is yours. The proceeds are significant. Consider the liberty of a fresh start. Isn’t that what you came here for?

ELISABETH looks at her hands.

ANOUK

It’s just a dinner.

ELISABETH

Just dinner...

INT. ANOUK BEERENTS STUDIO - EVENING

ELISABETH shutters the studio for the night. Through the reflection of THE MIRROR, she meticulously arranges the tools and pigments in the central vestibule. She disposes of wastewater in the sink. She photographs the progress for each mirror and logs details.

ANOUK (v.o.)

You inherited this mirror with the burden of grief. SOPHIA's family wanted this. They wanted you to have it. For her.

As ELISABETH shifts THE MIRROR, she sees a hairline fracture in the gilded wood, unnoticed even to ANOUK's trained eye.

Rain patters the glass skylight, followed by light, ominous thunder. ELISABETH labors at THE WORKING TABLE -- applying gesso and matching goldleaf, pressing and smoothing.

Absorbed by the work, she suddenly leaps back to the present and see THE MIRROR’s glassy surface is now a midnight black. The studio lights flicker.

ELISABETH looks away and then again at THE MIRROR. A lightning flash reveals for one terrible instant, THE SHADOWY FIGURE standing directly behind her in the reflection.

ELISABETH SCREAMS and spins around, flailing her arms. The lights flicker back on. She is alone. Still, she breathes erratically, hands shaking, heart racing.

ELISABETH

Angel of God, who is my guardian light, guard, rule, and govern me, who was entrusted to you by the heavenly mercy. Amen…

At her feet, on the stone floor of the studio, an envelope of heavily weathered handmade paper has appeared. Did it fall from the mirror? Was there truly an apparition? Her hands tremble slightly, but she gathers herself and opens it to reveal a handwritten note:

Sapere troppo e miseria.

The same content from the THE MIRROR’s crest. The previous swell of tears becomes a wave of uncontrollable sobs.

INT. ANOUK BEERENTS STUDIO - MORNING

The studio hums with purposeful cheer as ANOUK and ELISABETH sit together over a celebratory coffee.

ANOUK

Four years! Can you believe it?

ELISABETH

It feels much longer.

ANOUK

(smiling)

I will take that as a compliment.

They smile at each other warmly.

ANOUK

(solemnly)

Do you want to know?

ELISABETH

The new price?

ANOUK

Nee. Who made it.

ELISABETH

They sent you the results?

Anouk

Better. A preliminary report. They are already preparing the manuscript.

ELISABETH opens a folio titled "Scanning Electron Microscopy" with the sub-title "Analytical review of disparate silver substrates in the determination of provenance for a Medici era heirloom mirror." ELISABETH's eyes open widely.

ANOUK (V.O.)

Leonardo himself. The disparity of the silvering techniques. They form an etched message. A secret dedication, for his patron.

ELISABETH stares at the mirror across the studio:

ELISABETH

Didn’t Davinci despise the Medici family?

ANOUK

Yes, so did Leonardo’s apprentices. The dedication was translated as "To know too much is misery." Apparently, some in the Medici inner circle believed this mirror could grant immortality... a prison unto its own...

ELISABETH maintains a blank stare, troubled by the connection to the motto from the mysterious note.

EXT. PRINSENGRACHT - LATE NIGHT

The rain-soaked streets reflect dim lamplight. They are empty save for THE SHADOWY FIGURE that observes the studio intently across the canal.

He whistles the familiar, haunting tune of Ave Maria while watching ELISABETH exit the studio. Now silence.

ANOUK (V.O.)

This is your chance to finally be free...immortality is a prison unto its own...

ELISABETH walks briskly north along the canal. Across the water, THE SHADOWY FIGURE stalks from a bridge behind. Suddenly, ELISABETH's gait drifts involuntarily until she stumbles into the water, succumbing to a phantom push. The rippling water reflects THE SHADOWY FIGURE.

INT. ANOUK BEERENTS STUDIO - sunrise

Moments later, she is back in ANOUK’s studio, perfectly dry, on the floor facing the mirror. It glows and hums.

She is so shaken, she lies on the floor, ear to stone, and weeps softly, wondering if what is happening to her is real or imaginary.

ONE MONTH LATER

INT. ANOUK BEERENTS STUDIO - EVENING

The studio is transformed. A long dinner table of twenty seats bisects the shop floor, surrounded by rattan chairs dressed in festive decor. The mirrors of the studio enhance the warm candlelight. ELISABETH enters the studio, still tender and apprehensive following the ethereal canal incident, but nearly unrecognizable in an elegant, bright red evening gown.

ANOUK

(sweeping in)

ELISABETH!!

ANOUK grasps her in an emotional hug, then steps back to study her. They walk deeper into the studio where arriving guests mill about between a bustle of catering staff. The studio dog sits in a large wicker basket atop a wool blanket, half-asleep.

ELISABETH circles the table, reading the name cards.

She reaches her own seat:

GUEST OF HONOR: ELISABETH ZONDERKOP

A scan across the opposite end of the table ends to reveal a card representing the buyer’s agent:

LORENZO PAZZI

In the back corner of the studio, THE MIRROR is on ceremonial display for its impending sale. Admiring it is THE SHADOWY FIGURE -- PAZZI. He observes ELISABETH in the mirror's reflection.

ELISABETH becomes paralyzed with fear, yet urgency fires through her nervous system -- she breathes slowly.

PAZZI passes her to approach the table with natural authority and charisma. He embraces ANOUK and her husband as if they are old friends. Making his way back to ELISABETH, he extends his hand with an unwavering gaze.

QUICK CUT:

-The candle near ELISABETH's seat goes out.

-A glow again emanates from THE MIRROR.

-ELISABETH hyperventilates intensely.

-The glow intensifies to white.

PAZZI takes ELISABETH's hand and gives her a twirl as they exchange intense glances of each other's richly colored eyes -- his light green and hers deep blue.

ELISABETH glides toward THE MIRROR, seemingly against her will. Extending a finger, she taps the now black glass and a blinding light gives way to:

FLASH MONTAGE -- first-person perspective:

-- A little girl in a villa courtyard, surrounded by masked, Medici condottieri, She approaches THE MIRROR. THE SHADOWY FIGURE, dressed in characteristic greaves, and grands the child’s hand. They vanish.

-- A lone courier in colonial Boston whipping a black horse as she chases a burning carriage careening downhill, its driver dead in his chair. The back of the wagon carries THE MIRROR. As the courier approaches, THE SHADOWY FIGURE appears on horseback, seizing her arm. They vanish.

-- Leonardo in his workshop, with a young apprentice, finishes the mirror as it lies flat on THE WORKING TABLE from Anouk's studio. THE SHADOWY FIGURE praises them.

-- Leonardo in the workshop, aside an aged Melzi observing the mirror within a cage. THE SHADOWY FIGURE is inside, screaming for mercy.

-- A flashback to the Vienna murder. The BLONDE woman undresses in front of THE MIRROR. THE SHADOWY FIGURE emerges and they vanish together.

ELISABETH breaks her connection to the mirror and faints. PAZZI catches her before she hits the floor.

LORENZO

(whispers)

Sapere troppo e miseria.

SUBTITLE

To know too much is misery.

FADE TO BLACK.

An ominous rendition of Ave Maria plays as the credits roll.