Two strangers meet and sparks fly, but when he accidentally discovers forged paintings at her house, he leaves abruptly. That would be the end of their story except for the fact that he’s reported her to the FBI, and their children are marrying one another on Christmas day.
It’s about two successful fifty-somethings who have had good lives but have avoided relationships because of the pain they experienced when they were younger. Because they are forced to spend time together, due to their children marrying one another, they eventually have to come to terms with the fact that they are flawed humans who care for one another.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
The Art of the Matter is a romantic comedy and a holiday adventure.
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
Because it is an original take on the holiday movie, blending a Christmas romance with road trip adventure with heartfelt family drama.
4. How would you describe this script in two words?
Unconventionally conventional
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I’ve been working on it for almost a year. I did a zoom script reading with you some months ago, and the feedback I got from the actors inspired me. It seemed to mean a lot of them, but listening to it, it was clear I still had work to do on it, and you mentioned a few things that made me think I still had a bunch to think about and rework. I’ve revised it multiple times since the reading. It may be getting close considering that the script won at this festival.
6. How many stories have you written?
I’ve written six features and 10 shorts.
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
I wanted to write a holiday movie; I wanted to write a love story with older characters; I wanted to write a script with funny Indigenous characters, and I wanted it set in the southwest. I also wanted to incorporate Las Vegas in a way that is not usually considered—no debauchery, just a nice place to get married and gather people. Sort of crazy that I was able to bring all of these desires together in this script.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
I don’t really think this script is finished yet, but I am working on it. I didn’t really have too many obstacles working on it, but I did have a weird conversation with a producer who told me that she couldn’t help me with it because she wasn’t “an east coast elite” and “fortunately did not grow up wealthy” so she didn’t see what the big deal about forged paintings was and no one would want to watch this movie. Our conversation did not last too long.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Horses and mules. I have loved horses as long as I have loved writing. Basically, my passions are the same as when I was 10 years old.
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I have gotten braver about feedback. It’s never easy for me, really, but I wanted more feedback for this script, and I knew the relationship-focus of this festival was appropriate for my script. The feedback was clear and easy for me to incorporate. I’ve already made the changes.
A few years back, I entered a script into this festival and the feedback I got was pretty brutal. The most scathing I’ve ever received. The fact that I was brave enough to enter a script into this festival again and that it won, makes me feel like I’m making progress.
11. What movie have you watched the most times in your life?
Summary: Martin’s mother passes away after a two year battle with cancer and his long lost best friend Abe finally shows up after seven years. They have to catch up and fill each other in on what they have missed out on -only to realise that they might have missed out on being more than best friends.
Get to know the writer:
1. What is your screenplay about?
The logline for my script is about as basic of a summary as I could muster: “A reunion at a funeral between two friends who haven’t seen each other in seven years leads to conversations regarding loss, relationships, career, and family trauma.” Beyond that barebones description, within the span of the day these two guys will spend together, they realize how deeply impactful the other one was on their lives when they were younger.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
The screenplay straddles back and forth between drama and comedy throughout.
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
Man, that’s a tough question, and I’m not sure I can come up with an answer that isn’t self-congratulatory on some level – haha! But, I think one of the things I like so much about these characters is that, throughout the script, they have the chance to work through issues that I would hope are universal for so many people, regardless of how one identifies.
4. How would you describe this script in two words?
Thoughtful conversation
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
“Lost & Found” is a sequel to another script that I wrote, also last year, called “Missing Persons” and, like the “Before” trilogy, or films like “The Decline of the American Empire” (1986) and its sequel “The Barbarian Invasions” (2003), we catch up with characters several years later and find out what’s been happening to them in the interim.
In one form or another, I’ve sat with these two characters – Martin and Abraham – for the better portion of two and a half decades in my head. I’ve long thought that the original script for “Missing Persons” needed to be about one thing but I would only write half a page here, half a page there and never really go anywhere with it.
Through a series of family events that have taken place over the last few years, I finally realized why that initial script was taking so long and, it was because it also needed to be about what happened with those events and how they were inextricably linked to what I had originally planned for “Missing Persons”. Once that all played itself out, these scripts that I had been toying with for the better portion of 25 years, all came flooding out in a total of about a month to a month and a half per script. And, the great part is that my original themes and ideas for “Missing Persons” are alive and well in the script as it stands.
