Three Chords and the Truth

ANGIE could have been one of Australia’s leading musicians if she wasn’t so self-sabotaging.

She discovers that the cancer she has fought most of her life, has spread to her bones, but she doesn’t tell anyone. Struggling financially, ANGIE plays in a seedy pub to fund the recording of her final, and what she believes, will be her greatest album. Her long-suffering sound Engineer VAUGHAN is irritated by ANGIE’s music and lack of funds, while RODNEY the public an where she performs gigs, is sick of being let down by her.

As Christmas looms, teenager RUBY, flees her unstable and frightening home. She chooses to sleep on the streets rather than deal with her father’s rage, which has only emerged since the recent suicide of her mother.

Exhausted and looking for a place to sleep, RUBY finds an unlocked car in the suburbs. The next morning, ANGIE sees the young girl emerge from her car. RUBY immediately becomes her muse for a new song, and the next night, ANGIE deliberately leaves the car open, along with bedding and food for RUBY.

The following day, ANGIE lets RUBY into her heart and home, and the two form an unlikely bond. While Ruby’s father searches for her, ANGIE teaches her how to play three chords on the guitar, and how to write a song to help heal the past. As the two grow closer, ANGIE’s condition gets worse. Since RUBY has become reliant on ANGIE, it becomes unbearable for ANGIE to tell her new young friend that she only has a few months to live.

RUBY finds out the truth about Angie’s illness through sound engineer VAUGHAN and is devastated. It triggers feelings of abandonment once again and she chooses to return home… leaving ANGIE alone once again. For both of them, they only have one way to vent their feelings, and that is to write a song.

ANGIE’S song is about releasing RUBY to a bright and limitless future. RUBY’s song is about recognising positive memories of her mother, forgiving her for leaving, and releasing the grief.