Finalists Announced for AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes in partnership with Screenworks

The five finalists for the national feature film pitching competition, AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes in partnership with Screenworks have been announced!

The finalists are: 

• THE ARTISAN | Amanda Bridgeman | Western Australia
  An eternally hopeful baker befriends a pessimistic graffiti artist, and together they fight to revive their dying town through art in order to win back the regional fair.
• BIG THINGS | Anna Lindner | Regional South Australia
  When wide-eyed roller girl Stevie has a chance encounter with her long absent father, her dream comes true as they reconnect on a road trip across Australia to see the country’s ‘big things’. However, she soon suspects her father’s real motives for the journey are far bigger than any pineapple or prawn.
• BLACKBIRD | Georgina Jenkins | Australian Capital Territory
  Forced into aged care, a feisty but forgetful Greek woman must manipulate her carer into taking her on a road trip to retrieve her lifesavings before the family home is sold.
• THE BOUNDARY RIDER | Samantha Laughton and Tracey Rigney | Melbourne
  Kitty, with her best friend Narnde, a stock horse, works the outback desert along the Boundary Line. Enslaved by harsh work and a cruel boss, she discovers the strength of her culture through the memories of her grandfather’s teachings, and her power and freedom as a woman.
• A SUNBURNT CHRISTMAS | Timothy Walker and Gretel Vella | Regional Victoria
  When an exhausted Santa and his reindeer crash-land in outback Australia, a drought stricken family must train a team of wild kangaroo’s in order to save Christmas.

Each finalist will have the chance to develop their original feature film idea that incorporates Australia’s stunning regional areas by pitching their idea to a panel of key industry figures.

With the rapidly changing situation regarding the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), AACTA have worked with Screenworks to ensure the pitching competition is still conducted in a safe yet beneficial way.

As such, the previously live pitching competition to online with each finalist competing for:

• Industry connection opportunities through the Australian Writers’ Guild Pathways program
• Script development from acclaimed screenwriter Emma Jensen (I AM WOMAN, MARY SHELLEY)
• Invaluable feedback and ongoing guidance from the esteemed judging panel
• AACTA annual membership
• Screenworks annual membership
• Australian Writers’ Guild annual membership
• Two tickets to the 2020 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Industry Luncheon and two tickets to the 2020 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Ceremony and After Party and Awards Ceremony including associated networking opportunities.

Winners to be announced in April 2020.

For more information, please visit aacta.org/aacta-pitch-regional-landscapes.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Official hashtag: #AACTAs | Instagram: @aacta | YouTube: /AFIAACTA | AACTA Connect: aacta.org/connect Twitter: @aacta | Facebook: /AACTAawards

MEDIA ENQUIRIES
AFI | AACTA Jayne-Louise O’Connell | P: 0403 513 115 | E: joconnell@afi.org.au

Thanks to the generous support of our partners and sponsors: