2026 AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes in partnership with Screenworks
AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes, in partnership with Screenworks, is back for 2026! Now in its seventh year, it gives emerging Australian creatives the chance to bring the rich stories of regional Australia to the big screen. This program celebrates the extraordinary narratives that only regional Australia can inspire – where the landscape itself becomes a central character in the story.
We’re calling for original feature film concepts that showcase the heart, spirit and unique landscapes of regional Australia. Finalists will pitch their projects to a panel of industry experts, with the winning team receiving funding, mentorship and professional support to develop their script and take their concept to the next level.
"The Regional Landscapes initiative, sponsored by Screenworks and AACTA, is nothing short of an incredible opportunity for emerging creatives. Getting the chance to stage a table read at the AACTA Festival gave our film Boomerang more than a platform, it gave the project real momentum and buzz. The professionalism, generosity and belief from the Screenworks and AACTA team remind me why Australian stories matter. They don’t just celebrate films, they build the runway for them to take flight.” - 2025 Regional Landscapes winner Nathin Art Butler (for BOOMERANG, with Jonathon Saunders).
This year, entrants are pitching for the chance to receive:
- Development support for your screenplay and industry pitch
- $5,000 in prize funding: $1,000 cash plus $4,000 towards development (which could go toward travel support to markets or festivals, location scouting, script editing services or a consultant, sizzle reel or Proof of Concept, production costs etc.)
- Industry connections through the Australian Writers’ Guild Pathways program
- Professional script development sessions with expert guidance
- Feedback and mentorship from a panel of esteemed industry judges
- Annual memberships to AACTA, Screenworks, and the Australian Writers’ Guild
- Two tickets to the Screenworks Regional to Global Screen Forum
- Exclusive one-on-one meetings with up to two industry professionals at Screenworks Regional to Global
- Two tickets to the 2026 AACTA Awards Ceremony, including a discounted accommodation package
In addition to the above, the winning script will be read live at the AACTA Festival, with a featured cast of established actors. This is a great opportunity to see your script brought to life in front of an audience and to develop an industry profile for your project at its earliest stages.
Teams can include up to three creatives, with at least one based in regional Australia.
SAMANTHA JENNINGS
Founded by producing-duo Kristina Ceyton and Samantha Jennings (left), Causeway Films focuses on the development and production of entertaining, socially relevant stories that allow original and diverse voices to achieve international success. Causeway launched with globally acclaimed THE BABADOOK which premiered at Sundance 2014 and produced Jennifer Kent’s follow up feature THE NIGHTINGALE winning the Special Jury Prize at Venice Film Festival 2019.
In 2020-21 Causeway completed four features: YOU WON’T BE ALONE by Goran Stolevski (Sundance 2022, Focus Features), Goran’s second film OF AN AGE which won the 2022 MIFF@CinefestOz Film Prize (Opening Night Film Melbourne International Film Festival 2022, Focus Features), BLAZE by Archibald Prize-winning artist Del Kathryn Barton, starring Simon Baker (Tribeca 2022, Mk2 Films) and South African psychological horror GOOD MADAM by Jenna Cato Bass (TIFF 2021, Shudder).
Causeway’s latest feature TALK TO ME by YouTube sensation RackaRacka premiered at Sundance 2023 where it sold to A24, followed by screenings at Berlinale and SXSW, and releasing theatrically in July 2023. Causeway is in post-production on two features - the adaptation of award-winning short film THE MOOGAI by Jon Bell, and New Zealand-Australian co-production WENT UP THE HILL by Samuel Van Grinsven, starring Vicky Krieps and Dacre Montgomery.
HEATH DAVIS
Heath Davis is the multi award winning Australian filmmaker celebrated for his emotionally resonant storytelling and authentic portrayals of everyday struggles. Emerging from a background in short films, Davis made his feature debut with the sports feature Broke (2016), a poignant drama about a former rugby league player grappling with gambling addiction. The film garnered acclaim for its raw depiction of personal redemption and featured a standout performance by Steve Le Marquand, who would become a recurring collaborator in Davis's work.
Davis's subsequent projects showcased his versatility. Book Week (2018) ventured into dark comedy, exploring the life of a high school teacher entangled in a plagiarism scandal. In Locusts (2019), he delved into thriller territory with a tale of family secrets and betrayal.
In 2023, Davis returned with Christmess, a deeply personal and unflinching take on the holiday season. Set in Campbelltown, western Sydney, the film follows Chris Flint (Steve Le Marquand), a washed-up actor-turned-mall Santa battling alcoholism. His journey of redemption unfolds alongside fellow recovering addicts Joy (Hannah Joy of Middle Kids fame) and sponsor Nick (Darren Gilshenan). The film received widespread acclaim for its heartfelt performances and grounded narrative, with critics praising its blend of humour and pathos.
In 2024, Davis served as producer and story editor on the critically acclaimed, The Blind Sea, a documentary feature that follows Australian Matt Formston, a four-time world champion blind surfer, as he attempts to surf the monster waves of Nazaré, Portugal. The film showcases Formston's remarkable achievements despite being diagnosed with macular dystrophy at the age of five, and features insights from surfing legends such as Layne Beachley AO and Joel Parkinson. It is now showing on Netflix.
Davis is currently in post production as writer/director on the highly anticipated true crime documentary, The Man Who Ate A Succulent Chinese Meal, based on the life of internet sensation and notorious criminal, Jack Karlson. Developed in conjunction with Screen Australia and Screen NSW, the film will be released in cinemas in 2025.
Davis is now in filming the inspirational sports bio doc - Light: The Ian Roberts Story – based on the first (and still) only openly gay man in rugby. Davis will serve as writer, director and co-producer on the production, which has also been developed in association with Screen Australia and Screen NSW. It is set to be released in cinemas 2026.
Davis’s films have won awards and played at major film festivals including Tribeca, Austin, Melbourne, Sydney, Seattle, Telluride and many more.
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
Thursday 5th February:
AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes Program at AACTA Festival Launch
Monday 9th February:
Applications open for Round 1, 9:00am AEDT
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.
Monday 4th May:
Applications close, 5:00pm AEST
Monday 25 May:
Top 3 finalists confirmed and Round 2 commences
Finalists must deliver the first 30 pages of the screenplay (or the complete draft) along with a 5 page pitch deck.
w/c Monday 15th June:
First One-On-One Meetings with Judges
w/c Monday 6th July:
Second One-On-One Meetings with Judges
Monday 20th July:
Round 2 Materials Are Due
Wednesday 5th August:
Final Meeting with all Judges to determine the recipient.
Date TBC:
Screenworks 2026 Regional to Global Screen Forum where the recipient is announced and their project and its development is explored.
February 2027
Table read of recipients script along with a development session with experienced creatives and industry experts.
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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