The 2020 RIIFF Screenplay Competition Awards
The winners of the 2020 RIIFF Screenplay Competition are now finalized!
Rammy Park, Grand Prize Winner for the Best Screenplay on stage Opening Night 2019 at The Vets receiving her trophy. With Michael Drywa, RIIFF Advisory Board President; Steven Feinberg, Executive Director, RI Film and Television Office; Shawn Quirk, RIIFF Program Director; and actress, Marlyn Mason. Photo by Mike Braca
Edward Balli from Ontario, Canada won the Best Screenplay Grand Prize Winner for this year’s Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) Screenplay Competition. Bella’s winning screenplay is entitled “Leadeth.”
This year, our annual screenplay competition received 557 entries (hard copy and online). From these, 55 scripts were selected as finalists and 16 scripts were selected Winners by our international team of adjudicators.
This year’s winners included Tanni Chaudhrui, who received this year’s Grand Prize in the RI Spotlight on New England category for her script “Anna and Ahana,” Adva Reich from Israel, whose screenplay “Project Fog” was awarded the Grand Prize for Best International Screenplay, and seventeen year-old Bella Ramsey from the United Kingdom, whose screenplay “Mila” received the grand prize in a new category, “Screenwriting Discovery.”
http://www.film-festival.org/ScreenplayWinner20.php
“Leadeth” tells the story of an American who travels to a remote cabin in the Canadian wilderness to reunite with his estranged friend. But as secrets from their past unravel, he finds himself trapped with a burgeoning madman.”
“Edward Balli’s superb script sports a bold premise and provides an engrossing character-driven narrative. Our judges could really feel the emotional baggage and tension between each character, which made this script a profound and provocative thriller,” said Shawn Quirk, RIIFF Program Director.
“It was a great year for storytelling which was reflected in our screenplay competition. This year’s entries were inventive and represented a dynamic collection of voices from across the globe. They were scored on criteria that included character, dialogue, setting, plot, structure and technique,” added Quirk.
“We reviewed the largest entry base in the competition’s history, ultimately making for some very difficult decision-making on the part of our international group of judges. I cannot underscore the level of quality writing we received.
“After extensive and careful deliberation, prize winners were chosen in eight distinct categories: Best Screenplay, Best International, Screenwriting Discovery, Vortex Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror, Best LGBTQ, Spotlight on New England, Best Short Screenplay, Best Animation Screenplay, and Best Television Pilot,” Quirk noted.
“Our sincere congratulations to this year’s winners,” stated George T. Marshall. “This competition continues to introduce us to some of the world’s brightest and most talented writers in the craft.”
Prizes awarded to the winners of the screenplay competition (which vary with the specific screenplay category) include: 1 Script Listing from InkTip; Final Draft software featuring Final Draft Screenwriting Suites; and Passes to the 2021 Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival and the ScriptBiz™ Screenwriter’s Workshop.
The Best Screenplay Grand Prize winner will be brought to Providence to attend the 2021 ScriptBiz program, where their screenplay will be a central focus of the program, plus receive a private script consultation and an official award on RIIFF’s Opening Night Celebration on the stage of the 1,900-seat Vets located at One Avenue of the Arts, Providence. Lodging and transportation will also be provided.
Winners will be notified individually this week.
AND THIS YEAR’S WINNERS ARE…
BEST SCREENPLAY
GRAND PRIZE:
“Leadeth,” By Edward Balli, Canada
FIRST PLACE:
“Deluge,” By Kenneth Vatan-Woodall, Sheila Vatan-Woodall, United States
INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY
GRAND PRIZE:
“Project Fog,” By Adva Reichman, Israel
FIRST PRIZE:
“The Shell,” By Hakan Ünal, Turkey
VORTEX HORROR/SCI-FI SCREENPLAY
GRAND PRIZE:
“Ghost Species,” By Justin Hayward, United Kingdom
FIRST PRIZE:
“Writer’s Retreat,” By Jennifer Potts, United States
JAMES L. SEAVOR LGBTQ SCREENPLAY
GRAND PRIZE:
“He Hangs Brightly,” By Daniel Talbott, United States
FIRST PRIZE:
“I am Yusuf,” By Zain Sheikh, Pakistan
RI SPOTLIGHT ON NEW ENGLAND
GRAND PRIZE:
“Anna and Ahana,” By Tanni Chaudhuri, United States
FIRST PRIZE:
“TOMAS,” By Robert Bedick, United States
BEST TELEVISION PILOT SCRIPT
GRAND PRIZE:
“Versions,” By Craig Reynolds, Ireland
FIRST PRIZE:
“Still Life,” By Duncan Putney, USA
BEST SHORT SCRIPT
GRAND PRIZE:
“Entrance of Pink Elephants,” By Tatiana Fedorovskaya, Russia
FIRST PRIZE:
“Rosa,” By Ferran Navarro-Beltrán, Spain
SCREENWRITING DISCOVERY
GRAND PRIZE:
“MILA,” By Bella Ramsey, United Kingdom
FIRST PRIZE:
“Rear,” By Edward Worthy, United States