While I guess you could say that I technically finished “Missing Persons” first, “Lost & Found” was also written in tandem and they do truly feel like companion pieces. Before anything else was ever written for the script, I knew what I wanted the ending of “Missing Persons” to be. Everything was essentially backwards planned from there. And, as I started writing “Missing Persons”, I realized that I wasn’t done with these guys and I had to see where they might land next, hence, the birth of “Lost & Found”.
6. How many stories have you written?
Just these two.
I have another script I’m in the middle of writing now and hoping to have that one finished (at least in first draft form) within the next month or so. I also have two other scripts that I have finished the final outlines for, but am waiting to start writing until I finish the one I’m in the middle of now. I also have a list of about 7 or 8 other script ideas that I keep in my phone as a general one-sentence plot summary comes to mind that I don’t want to forget for later, including an idea for a potential third go round with Martin and Abraham.
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
That’s a loaded question, and I’ve kind of already touched upon their connections to my family and the profoundly dysfunctional house I grew up in.
But, as I think about these two characters and what they mean to me, I realize that the scripts are essentially love letters to my three best friends from high school who saved my life, even if they didn’t know they were doing it at the time.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Some of the obstacles I’ve already talked about (i.e. in terms of the time it took to finally realize what I knew they needed to be about). But, I think I’d say one of the biggest challenges I had was just getting used to the formatting. I’d never written a script before these two. I’d never taken any classes on screenwriting. And, I’d read very few of them on paper even though my life has essentially revolved around film for as long as I can remember.
Another huge obstacle was getting that voice in the back of my head – the one that wanted me to doubt myself as a writer or as a person who might have a story to tell – to shut up.
There was another obstacle that I think is worth mentioning, but I’ll speak to it in a couple of questions from now.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Film, in general. I’m nuts about the medium. I’ve kept a record of every movie I’ve ever seen since I was a kid. I’ve studied it passionately since I was about 14 years old and my first Bachelor’s is in film studies.
On top of that, my husband, our daughter, and our two dogs and two cats are pretty much the focal points of my life outside of work and film.
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
What influenced me to enter the festival was the idea that I could submit two screenplays for the price of one. I’d entered “Missing Persons” into a few other competitions before this one, but I had never entered “Lost & Found” because I’d always seen it as a sequel and didn’t know whether or not it could stand on its own without the first one.
When “Lost & Found” won the competition, I was blown away, because I never expected it to win in the first place (which was a lovely surprise), and I’ve never really been able to separate the two stories in my head even though they are distinctly different on paper.
Strangely enough, I received feedback on “Lost & Found” prior to receiving feedback about “Missing Persons” and, what that helped me to do was to go back and to make minor tweaks and edits to the story so that it truly could stand alone as its own piece should somehow something come of it and not from the first one.
I guess harkening back to the question about obstacles, one of the challenges I faced once I received feedback about “Lost & Found” was how to go back and do just enough reworking so that it could stand alone on its own. I wanted to ensure that I wasn’t leaving anything out in terms of information that the first film would have filled in if the second was to play by itself while simultaneously making sure that I didn’t repeat the same information that I’d shared about the characters in the first one, should both films ever eventually see the light of day.
And, the last reason I entered the competition was, for me, the most important one: I’d not entered either of the scripts into a competition focused solely around LGBTQ+ stories yet. While I’d wanted the characters’ feelings, and emotions, and longings, and dreams, and anxieties, and fears to be (hopefully) universal on some level, I think there’s something to be said about entering the scripts into a competition that is focused on raising the voices of LGBTQ+ writers and stories that feature LGBTQ+ characters.
11. What movie have you watched the most times in your life?
I’ve been glued to movies ever since I can remember. In another lifetime (my 20’s) I worked in a video store and I would put the same movies on over and over again. These were movies I used to watch on repeat when I was a kid, as well, so, I’d probably say: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) (which, additionally, was the first movie my parents ever took me to the theater to see), Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985), Back to the Beach (1987), Beetlejuice (1988), and/or Troop Beverly Hills (1989).
