The Beach of Stones

The Beach of Stones

Short · Drama · 16 pages
Status: Spec
As one son leaves for the mines, and the other steals a prospector's rifle, tribe leader Andimba sees his way of life disintegrating as colonial industrialisation takes hold. Burdened with the responsibility of his people's survival, he questions whether giving up a priceless cultural treasure will keep his community together.
Written by William Armstrong
The Beach of Stones
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#16 Drama Short in the past month
top 14%
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3 Accolades
Accolade Highlights
Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Short Film Screenplay Competition 2025
Quarterfinalist, Filmmatic - Pitch Now Screenplay Competition Season 7
Finalist, Scriptwriters & Co - SCRIPTWRITERS & CO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 2025

1 Writer

William Armstrong
Born in Gaborone, Botswana, with South African/Irish roots, I grew up in the first post-apartheid generation, shaped by the social fractures of that era. This inspired my interest in stories that challenge systemic control, imposed ideologies and moral decay. I’m drawn to the collisions between ambition and conscience and the personal complicity of ...
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Additional Project Info

Fresh from a world premiere at Tribeca with his previous short Unspoken, writer William Armstrong has turned to a personal story that represents his experiences growing up in Botswana, Africa, in the years the region became the world's largest diamond producer and struggled with the handling of indigenous land rights. The script for The Beach Of Stones is in advanced development, with revision notes from industry professionals including a top tier Oscar-winning editor. The team assembled around the project includes a producer from Snowglobe, whose films have awarded at Cannes and Sundance the Berlinale Panorama. The film also has a leading South African casting director attached. This film is poised to explore urgent themes of cultural displacement, identity, and survival, and represents a unique opportunity to spotlight underrepresented narratives in a way that is both artistically and socially impactful.