2023 SCREENPLAY COMPETITION WINNERS
Slamdance is honored to have recognized the following writers as the official winners of the 2023 Slamdance Screenplay Competition at the Landmark Theatre in Westwood, LA on October 25th.
We received over 4,000 scripts this season, with writers from across the globe submitting their stories. These screenplays represent the top 0.28% of applicants and are divided into four submission categories (Feature, Horror/Thriller, Pilot and Short).
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
FIRST PLACE FEATURES
This End Up by Mike Ackerman
A sheltered, upside down man finally meets a woman who accepts him as he is, but her close-minded family plants doubt as to whether his condition will stand in the way of her dream of an adventurous lifestyle.
Mike Ackerman is New York-based screenwriter and playwright. Most recently, Mike wrote, directed and produced THE GWYNETH PALTROW SKI TRIAL at Caveat NYC. Mike’s other credits include AFTER (Chestnut Street Playhouse), ROCKABYE (2019 Story Pros Runner-Up) and THE CLIFF WALK (2020 Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards Finalist). Mike holds a BA in Film from Vassar College and an MSW from Fordham University. By day he works as a middle school guidance counselor, and by night, he uses his local coffeeshop as an office to focus on his screenplays and novels.
SECOND PLACE FEATURES
Popcorn Prophets by Reynaldo Leal
A teenage boy in South Texas skips out on Sunday services to find meaning and love at the church of cinema.
Reynaldo Leal was born and raised in Edinburg, Texas, the son of two Mexican immigrants. As a U.S. Marine Corps infantryman, he took part in Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah and saw some of the heaviest fighting of the Iraq War. He has always loved watching movies. His fondest memories growing up are the family movie nights he had with his father before he died.
THIRD PLACE FEATURES
Scraps by Matthew Francis and Ryan Nordin
In rural 2003 Montana, two closeted teen boys navigate skateboarding, harsh small-town judgment, and a summer of unexpected young love.
Matthew Francis is a chef, writer, producer, and director born in Duluth, MN and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Matthew has produced over 3,200 recipe videos for multiple major media companies. His first fiction novel, PRAX and the Hazardous Countdown, is the start of a six-part YA sci-fi action series and Scraps is the first film of which he is the writer, producer, and co-owner. He aims for his queer stories to make an impact in the lives of real people and support fellow queer voices that are hungry to be noticed.
Ryan Nordin is an American director and screenwriter. He got his start working as a visual effects artist, working with brands like Samsung, Oakley, and ESPN, before transitioning to directing. Ryan is based in Los Angeles and is the founder of Fold Films. Ryan is both an avalanche survivor and avid through-hiker, hitting the trails when he’s away from the desk. His work consists of fashion and action sports commercials, documentaries, and LGBTQ+ stories. Ryan hopes his work will help shed a light on underrepresented communities, telling stories for change.
FIRST PLACE HORROR/THRILLER
Sundown by Nick Hurwitch
Monsters that roam in daylight keep a small, rural family confined to a nocturnal lifestyle. But when their son starts to question the monsters’ existence, his parents must see how far they’re willing to go to keep him safe.
Nick is a published author, dad, and self-anointed time travel expert. He stubbornly refuses to commit to a genre, instead specializing in putting imaginative spins on beloved genre tropes. He has previously won the Austin Film Festival Pitch Competition and the UCLA Professional Program’s Nate Wilson Joie de Vivre Award. His screenplays have been finalists in over a dozen competitions.
SECOND PLACE HORROR/THRILLER
Purgatory by Brian Schwab
After falling victim to a brutal and sadistic serial killer, a young paraplegic woman awakens to find herself living out the same grisly series of events over and over again.
Brian Schwab is a screenplay contest and film festival winning writer, taking home awards in comedy, thriller and horror categories with a writing style described by The Black List as “Straight out of the Blumhouse/A24 model.” Brian has been featured numerous times on the ISA Network’s Writer Spotlight, with his work receiving high industry praise, including multiple selections to Coverfly’s Redlist and being named among the Top Three script reviewed by ShoreScripts this year.
THIRD PLACE HORROR/THRILLER
‘07 Honda Civic by John Schlirf
A cash-strapped man is pushed to his limit when his beloved car is stolen.
Writer, producer, and proud owner of a 2007 Honda Civic coupe.
FIRST PLACE PILOTS
Do I Belong Here? by Teri Rusike
A troubled teen is sent to boarding school for a chance to start over. Whilst attempting to fit in, the part of her she tries to bury resurfaces. She must now learn to balance two identities – one as a high school student at a prestigious school in South Africa and the other as a witch able to communicate with the other side.
