The Siren’s Call
Written by Mark Lew & Hank Eder
NOTE: The Siren’s Call is a quieter, lower-budget, character driven variation on The Lorelei.
Against the backdrop of a quaint Cuban fishing village, young Javier Gonzalez learns the ways of Yemayá, the Siren, from his beloved grandfather, Soler. Respect and love the sea, take only what you need, always give something back – these are the ways of those who revere Yemayá. Yemayá brings bounty to fishermen who pay homage to her and tragedy to those who ignore her.
When Soler disappears at sea, only Javier knows that he has been chosen to sit at the Siren’s side as her consort. Prevented from saying goodbye to Soler, Javier is inconsolable when the family flees Cuba for a new life in Miami. As the years harden Javier, he loses sight of the old ways and lives a life he feels doesn’t belong to him in the ruthless game of business and materiality.
The owner of a successful seafood import company, Javier employs bottom trawling, a fishing method that destroys reefs and sea creatures alike. Dogged by Greenpeace and a rising tide of opposition to his methods, Javier is only vaguely aware that his actions are earning the wrath of the Siren.
In his seat beside the Siren, Soler witnesses his grandson’s actions and finds a way to break his association with Yemayá in order to save Javier from certain destruction. He sends proof of his reemergence to Miami, and Javier undertakes a visit to Cuba. Instead of welcoming Soler with open arms, he curses and condemns his grandfather for abandoning the family.
A series of breakdowns begin to plague Javier’s fishing ship. His mechanic seems powerless to fix or prevent them. Only Javier can make the repairs. This means repeated excursions out on the sea, the heart of the Siren’s realm.
When an attempt to control a Costa Rican port official with favors and bribes results in a prostitute’s death, Javier’s life continues to spiral out of control. A final ship malfunction lures Javier and his fiancée out on the ocean amid a raging storm. Javier must now face the full wrath of the Siren. Soler appears as an apparition to bargain for his grandson’s life, but Yemayá seems hell-bent on exacting Her revenge. One (or perhaps all) of them must die in order to repay the damage Javier has caused to Her beloved sea and its creatures.