1. What is your screenplay about? It’s a re-imagining of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with an AI-enhanced tree. And of course the monster is the hero.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under? Horror/thriller.
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie? It’s entertaining. And it speaks to two of the most important issues of the day: climate change and AI.
4. How would you describe this script in two words? Environmental revenge.
5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life? (Combined) Apocalypse Now
6. How long have you been working on this screenplay? Two years.
7. How many stories have you written? Between the two of us, 20.
8. What motivated you to write this screenplay? We are a father and son; we were walking in the park appreciating the trees and talking.
9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay? Day jobs and depression.
10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about? Reading, movies, RPG.
11. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received? We were looking for an environmental screenplay competition: there you were. The initial feedback seemed like it was written by a very smart and thoughtful person who asked some good questions (some already answered in the treequel), but we wished there had been more feedback.
12. What movie have you watched the most times in your life? (Combined) Apocalypse Now
Ashley Kelly is your typical American young woman—or she would be if it weren’t for the cluster bomb that crippled her. Ten years after the alien invasion, over a hundred million Americans have been displaced by the war, with millions more dead. Ash has spent ten years learning to walk again, and she’ll be damned if she’s going to lie down for anyone, human or alien.
Get to know the writer:
What is your screenplay about?
Welcome to the Occupied States follows Ash Kelly, who, after a cluster bomb leaves her wheelchair-bound, becomes humanity’s unsuspecting leader in a final stand against an alien invasion. As the war drags on for a decade, Ash uncovers secrets that could shift the balance of the conflict forever.
What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Sci-fi, action, and adventure.
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
The story features an action heroine in a wheelchair—Ash Kelly, who is physically limited but doesn’t let that stop her. The stakes are higher for her in an alien world where flesh-eating invaders threaten humanity. She uses her brains and smarts to survive and lead the resistance, making for a powerful and unique protagonist in the genre.
How would you describe this script in two words?
Defiant Rebellion.
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
The Alien franchise.
How long have you been working on this screenplay?
3 years.
How many stories have you written?
5 feature films and 2 TV pilots.
What motivated you to write this screenplay?
I loved the story, and it holds a personal connection as my father, Peter Cawdron, is the author of the novel that inspired it.
What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
It wasn’t funded initially, so I took the risk of writing it myself. I got tired of waiting for funding, so I decided to go ahead and write it anyway.
Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Eco filmmaking.
What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I loved the environmental aspect of the festival, and the feedback was very encouraging.
The butterfly prince is a story of a fictional character K.A.M.60 that attempt to honour the great French astronomer Charles Messier who developed the Messier catalogue and discovered many Messier objects in the sky in particular in the Virgo constellation. In the book K.A.M.60 real name is = Karlex Antoine Messier 60 and he is part of the Messier family. In real life The Messier 60 object is the twin/butterfly galaxies.
Get to know the writer:
1. What is your screenplay about?
The butterfly prince is a story of a fictional character K.A.M.60 that attempt to honour the great French astronomer Charles Messier who developed the Messier catalogue and discovered many Messier objects in the sky in particular in the Virgo constellation. K.A.M.60 real name is = Karlex Aristoteles Messier 60 and he is part of the Messier family. In real life The Messier 60 object is the twin/butterfly galaxies.
The plot is about jealousy, family feuds adventures and love. The constellations of Libra and Leo that are a couple have declared the war to the Virgo constellation just because of jealousy, they wiped out the Virgo constellation population. The only people left are the Messier family. They decided to send KAM60 (1) of their sons to the planet earth in a quest to find 10 virgins/maidens to married the 10 Messier brothers and repopulated the Virgo constellation again.
K.A.M.60 Embarks in a quest and very interested journey where he not only achieved his goals of find the correct Maidens whom married the Messier brothers, along the way he meets very interesting characters such as Centaurs, witches, Mythological creatures, Gods, zodiac constellations etc. He also lived the most amazing adventures rescuing, helping, curing, advising and even fighting for or with people once he lands in the planet Earth. Also, all the way the constellations of Libra and Leo (the bad guys on this plot) will do something to stop K.A.M.60 to achieve his goals but like a great hero he always defeats them. Additional, despite that this is a fantasy book most of the heroes KAM60, the maidens etc are based in real people. People that inspired me and that I believe will inspire others. Example of these people are; Charles Messier, Juana Cruz the 1st female Spanish bullfighter, Magdalena Zeger the 1st female astronomer, Marie Jose Perec, the best French female sprinter, ancient civilizations such as the Mayans, the Olmecs, the Dahomey’s, the Vikings, The Amazon female warriors etc.
