5003

5003
Original release poster
Directed by	Walo Monolo
Written by	Mike Pellings; Mahano'na Alo
Produced by	Walo Mololo
Starring	Mike Pellings Steve Chelsea Soko Man'olo Mo'o Kolo'ko Timo Koko
Release dates	9 August 2018 (2018-08-09)
Running time	139 minutes, 17 seconds
Countries	Garetolia Australia United Kingdom United States
Language	English
Budget	£102 million
Box office	£199 million

5003 is a 2018 Garetolian drama film directed and produced by Walo Monolo. Written by Mike Pellings, the film is set in a dystopian American future in which homosexuality has been banned. The story follows a member of the Cincinnati Police Department who is homosexual, unbeknownst to everyone else except his roommate and secret partner.

The film premiered at the Garetolia Film Festival and won the award for best film at the event; 5003 also was named Best Drama at the event.

Plot

The film begins with a series of cuts between various news channels, all focusing on the president (Charles Thule) proudly announcing his new executive order declaring homosexuality illegal, ordering all police officers to shoot any on sight. The camera then pans down from a television screen to within the Cincinnati police station, where some officers watching the news are celebrating the new law whilst some others are simply standing and watching, emotionless, namely officer James Chandler (Mike Pellings), who goes by call number 5003. The sergeant (Timo Koko) orders the officers to "go out and get 'em" and all of them, a few reluctantly, oblige. It then cuts to later in the day when James arrives at his apartment after his work has finished, where he finds his roommate and secret lover Joseph (Mo'o Kolo'ko) holding back his tears after hearing the news. James tries to console Joseph, but his efforts are futile as Joseph bursts into tears and James's eyes begin to water. Joseph remarks that they will most likely be killed by someone but James tries to reassure him that he wouldn't let it happen. Promptly, he receives a call, answers it, and takes it in the other room. The caller is his estranged brother Xavier (Robert Heron), who suspects James to be gay and proceeds to insult him because of it. James first asks how Xavier acquired his number, which comes to no use and eventually defends himself, reluctantly using perjoratives but Xavier dismisses him and hangs up on the conclusion that James is lying. Joseph, meanwhile, has controlled his emotions and makes the decision that he will not leave the apartment unless it is absolutely necessary. James tries to convince Joseph to decide otherwise, but he ultimately gives up and starts making dinner for the two of them.

The film fades into the next day, when James wakes up and sees on his smartphone that within only one day of the law's existence, over 700 homosexuals had been killed nationwide, including 16 in Cincinnati alone; to add to his disappointment, he turns over and finds Joseph missing. James frantically runs into the living room to find sofa cushions misplaced and a window ajar, all of which had been previously closed all the way by James. At first he thinks that Joseph had opened it for ventilation and slept under the couch, but after checking, James breaks down and realizes that foul play was involved and that Joseph had been abducted. From the lack of blood in the room, injury was not confirmed, but James hadn't ruled it out. He then realizes he's late for work and, in a rush, gets ready. However, he mistakenly puts on Joseph's shoes in confusion to his own. When he arrives at the station, he is questioned by the sergeant on why he was late. James quickly makes up a lie, saying his alarm didn't go off, and sergeant let him off with just a warning. He then proceeds to his locker where his uniform is waiting, only to be greeted by fellow officer and lifelong friend Trevor Martin (Soko Man'olo). Martin asks why James's shoes are not his official ones, to which James replies in a stammer and ultimately states that he doesn't know why and that it was a mistake. Martin dismisses the question and carries on with his normal duty. James thinks that he avoided trouble, but to his dismay, his nosy fellow officer Kevin Laramie (Corey Kalmin) suspects that James might be gay and begins to ask why. James at first denies his homosexuality, but after Laramie remarks that James said in the past that he'd boycott Nike, the brand whose shoes James is wearing, James says that he had a change of opinion and now is indifferent towards Nike. Laramie threatens to report him to his superiors but after James states that there's no way to prove his political opinions, Laramie gives up and lets him go on.

