2025 AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes in partnership with Screenworks
AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes in partnership with Screenworks returns for its fifth year, giving aspiring Australian creatives the chance to develop a feature film that celebrates the idiosyncratically Australian stories inspired by our stunning regional areas.
Applicants are asked to submit an original film concept that features regional Australia as a central character and setting to the narrative. Selected finalists will have the opportunity to pitch their projects to a panel of industry judges, with the recipient to receive development funding and support to refine their script and take their concept to market. Teams can consist of up to three creatives, with at least one based in regional Australia.
This year, entrants are pitching for the chance to receive:
- $5,000 in prize money, consisting of a $1,000 cash prize and $4,000 towards development.
- Support to develop their screenplay and industry pitch
- Supported live script read at the AACTA Festival in February 2026
- Industry connection opportunities through the Australian Writers’ Guild Pathways program
- Professional script development sessions
- Invaluable feedback and ongoing guidance from the esteemed judging panel
- AACTA, Screenworks and Australian Writers’ Guild annual memberships
- Two tickets to Screenworks 2025 Regional to Global Screen Forum
- Exclusive one-on-one meetings with up to 2 industry professionals at Screenworks 2025 Regional
- to Global Screen Forum
- Two tickets to the 2026 AACTA Awards Ceremony including discounted accommodation package
Boomerang- Jonathon Saunders, Nathin Art Butler
When a plane crash leaves a screen-addicted Australian Indigenous boy stranded, he must learn to adapt to the wild and deadly Australian desert or perish.
Bury Your Dead- Paul Liddle
After losing his Grandma and his job at the cemetery in the same week, Charlie decides to start a cemetery of his own, on his newly inherited property.
Caught in the Act- Tim Walker
A crime reenactment television show travels to a rural town in order to recreate one of Australia’s most notorious cold cases. But when the lead actor is killed whilst filming, their recreation must solve the unsolvable case in order to prove their innocence.
Grannie Girls- Isabella Lewis
When two inner-city girls in their 20s become influenced by a TikTok to move to rural QLD for a cheaper, aesthetic beach life, they’re met with a rental market that forces them into a retirement village. Now it’s time they pull two neighbouring grannies out of retirement and into their wild adventures.
Minors- Christopher Nelius, Grace Malouf
The 'Wolf Pack', a scrappy gang of 10-year olds, hatch a wild plan to save their friend's house, but when a stunt in an abandoned mineshaft goes sideways, they stumble into something truly otherworldly. As the kids fight to find a way out, their clueless parents must band together for a rescue mission none of them are equipped for.
NICOLE DADE
Nicole Dade is a writer, story developer and script producer with 15 years’ experience in connecting stories with global audiences.
As story developer, Nicole is Development Producer for Leah Purcell and Bain Stewart's company, Oombarra Productions, helping develop their slate of screen projects. Her recent production credits include script editor: Jonathan Ogilvie's IFRR opening film, Head South (2024,) script producer: TV show, Barrumbi Kids (SBS/NITV 2023,) and associate producer and script editor: Leah Purcell’s feature film, The Drover’s Wife the Legend of Molly Johnson (2022.)
As screenwriter, Nicole is developing a number of commissioned and original TV and film projects, and she contributes to writers’ rooms as script editor and writer.
Nicole is highly regarded for her expertise in screen story craft and genre, and she leads workshops and talent programmes in partnership with industry organisations. In 2023 she created a new story method, Elements of Story, to demystify story principles, break free of outdated storytelling ‘rules’ and empower storytellers of diverse experiences.
Previously in her career, Nicole was a senior creative executive for international screen agencies, where she developed film and TV projects from early stage to production.
STUART PAGE
Stuart is an experienced writer and EP who co-created, produced and led the script team on all three seasons of the ABC series Total Control. He was nominated for Australian Academy of Cinema and Television (AACTA) Awards for Best Drama and Best Screenplay for his work on the second season of that show. Stuart won an Australian Writers a Guild (AWGIE) Award for Best Screenplay for his writing on the cult Foxtel prison series Wentworth . In addition, Stuart wrote for the acclaimed ABC/Sundance TV sci-fi drama Cleverman, and script produced and was head writer on the first two seasons of the ABC murder mystery The Doctor Blake Mysteries. Other television credits include Nine Network’s Halifax: Retribution; ABC’s Janet King and Crownies, Seven Network’s Secret Daughter and Blue Heelers; and Channel 10s serial Neighbours. Stuart is currently in development on a number of his own projects for TV and film.
DEB COX
After establishing herself as a script editor and screenwriter at Crawford Productions and freelancing for a number of years, Deb became Head of Drama for Artist Services where she created, wrote and co-produced her first original series, Simone de Beauvoir’s Babies in 1997 for the ABC. As part of CoxKnight Productions with Andrew Knight, Deb co-created and co-wrote three series of the much-loved ABC series SeaChange, the drama series CrashBurn and developed the children’s series, Worst Best Friends.
In 2009, after moving to Byron Bay in Australia, Deb Co-Created East of Everything - the first prime time drama series shot in the region. She then formed Every Cloud Productions with Fiona Eagger – Co-Creating, Co-Producing and heading the writing team on three series of the international hit period drama Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.
She has also worked as Executive Producer and Story Producer on Indigenous drama The Gods of Wheat Street, the youth short-form series, Deadlock and drama series Eden and two Christmas movies for Stan - Sunburnt Christmas and A Christmas Ransom.
Deb has been a mentor under the Natalie Miller Fellowship Brilliant Careers program, has been a speaker and teacher on various programs for Northern Rivers Screenworks, the Byron Writer’s Festival and Victorian College of the Arts.
After Deb and Fiona handed the reins of Every Cloud Productions to others in 2022, Deb returned to freelance screenwriting, story-producing and mentoring for the wider Australian and International Screen Industry.
$50 - AACTA, AWG, or Screenworks members
$70 - non AACTA, AWG, or Screenworks members
February 6 – Open for Applications (Round 1)
Entrants are asked to submit a title, logline (1 – 2 sentence description of the film), up to 250 word description of the regional area where the film is set, up to 500 word treatment/synopsis/outline, first 10 pages of the screenplay, and résumé/CVs of each of the creative team
March 17 - Applications Close
Applications are due by 5pm AEDT, Monday March 17, 2025.
April 3 - Top 5 Finalists Advised and Start Round 2
Finalists must deliver the first 30 pages of the screenplay (or the complete draft) along with a 5 page pitch deck.
w/c April 21 - One-On-One Meetings and Training with Judges
May 12 – Round 2 Materials Are Due
May 20 - Final pitch Meeting With All Judges
June 18 - Recipient Announced at Screenworks Regional to Global Screen Forum
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Entry Fee $50 AACTA, AWG, or Screenworks members $70 non AACTA, AWG, or Screenworks members
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Rules & Supporting Documents Terms & Conditions