There are also some interesting twists in the story such as the inclusion of fake/false Maidens, the Emerald ring that determines which are the real maidens/virgins, the butterflies tattoos and character names (most maidens have a butterfly name and of course all of them must have a butterfly tattoo, like KHAM 60 also had one) there is plenty of adventures, magic, mysteries, suspense, drama, mystic, action, Love, friendship, team work etc Plus the stunning locations around the world where all these adventures occurs.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Fantasy- Adventure-Sci Fiction-Young Adults
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
This screenplay should be made into a movie because of the novelty of the constellations being seen and acting like humans. There are lots of movies about celestial bodies, stars, planets, and even moons, but I have never heard about a movie that explores the constellations, particularly the Virgo constellation, and intertwines them from the point of view of Astronomy and Astrology.
This screenplay should be made a movie because have plenty of action and twists, as well as jealousy and betrayal
This screenplay has the potential to be a movie with several sequels. It should be made into a movie because there are lots of heroes in this story. KAM60 is not the only hero; here, all the maidens are heroes as well.
This screenplay features a strong characterization of female heroes, with all ten maidens portrayed as powerful figures. I believe that the world needs more real female heroes who can inspire a new generation of girls worldwide.
The characters in this play are inspired by real people. I have changed their names slightly because I do not have permission from their families to use their real names. However, their professions and values are accurately represented.
Lena is Character #3, an astronomer and astrologer. Her character is inspired by the real-life figure Magdalena Zeger, from whom the name “Lena” is derived. She was Danish and is recognized as the first female astronomer in history. According to Wikipedia, Magdalena Zeger (born circa 1491; died January 16, 1568) was an astrologer, astronomer, and calendar maker. She was the first woman to independently publish research in astrology.
Juana Cruz is recognized as the first female Spanish bullfighter in history. She was an extraordinary woman who challenged the Spanish dictator and the outdated beliefs that women could not be bullfighters. The character in the screenplay is named Hanna Crusalida, also known as Aurora. According to Wikipedia, Juana Cruz de la Casa (Spanish: 12 February 1917 – 18 May 1981), also known as Juanita Cruz, was a pioneering Spanish woman bullfighter and is considered one of the trailblazers in women’s bullfighting in Spain.
Marie-José Pérec, the top female sprinter from France and the Caribbean, is portrayed by the character Pieris Napi in the screenplay. According to Wikipedia, Marie-José Pérec was born on May 9, 1968, in Guadeloupe. She is a celebrated French athlete who made history as the first sprinter to win consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 400-meter dash, among numerous other achievements.
The most important aspect of this story is that it honors the French astronomer, Charles Messier. In the 18th century, he discovered numerous celestial objects and developed the Messier Catalogue. In the screenplay, his character is referred to as King Messier, and all the members of the Messier family are based on the astronomical objects he discovered. KAM60 corresponds to Messier object 60, which is also known as the Butterfly Galaxy because its appearance resembles that of twin galaxies.
This screenplay should be made into a movie because it is a beautiful story of love and sacrifice—the love of Kham60 for his family, his wife Ixchel, his people in Virgo, and the people of planet Earth.
This screenplay should be made into a movie because it teaches history, astronomy, and geography in a fun and entertaining way.
This screenplay should be made into a movie because it will be stunningly beautiful. As I was writing, I pictured magnificent butterflies, intricate tattoos, vibrant birds, the beauty of celestial bodies, and the planet Earth, along with the enchanting Archangel Ariel. These elements will look amazing on the big screen, and the costume designer will have a fantastic time creating the outfits for all these beautiful characters.
This screenplay has the potential to become a blockbuster, similar to the Harry Potter movies. I have much more to discuss about it and can provide additional information to develop multiple films like Harry Potter.
4. How would you describe this script in two words?
exquisite and imaginative, magical!
