Screenwriting Competition Finalists
“The finalists for this year’s Screenwriting Competition represent the best in undiscovered writing talent,” said Ted Crockett, NaFF Executive Director. “They presented everything from hilarious comedies to terrifying horror films, and we are thrilled to be a venue to jumpstart their careers.”
The 65 finalists were selected from nearly 1,300 international entries. The Nashville Film Festival Screenwriting Competition is unique among thousands of screenwriting competitions in the U.S. because it offers a category for young screenwriters as well as more categories for short screenplays than any other competition.
“Placing in a screenwriting competition assists up and coming talent with an important step in their careers,” continued Crockett. “It can help them as they establish themselves and their films, whether that’s gaining financing, exposure or both.”
Top scripts, selected from NaFF winners, will be read by Blossom Films, Nicole Kidman’s Academy-Award nominated production company; noted casting director, Laray Mayfield; Sycamore Pictures CEO, Ben Nearn; Rich Peluso, Senior Vice President of AFFIRM Films; famed limit-breaking director/producer Harmony Korine; Lewis Bogach, Emmy-winning Vice President of CMT-TV; and Abso Lutely Productions, producer of six current comedy TV hits.
FINALISTS, listed alphabetically by title:
DRAMA FEATURE
“Code Blues” – Gary Wallach
“Glen Sherley” – Joe Rassulo, Robert Gibson
“Independence Pass” – Brian MacEvilly
“Oil and Water” – Alfred Thomas Catalfo, Morgan Webster Dudley
“Shadowman” – Mike Miller
“The Acadian” – David Vincent
“The Oracle of Jerald’s Bay” – Sarah Bewley
COMEDY FEATURE
“Alliance” – Charlie Robinson, Carla Robinson
“Canadian Holiday” – David Rocchio
“Miss Loving” – Bernard Smith
“My Bad Day in Hell” – Eric Carlson
“Poe Boys” – David Van Hooser
“The Full Irish” – Brian MacEvilly
MUSIC INSPIRED FEATURE
“Blind Boone” – Moss Hall, Max Morath
“Chris Gaines Saves the World” – Donald Driscoll
“Stride” – Rick Whelan
FAMILY FEATURE
“Darby Petty and the Lost Treasure” – DC Sayre
“Eleven Days” – Jaginder Singh
“The Creepy House” – Shoshana Rosenbaum
INSPIRATIONAL FEATURE
“Heart Stringz” – Barbara Ashdown
“In-Between” – Sandra Webb Smith
“One Small Step” – Patrick Sherman
ANIMATED FEATURE
“My Monster Burrufu” – Alberto Corral
“The Mythfitz” – Nicholas Julius
ACTION/ADVENTURE FEATURE
” D.T.” – Ken Comer
“Guns and Grace” – Odin Ozdil
“The Third Bomb” – Phillip Parker
HISTORICAL FEATURE
“In Spite of It All” – Rebecca Boyd
“Kid Convict” – Julie Umbreit
“Samson: A Savior Will Rise” – Shawn Hoffman, Michael Hoffman
SCIENCE FICTION FEATURE
“Bioterror Conspiracy” – Louis Lio
“Eden” – Jessica Chou
“No Man’s Land” – Michelle Davidson, Jeffrey Field
“Populous” – Michael Quintero
THRILLER/HORROR FEATURE
“A Texas Story” – David Martin-Porras, Julia Fontana
“Bad Blood” – Billie Bates
“Empathy” – Elvis Wilson
“Ginseng” – Josh Barkey
“Lifers” – Phil Burdette
“The Apocalypse Chronicles” – Nathan Ludwig, Charles Hill
“Why the Willow Weeps” – Dwight Jolivette
“Zombie Ward” – Harry Oxnard
TENNESSEE SCREENWRITER FEATURE
“Empathy” – Elvis Wilson
“Sink Swim” – Elvis Wilson
“The Acadian” – David Vincent
“The Last Drop” – A. D. Smith
DRAMA TELEPLAY
“Limbo” – Jessica Chou
“Long Lost” – Deanna Shumaker
“Renegades” – Conway Preston
“Tip & Keeper” – Carol Caldwell
COMEDY TELEPLAY
“It Could Be Worse” – Tracy Reilly
“The Knot” – Adam Rosenbaum
“Star Pupils” – Tom Ruprecht
COMEDY SHORT
“That Other Crazy Thing You Do” – Michelle Leibel
“U Got Tagged” – Andrew Roxby
DRAMA SHORT
“Illuminate” – Robert Pawloski
“Which Spoke of Freedom” – Aria Marrogi, Chris Germiller
FAMILY SHORT
“The Home of Rock” – Brian MacEvilly
“Wiindigoo the Cannibal” – Michael O’Rourke, Winona LaDuke
GENRE SHORT
“Guest” – Charles Dillon Ward
“Lumen 18” – Darren Tibbits
TENNESSEE SCREENWRITER SHORT
“The Ice Road” – Taylor Albertson
“Incident at Broadway and Grand” – Francis Wolff
YOUNG SCREENWRITER SHORT
“The Favor” – Jack Fossett
“The Pride Club” – Kirill Dyshlovoy
Nashville Film Festival (NaFF), April 16 – 25, 2015, presented by Nissan North America, brings the world to Nashville in a 10-day celebration of film. NaFF celebrates the diversity of the human vision by curating diverse program segments. Founded in 1969 by Mary Jane Coleman, it is one of the oldest film festivals in the U.S. As an Academy Award Qualifying Event, NaFF garners notice from the Associated Press, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, MovieMaker Magazine, IndieWire, Variety, Billboard, New York and Script Magazine.
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