AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES
2013 SCREENPLAY & TELEPLAY COMPETITION WINNERS AND JURY AWARD WINNERS FOR ITS 20th ANNIVERSARY YEAR
Competition Winners Awarded alongside Distinguished Awardees Vince Gilligan, Jonathan Demme, Callie Khouri, Barry Josephson, and Susan Sarandon
AUSTIN, Texas—Oct. 26, 2013— Austin Film Festival (AFF) is pleased to announce its 2013 Screenplay and Teleplay Competition winners as well as their Jury Award Winners. Award recipients received an array of cash prizes, travel expenses covered, and industry recognition and access. For the Screenplay and Teleplay Competition winners, a record number of 8,644 submissions across all categories (6,228 individual scripts) were received this year and the Finalists were reviewed by an industry jury, in addition to this year’s sponsored award judges AMC, Dark Hero Studios, Darkwoods Productions, and Enderby Entertainment.
The following winners were selected by category:
- Drama Screenplay Award presented by the Writers Guild of America, East:
“Last Waltz of Vienna” by Brian Weakland
- Comedy Screenplay Award: “Don’t Talk to Irene” by Pat Mills
- Enderby Entertainment Award: “Hooking Up” by Jacqueline Fitzgerald
- Darkwoods Productions Horror Award: “The Hitch” by Troy Miller
- Dark Hero Studios Sci-Fi Award: “Lightspeed” by Brian Siegele
- AMC One-Hour Teleplay Pilot: “Liberators” by Eric Haywood
- Sitcom Teleplay Pilot: “I Love Monsters” by Julie Cross
- One-Hour Teleplay Spec: Doctor Who: “Ghost Town” by Alyssa Weinberger
- Sitcom Teleplay Spec: Girls: “Golden Birthday, Golden Showers” by Sarah Carbiener & Erica Rosbe
In its 20-year history, the AFF Screenplay and Teleplay Competition has served to launch many writing careers. In the competition’s first year, screenplay competition winner Max Adams’ script “Excess Baggage” was optioned by Columbia and made into a film starring Alicia Silverstone and Benicio Del Toro. Rachel Long and Brian Pittman’s 2008 Semifinalist script “Stranded” (renamed to DAWN PATROL) was acquired by Enderby Entertainment and recently wrapped production with Daniel Petrie, Jr. as the director. Christopher Cantwell, a 2010 Finalist, recently had one of his pilot scripts Halt & Catch Fire ordered for series production by AMC. Dan Shea, 2013 Comedy Winner, recently had his winning script “The P.A.N.D.A War” optioned by Dirty Monty. At this year’s Festival, AFF presents two World Premieres from AFF Screenplay alum: COFFEE, KILL BOSS by 2011 Semifinalist Sigurd Ueland and CAVEMEN by 2000 Semifinalist Herschel Faber.
The 20th Annual Austin Film Festival Jury award-winning films included an eclectic array of new and exciting filmmaker talent. The Dark Matters Jury Award was featured for the first time ever, awarding the best film from horror, sci-fi, or dark thriller genres.
The following winners were selected by category:
· For features, the first ever Dark Matters Feature Jury Award was awarded to writer/director Darren Paul Fisher for his FILM OXV: THE MANUAL.
· The Young Filmmakers Program Competition Grand Prize was award to Imogen Pohl, director of the short film HB.
· The Narrative Student Short Jury Prize was awarded to Avram Dodson, the writer/director of PISTACHIO MILK.
· The Documentary Shorts Jury Award was given to director Jenny van den Broeke for her film BLINDE LIEFDE (Blind Love).
· The Jury Award for Animated Short, which makes the winning film eligible to be nominated for an academy award ™ was given to Erica Harrison, writer of A CAUTIONARY TALE.
· The Narrative Short Jury Award, which also qualifies the short to be nominated for an academy award tm, was given to writer/director Cody Blue Snider.
· The Documentary Feature Jury Award was bestowed upon director Christopher Englese, for his film POLITICAL BODIES.
· The Narrative Feature Jury award was given to first time writer/director, Chris Lowell for his film BESIDE STILL WATERS.
Competition Winners were awarded the coveted bronze typewriter award alongside Vince Gilligan the 2013 Outstanding Television Writer Awardee, Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Awardee Jonathan Demme, Distinguished Screenwriter Awardee Callie Khouri, Heart of Film Awardee Barry Josephson and Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Actor Awardee Susan Sarandon, all in attendance.
About Austin Film Festival
Austin Film Festival (AFF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the art, craft and business of writers and filmmakers and recognizing their contributions to film, television and new media. AFF champions the work of aspiring and established writers and filmmakers by providing unique cultural events and services, enhancing public awareness and participation, and encouraging dynamic and long-lasting community partnerships. Find more information www.austinfilmfestival.com