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
6 months
6. How many stories have you written?
4
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
It was an inspiration during 2 months every morning after I woke up, I felt the urge to type and this information just came into my mind and I type it. For two months, each morning after waking up, I felt an urge to type. The information flowed into my mind, and I typed it out.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
The formatting, I am struggling to write in the correct formatting. I bought some software but I do not know how to use it therefore, the formatting still a problem
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Dancing, Travelling, Acting, Reading, Nature and conservation programs.
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I was interested in this opportunity because it is a female festival, and I have ten female heroes in my story. I thought that female producers might find a story about butterflies more engaging than their male counterparts. I believed that a female team, including the director and producer, could better appreciate the beauty of this screenplay.
I felt frustrated with the initial feedback—not because it was wrong, but because I was open to criticism. The issue was that there seemed to be a demand for proper formatting, and I had no idea how to achieve that. Alison provided some advice and recommended software, which I purchased, but I still struggled to use it effectively. As a result, I remain stuck with formatting issues.
I received emails offering various services, but no one has provided guidance on how to properly format a screenplay or sent me any guidelines or examples to learn from.
To me, creating videos, pitching, and marketing don’t hold much value if I can’t write the screenplay in the correct format. No one will take my writing seriously if it’s not properly formatted. Therefore, the services being offered don’t excite or interest me because they don’t address my formatting problem. I hope this makes my concerns clear.
11. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
I am a fun of Jodie Foster; Favorites movies CONTACT and the silence of the Lambs.
Also, I loved the Indiana Jones series, in particular Raiders of the lost Arc and the last Crusade
A gay ghost haunting a West Hollywood house, along with his dysfunctional Grim Reaper friend, help a straight cop solve crimes.
Get to know the writer:
1. What is your screenplay about?
It’s about a gay ghost haunting a West Hollywood home, inhabited by a psychic cop, in which the gay ghost and his dysfunctional grim reaper friend, helps solve crimes.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Comedy
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
It’s different. It’s out of the box.
4. How would you describe this script in two words? Fricking hilarious.
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay? About 8 years
6. How many stories have you written? Probably about 15
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay? I had this burning idea that was totally different than anything that’s out there.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay? Coming up with an ending. That was my biggest obstacle. Probably did 10 rewrites.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about? I’m passionate about fitness. I workout 6 x a week.
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received? I wanted to enter the Toronto film festival because it’s one of the best out there. I was really surprised at my feedback. It was good. Even though I knew the script was good, you don’t expect it.
11. What movie have you seen the most times in your life? Grease
A queer Iranian woman in Toronto becomes haunted by a malevolent jinn, unleashed through her devout mother’s supernatural attempts to ‘heal’ her, forcing her to confront deep-seated familial trauma and an ancient force threatening to consume her identity and life.
Iranian folklore with urgent contemporary issues—queer trauma, religious extremism, PTSD, and the immigrant fight for survival. It’s more than a horror story; it’s a deeply personal yet universal reflection of what it means to be hunted for who you are. Today, it feels like a red alarm— because leaders like Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei are pushing fascistic, theocratic ideologies that aim to erase queer lives. This story exposes how those in power weaponize religion and culture to control bodies and silence voices. The Healing gives voice to the silenced —and through fear, rage, and resilience—it demands to be seen.
How would you describe this script in two words?
Unholy Inheritance.
What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
I was born after the Islamic Revolution and grew up in a country where, for a long time, watching American or European films was forbidden, and owning a video player was considered a serious crime. When I was eight years old, a few Betamax tapes were secretly brought into our home. If the authorities had discovered them, it could have led to prison. One of those tapes was E.T., and the first time I watched it, I completely fell in love with cinema. That was the moment I realized I wanted to become a filmmaker. E.T. changed my life.
Later, I understood that I saw myself in E.T.—someone who had ended up in the wrong place, always longing to return home. After that, when I watched The Omen, The Exorcist, and Rosemary’s Baby, I discovered that horror was my favorite genre. I’ve always been drawn to the battle between good and evil—and to the kind of heroes who step into that battle fearlessly.
How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I developed The Healing over several months, drawing from years of lived experience and emotional healing. After submitting the screenplay to a festival, I received some insightful feedback, and I’m currently in the process of rewriting The Healing. My biggest dream is to see this film come to life
How many stories have you written?