Teri Rusike is a Zimbabwean-American writer. Stuck between two cultures, Teri enjoys exploring the identity of “other” and what it means to accept these two identities in modern society in her writing. Teri was a 2020 WGAE/FilmNation NY Screenwriters Workshop Fellow. Her scripts have received placements in the Atlanta Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, Big Break, and the second round of the Sundance Lab. She currently works as a Showrunner’s Assistant in Los Angeles.
SECOND PLACE PILOTS
Prey For Us by Zoe Kerr
A small-town serial killer with a preference for murdering useless men finds she’s met her match when a mysterious newcomer encroaches on her turf.
Zoe Kerr is a writer/director splitting time between New York City and Dallas. Her writing and direction has been recognized by Austin Film Festival, the Moonshot Initiative, Launch Pad, Screencraft, the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation Arts Residency, the Dallas Film Alliance Critics Forum, the American Literary Review, and the Dramatists Guild, among others.
THIRD PLACE PILOTS
Ether Run by Westin Lee
New graduate Matt returns to his hometown to find nothing but obstacles to his dream career in the music industry. When his sister’s strange behavior distracts from his quest, he follows her into a strange, deadly world that promises the win he desperately needs.
Westin Lee is a narrative designer, writer and consultant in video games, and the author of Paranormal School 13, Tellermoon and Wicked City. His writes science-fiction, fantasy and humor, and he typically employs multiple, distinct point of view characters. He co-hosts Now You’re Playing, a Nintendo Power magazine retrospective, and is occasionally a filmmaker and comedian. He lives in Los Angeles.
FINALISTS
FEATURES
Matthew Francis
Scraps
Mike Ackerman
This End Up
Reynaldo Leal
Popcorn Prophets
HORROR/THRILLER
Brian Schwab
Purgatory
John Schlirf
’07 Honda Civic
Nick Hurwitch
Sundown
PILOTS
Teri Rusike
Do I Belong Here?
Westin Lee
Ether Run
Zoe Kerr
Prey For Us
SHORTS
Katherine Gauthier
Meat Baby
Keegan Stull
An Ideal Life
Scott Thompson, Hayes Hart-Thompson
Free Martin
MENTORSHIP FINALISTS
Phoebe Gibb
Drip
Vanessa Magic
I Want to Be Evil
Aimiende Negbenebor Sela & Andrew Rubin
Wake Up! Wake Up! Wake Up!
Wes Goodrich
Heretics
SEMIFINALISTS
FEATURES
Alexandra Grey
The World Between Us
Erick Harvey Castrillon
Deerfield Beach
John Ingle
The Lamb
Lee Whittaker
Catching Fireflies
Matthew Francis
SCRAPS
Mike Ackerman
This End Up
Reynaldo Leal
Popcorn Prophets
Zachary Swickey
Durty
HORROR/THRILLER
Brian Schwab
Purgatory
Cosmo Wallace
Chosen
David J. Ellison
Familiar Script
Joe Favalaro
The Black Dog
John Schlirf
07 Honda Civic
Kadyn Michaels
MALICE
Nick Hurwitch
Sundown
Phoebe Gibb
DRIP
PILOTS
Abby Cohen
My Boyfriend the Drag Queen (Based on a True Story)
Alex Rubin
What Would Walt Want?
Charlotte Lobdell, Jack Flynn
The Seamstress of Hollywood Boulevard
Gregory Abbey
Shark
Rae Binstock
BUTCH
Teri Rusike
Do I Belong Here?
