“Stalin’s Honey” presents a compelling case for consideration due to its powerful, character-driven narrative anchored by Jackson Todd, a rugged, jaded repo man in his late 40s. Initially driven by a personal need to understand the mysterious death of his estranged brother, Andy, and to make sense of the controversial Russian avant-garde art collection Andy left behind, Jackson is an everyman thrust into the murky and dangerous depths of the international art world. His practical, adrenaline-junkie nature and deep-seated emotional burdens as a widower make his reluctant quest for truth and vindication a gripping journey against elite cultural institutions and their corrupt designs.
The narrative’s profound emotional core and stakes are significantly amplified through Jackson’s transformative encounter with Anne-Sophie Janssens, an elegant and resilient Belgian museum director who is also fighting the same shadowy figures trying to discredit valuable art. Their meeting in Belgium evolves from a cautious alliance into a deep, purpose-driven bond, as Anne-Sophie recognizes Jackson as a “detective” akin to his brother and an essential partner in her fight against “fascists” who manipulate our world. This relationship transforms Jackson’s mission from a personal grievance into a dangerous, shared crusade for justice, with Anne-Sophie declaring, “The paintings found your brother now they’ve found you!”. The power of their joint struggle is further underscored by the screenplay’s exploration of themes inspired by true situations, where genuine art and historical truth are threatened by systemic corruption and powerful, ruthless individuals.
Jackson Todd (The Detective)
A rugged, repo-man from Colorado, Jackson is thrust into the murky depths of the art world after the death of his brother, Andrew. Practical and grounded, Jackson is a widower and a grandfather, carrying emotional weight beneath a dry, skeptical demeanor. His journey becomes a reluctant yet determined mission to vindicate his brother’s controversial art collection and expose corruption within elite cultural institutions.
Jackson plays the role of the broken soul who seeks the truth, or some semblance of it. Unbeknownst to him, he is on a quest for the grail. Jackson understands the world through his gut. He doesn’t fully understand this orphaned art. He is the legal representative of the ethical. He is always suspicious; he knows that the enemy may well be a friend in disguise.
His subliminal motivation is to restore a state of grace in which the aesthetic and the ethical are one.
Nick - “Dude - you’d repo a Lamborghini from a drug lord if they paid you enough.”
Anne-Sophie Janssens (The Witch)
Elegant and insightful, Anne-Sophie is a museum director in her early 50s, with a passion for discovering and championing overlooked artists. She’s deeply cultured, with a historic 18th-century villa in Belgium, and possesses a sharp sense of humor and charm. Beneath her graceful exterior lies a fiercely committed guardian of artistic truth and legacy.
Anne-Sophie is the positive embodiment of human empathy. She believes that people need to have a space to dream-up new things and have a reason to fight. Anne-Sophie holds the grail. She is a muse. For her art is life, and through meaningful art, the artist’s soul can never die. The Anne-Sophie believes that there is no contradiction between the aesthetic individual and the ethical universal. For the Anne-Sophie art and truth are equivalent. The attack on Anne-Sophie precipitates the crisis.
Meta: Anne-Sophie is a conjurer. Everything transformational happens through her or through the art.
“Anne-Sophie is the princess of another world, the world of what art should mean to people, with great ideas and empathy. She is a hero, her faith, her judgment, and her determination, she is a visionary.” - Anne Sophie’s Friend
Ivan Kulanov (The Devil)
A wealthy and cunning Russian oligarch and art collector, Kulanov is steeped in power and manipulation. With ties to a global art conspiracy, he orchestrates smear campaigns and market control to eliminate “barn finds” that challenge established collections. Charismatic and dangerous, he thrives in shadowy dealings.
Kulanov is wounded, he has a genuine grievance that is rooted in a suppressed past. He is a negative creation of circumstances that are beyond his control. For the Kulanov, this refugee art represents a past that needs to be suppressed at all costs. Kulanov invokes the act of disruption when he attacks Anne-Sophie. Innocence is under assault and may be lost. For the Kulanov evidence is a tool used for manipulation (Assisted by his fake detectives). Using his unlimited financial resources he’s able to use the media as a weapon. Kulanov and ethics are in opposition. He has the resources to compromise politicians, judges, and law enforcement. In his mind he has the power to shape reality. He lives in the now. For him, everything is immediate. He denies the past and lives in the moment, for him the future and the past are irrelevant.
Meta: The Destroyer is an apex predator, he is damaged.
If you fear the wolf, don’t enter the forest - Russian proverb
This story is based on reality; there is a real Anne-Sophie and a real Ivan Kulanov, their names have been changed. Jackson’s character is based, in fact, on a personal experience; my father was a repo man, and I used to help him repossess cars. Before his career as a repo man, he was a nuclear bomber pilot; he was airborne with an armed 3.8-megaton warhead during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Later in life, he confided in me that his assigned target was a bridge near Saint Petersburg, Russia. The fact that this art was suppressed, and is still being suppressed is deeply meaningful to me.
These paintings exist; my brother, myself, and a friend own them. We own the copyrights, and ownership was cleared over fifteen years ago and vetted through the FBI. We were assigned a Special Agent. I was even asked at one point if I’d consider involving myself in a sting operation if the works were found to be stolen.
All of the adversarial characters represented in this story are very accurate in tone and action to people who I’ve dealt with over the years.
Because this has been a very emotional journey for me, I’ve elected to tell the story through fiction, a condensation. I’ve been approached by documentary filmmakers in the past and decided that was probably the wrong path for me anyway. That said, there is a funded Belgian documentary film crew that plans to come to Colorado and interview me regarding the event that occurred in Ghent, specifically the event involving the woman represented by the Anne-Sophie character in this script.
The collection would be available for exhibit if a film were produced. Such a spectacle would be a significant event in conjunction with the premiere.
This painting is from the collection. It is in the style of Kasimir Malevich (Ukrainian).
There is a label on the reverse that translates to “It is verified 1939” (the last year of Stalin’s purges).
On the label, there is also an inventory number written in pencil.
An overpainting on the reverse, covers an earlier painting.
Oil on canvas.
60 x 50.5cm