Over two dozen, including feature screenplays, TV pilots, plays, and short stories—many of which center around women’s rights. Before I fled Iran, I mainly focused on women’s issues because I had to hide my true identity for years. Being queer in Iran is punishable by death, so I couldn’t write openly about my own life. But escaping that reality has changed my perspective. These days, my focus is more personal—I write about my chosen family, my LGBTQ+ community, and the complex dynamics within it.
What motivated you to write this screenplay?
This story is deeply personal. I wanted to confront the invisible scars that many queer immigrants carry—especially those who escape religious persecution. I wrote it to honor survival, truth, and the terrifying legacy of abuse masked as “love” or “healing.” This screenplay is a battle for me— a way to fight back. And now, more than ever, I want to challenge oppressive religious ideologies with my words
What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
As a screenwriter, I believe a script doesn’t truly come alive until it’s made into a film. One of the biggest challenges I faced while writing The Healing was staying motivated and not losing hope—especially knowing that I had no financial support, no producer, and no director waiting for this script. Emotionally, it was incredibly painful to revisit themes like conversion therapy, exile, and inherited trauma. Practically, being a newcomer in Canada with no resources or industry connections made the journey even harder. But I kept writing because I believed in the story— and because I had to.
Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about? Honestly, writing is my only true passion in life—whether it’s screenwriting, playwriting, or discovering historical stories and bringing them to life through words. I’m deeply devoted to telling the stories of people whose voices have been silenced and whose identities have been erased. As someone who belongs to a marginalized community myself, my greatest purpose is to write about us—with love, rage, truth, and care. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I entered the festival because I was searching for a community that values bold, personal, and boundary-pushing storytelling—stories that are often too raw or too uncomfortable for mainstream platforms. As someone who comes from a silenced background, it meant everything to be seen and heard.
When I received the initial feedback, I was incredibly moved. The fact that readers connected with the emotional intensity and originality of The Healing reminded me why I write. It was validating, but even more than that, it was empowering. It showed me that even the most painful, personal stories can carry universal weight—and that there are people out there who are ready to listen.
When a precocious mixed-race five-year-old wanders into a fire station with only a backpack and a cryptic note about her missing mother, she has no idea it will set off a chain of events that will reshape her life. The little girl, who refuses to give her name, is sent into foster care and given the name Mariah Foster. Despite her resilience, she often runs away, gravitating toward the fire station where Fire Chief Teresa Cortez becomes a steadfast mentor.
Get to know the writer:
1. What is your screenplay about?
Pearl Fisher” follows two parallel journeys of loss and ends in the same room.
A precocious 5-year-old girl, abandoned at a fire station by her pregnant mother fleeing abuse, enters foster care and is renamed Mariah Foster, though she continues awaiting her mother’s return.
In a parallel story, Kenny MacCayne, a newly-hired investigator, searches for a wealthy woman’s missing daughter who ran away years ago with Kenny’s previously unknown twin brother.
After Mariah survives an attack involving a cherished pendant, clues from a library volunteer and her distinctive swimming style reveal she might be the missing granddaughter. Skeptical at first, Mariah finally believes the truth when Kenny’s twin brother calls her by her birth name, “Pearl Fisher,” a secret known only to her mother.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Drama, Mystery
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
“Pearl Fisher” is a story of hope and miracles, heartbreak and devastation, and ultimately the reunion of family and new beginnings.
People need stories with happy endings today more than ever.
4. How would you describe this script in two words?
Resilient Faith
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
Since May of 2020
6. How many stories have you written?
10 features
6 shorts ( Two made into short films)
3 pilots
1 Feature animation
1 short animation
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
Some of the events in this story are true to my life and I wanted to write about it with a happy ending
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Keeping the two time lines progressing in a coherent fashion
Keeping it under 120 pages.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
I love music. I am a pro-bass player, both electric and upright.
I love directing— mostly have directed stage and mostly original scripts by other people.
I also really love editing film. When I edit, I edit with a musical sense of time and dynamics.
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I was motivated to enter it because it was specifically for “mysteries.”
I thought the feed back was specific and to the pointing much appreciated. Writing a mystery requires dropping hints without giving away too much too fast and without hitting anything on the nose. I agreed with most of the comments regarding clarity of plot.