Westin Lee
Ether Run
Zoe Kerr
Prey For Us
SHORTS
Danielle Nicolet
13
Joe Thayer
Boys
Jon Ayon
Niki Tomi Beto
Julia Anna Morrison
Toothache
Katherine Gauthier
Meat Baby
Keegan Stull
An Ideal Life
Scott Thompson, Hayes Hart-Thompson
free martin
Vincenzo Lucciola, Anton Schettini
Average Joe and Hackzilla: A Love Story
QUARTERFINALISTS
FEATURES
Aaron Yarber
Jesus & Football
Alexandra Grey
The World Between Us
Alicia Louzoun-Heisler
Liars
Anna Cassady
Symphony of the Sea
Elizabeth Corbett
Toni and the Wolf
Elizabeth Joyce
Equity
Eric Nelson
Idol
Erick Harvey Castrillon
Deerfield Beach
Gillian Croft
The Life of Cockroaches
J.K. Zepeda
She Becomes Pedro Infante
Jessica Jiji
Like Nobody’s Business
John Ingle
The Lamb
Judith Campbell Posey
AMERICAN WARMBLOOD
Kemp Lee
Bind Our Hearts
Lee Whittaker
Catching Fireflies
Liz Fields
Belonging
Mark Tenn
Bountiful
Matthew Francis
SCRAPS
Mike Ackerman
This End Up
Moutaz Jad
The Song Remains The Same
Nick Butler
Lunar Sway
Nick Gambino, Koura Linda
Nine Tenths of The Law
Peter Darchuk
Fnarpwaddle
Phil Davey
The Independent
Reynaldo Leal
Popcorn Prophets
Richard Williams
Degeneration
Russ Eisenman
VOLANTINO
Sasha Pasternak
No Moon In Hell
Steve Migdol, Sherrie Okunami Migdol
The Purple Heart Battalion
Ward Crockett
Commentary
Zachary Swickey
Durty
HORROR/THRILLER
Adria Budd Johnson
Eden
Adrian Gutierrez Martel
Cold Hands
Amanda Kusek & Frank Hanley
Harvest
Anthony Greenstone
A Voyage to Forgiveness
Brian Schwab
Purgatory
Caleb Ellis
Creature Feature
Chaz Harris
PREVIOUS OCCUPANTS
Chris Thompson
RID
Christopher Rubi
OUT OF THE CLOSET
Christopher Stevens
Down the Rabbit Hole
Cory Marciel
GHOST TRAIN
Cosmo Wallace
Chosen
D. J. McPherson
The Lonely Ones
David J. Ellison
Familiar Script
Holden Weihs
The Miracle of Birth
Javier Bonafont
Love in Darkness
Jennifer Ball
Lucy’s Diner
Joe Favalaro
The Black Dog
John Schlirf
07 Honda Civic
Kadyn Michaels
MALICE
Leila Majlessi
The Illusion of Being Eternal
Max Olson
Bloodroot
Mitchell V Slan
Rough Cut
Nick Hurwitch
Sundown
Phoebe Gibb
DRIP
Sean Mogridge
Vessel
PILOTS
Abby Cohen
My Boyfriend the Drag Queen (Based on a True Story)
Aimiende Iziengbe Negbenebor Sela, Andrew Lawrence Rubin
Wake Up! Wake Up! Wake Up!
Alex Rubin
What Would Walt Want?
Arun Miriyala
Midnight Lotus
Ash Maczko
Nowhere Boys
Becca Roth
Love Wins
Charlotte Lobdell, Jack Flynn
The Seamstress of Hollywood Boulevard
Diogo Beltran
The Pod
Frances Rubio
Widow’s Pique
Geoffrey Ashley
FRONTIERS
Gregory Abbey
Shark
Helmann Wilhelm
Matriarch
Jackie Baskin
Millennial
Julie Sharbutt
Secretary of Arts
Kara Phelps
Son of Mothman
Kevin Talley
Uncle Sam and Sons
Koji Masutani
Panazuela
Kris Fordham
Good People
Lee Crompton
Edenville
M. Rowan Meyer
New Cardiff
Matthew Manson
MEME GIRLS
Meher Jaffri
The Chosen One
Michelle Siouty
Budtenders
Paul Moore Chaves
Light of Atrion
Rae Binstock
BUTCH
Ryan Dellaquila
Humanely Human
Sarah Jenkins
Lost In Lakewood
Stephen Nolly
Howlie: Pilot
Teri Rusike
Do I Belong Here?
Toby Marks
Displacement
Westin Lee
Ether Run
William James Angelico
C Y B E R S I C K
Zackary Ogle
Piggy Piggy
Zoe Kerr
Prey For Us
SHORTS
Andrea A Walter
im in love with edgar allan poe
Brian Barnes
HIDE
Corsica Wilson
Feed the Brute
Danielle Nicolet
13
Giovanni D’Amaro
The Guilt
Hawken Vance
OH COME, ALL YE
Holly Holdsworth
Singularity
Jamie Campbell
Sneakerhead
Joe Thayer
Boys
Jon Ayon
Niki Tomi Beto
Julia Anna Morrison
Toothache
Kate Kennedy
Cym
Katherine Gauthier
Meat Baby
Kayla Ahmed
Pie Hole
Keegan Stull
An Ideal Life
Kristen Bush, Rolf Potts
The Game Camera
Marcos Pinto-Leite
The Fishfolk of Luton Hill
Melissa Fisher, Mair Flores
Buscando Alma
Nathan Castiel
Salsa Sangre
Paul Sokal
Miracles
Richard Thompson
Look At Me
Scott Thompson, Hayes Hart-Thompson
free martin
Shane Harbinson
Freeborn
Thomas Rivera Montes
Noite Meiga
Vincenzo Lucciola, Anton Schettini
Average Joe and Hackzilla: A Love Story