At the corner of Clay and East 14th Streets, James turns a corner to find a gay man (Steve Chelsea) walking to a convenience store, his head on a swivel as he tries to avoid being killed. Upon spotting James, the gay man crouches and frantically begs to not be shot, putting his hands up. James explains his situation and lets the man continue on his way. While walking back, the man introduces himself to James and reveals that his name is Jerome. James and Jerome begin to fall for each other but they stop after Jerome notices a policeman across the street. Jerome thanks James for sparing his life and continues on back to his home. The officer from across the street realizes that Jerome is gay and runs over angrily to yell at James, referring to him only by his calling number 5003. James explains his reasoning for not killing him as Jerome meant no harm, but the officer does not care. After an argument which escalates into shoving, the officer pulls a gun on James and threatens to kill him for not shooting Jerome. James tries to convince the officer to have mercy upon gay people, but after the officer puts his finger on the trigger, James backs down. After making the officer fasely think James had given in, James kicks him in the groin, takes the gun out of the officer's hand, and shoots him. Shortly after killing the officer, James sees what he's done and his face turns pale after realizing he killed someone. The camera pans to Jerome watching, frightened at what he'd just seen. In a heap of desperation, James sprints away from the scene to find himself trapped in the inner city. After a failed attempt to call Joseph, he sees that a voicemail had been left by Xavier which only darkens the mood. As the sun sets, James struggles to find the street on which lies his apartment, but eventually finds it. After sitting in the bedroom sobbing for a few minutes, he hears a knock on the door. Chandler answers it and finds that it is Jerome.

Jerome and James quickly bond. After they realize they share interests, and the implication of a make-out session, James decides that Jerome would be Joseph's replacement, rather reluctantly. The camera pans to a shot of the television, showing a news reporter announce that over 2,000 homosexuals were dead nationwide. As James and Jerome eat dinner together, Jerome realizes he must return home or his mother, who is aware of his orientation, will worry. Instead of just walking home, Jerome insists that James drive him to his apartment in order to avoid being shot. When they arrive, Jerome thanks James and opens the door. His mother runs to Jerome, hugs him quickly, and slams the door in order to protect him. James returns to his apartment to find that the television was smashed, a window was all the way open, and the house was in a general state of disarray much like how it was when Joseph had disappeared. James, now emotionless, observes the damage and doesn't care. He carries on to his bedroom where he listens to the voicemail from Xavier. Rather alarmingly, Xavier claims to have seen James with Jerome, stating that if he had a gun, he would have shot them both. James sighs and stops the recording before quickly falling asleep. When he wakes up from his smoke alarm, it's 5:00 A.M. and the apartment below him had been burned. The result of arson, Jams remembers that a straight man lived in the apartment below his, who would constantly try to seduce women in the first floor of the building. James's mind is a wreck now, frantically wondering if the intended target was himself, remarking that a straight man's home wouldn't likely be burned. Regardless, he turns off the smoke alarm and goes back to sleep.

The film cuts to a shot within the police station the next day, where officers Laramie and Martin are talking. Martin, who is revealed to be homophobic, is convinced by Laramie that James is secretly gay; Martin then plans to kill James when he shows up to the station. However, James arrives after Martin and Laramie have left, letting James carry on with his duty freely. After a rather surreal timelapse of James walking normally with everything changing around him, the day ends and he returns to the station. The camera shows multiple near misses between the two, and eventually shows a double shot of James arriving back at his apartment and Martin trying to find him. At the end of the film, it changes back to a singular shot of James listening to some upbeat music to lighten the mood. A knock on the door prompts James to get up and answer, thinking it's Jerome. The film ends with the music continuing, and the camera showing a far shot of James answering the door. A hand, presumably Martin's, lifts up a gun, refers to James by only his calling sign, and a gunshot is heard while the camera cuts to black.

Cast

• Mike Pellings as officer James Chandler
• Steve Chelsea as Jerome
• Soko Man'olo as officer Trevor Martin
• Mo'o Kolo'ko as Joseph
• Timo Koko as the unnamed sergeant
• Robert Heron as Xavier Chandler
• Corey Kalmin as officer Kevin Laramie
• Charles Thule as the president
• Michael Shaw as the unnamed officer
• Hela Mo'oko as Jerome's mother