A couple of comments I thought would become clear when cast since Mariah is mixed race (white mother white- black father) and Esther’s parents were both black, I thought that id would be apparent that the two girls would not necessarily look a lot alike. I did go back into the script and specifically state that the fathers were not identical twins.
11. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
In war-torn Syria, a troubled woman, her idealistic son, and her mentally challenged cousin take in a wounded Western aid worker, unknowingly igniting a chain of deadly consequences that forces them to confront their pasts, their beliefs, and the brutal realities of survival.
Get to know the writer:
1. What is your screenplay about?
The need to face one´s worst fears if any redemption or peace are to be found.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Drama.
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
It deals with the many traumas and desecrations of war, it delves into the divisions and differences from which conflicts spring and it evokes the love and common humanity that is our only hope.
4. How would you describe this script in two words?
Poignant. Inspiring.
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
Researching and imagining, for over 1 year. Planning for 2 months. From first words to completed draft, 4 months.
6. How many stories have you written?
Three.
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
The ravaging of the lives of civilian populations in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, to name a few. A film from Syria (The Day I lost my Shadow). A film from Syria, Iraq, Kurdistan and Lebanon (Notturno). And a film from Afghanistan (Three Songs for Benazir). The similarity of the landscape (mountains and olive groves) of the place I live to the landscape of Northern Syria, where my story is set.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Just the usual leaping with faith, being prepared to face my own mediocre work and to find a path to better, but that’s the process in any script that’s finished in draft and worthy of continued development.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Photography – large format film photography particularly and portraits specifically. The landscape of the human face and all of the complex character that lay behind it.
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
A longstanding, highly-rated festival in Canada, outside of the LA epicenter – more receptive to indie film and not adverse to the drawing of main characters of Muslim faith.
11. What movie have you seen the most times in your life? Fargo.
Shesafella, a modern twist on Cinderella, is about a kind-hearted teen forced into servitude by a ruthless stepmother and closeted stepbrothers, who defies the odds with help from her butch fairy godmother. At a Ball, she wins Princess’s heart but vanishes, leaving behind a single Doc Martens shoe. Princess’s Instagram posts spark a citywide search, and Shesafella must outsmart her family, reclaim her true self, and fight for her happily ever after.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under? Fantasy, romance, fairy tale, LGBTQ
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie? Cinderella movies (Ever After, Ella Enchanted, A Cinderella Story) are beloved for their timeless themes: rags to riches, kindness over cruelty, and finding one’s voice. But they’ve all followed the same blueprint—a girl meeting a boy. Shesafella flips the script. It’s a girl meeting a girl, in a joyful, queer reimagining that feels both long overdue and perfectly timed. This is the inclusive fairy tale audiences have been waiting for.
4. How would you describe this script in two words? Queer fairytale.
5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life? Working Girl.
6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
Six months. Before that it was a short story that I edited (off and on) over a few years.
7. How many stories have you written? I’ve written three books—What Papa Told Me, 90 Lessons for Living Large in 90 Square Feet (…or More), and Half In. Shesafella is the first story in my Fancy Tales series, a collection of reimagined fairy tales with an LGBTQ twist. Other titles include Peter Pan Zee, Jack and the Bad Stock, Sleeping Booty, Beauty and the Butch, Little Red Rider in the Hoodie, and more.
8. What motivated you to write this screenplay? I’ve always loved theater and originally imagined Shesafella as a play—maybe even a musical. Then a friend mentioned that a streaming service was looking for fairy tales with a twist and encouraged me to write it as a TV script. So I did!
9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay? It wasn’t so much obstacles as it was self-doubt—wondering if I was “doing it right,” especially since this is my first screenplay. But I trusted the story and kept going. Plus, it was fun and challenging.
10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about? Family, cycling, reading, stand up paddle boarding, theater.
11. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received? I entered the festival because it welcomed the genre I’m working in and felt like a great fit for Shesafella. I was genuinely thrilled with the feedback—it was thoughtful, spot-on, and insightful. That fresh, professional perspective highlighted what was missing, sparked new ideas, and ultimately helped me make the script stronger.
Festival Reviews 