2024 LVIFSF Screenwriter Finalist and Winners

Action Adventure

Mon Meilleur Ami – Bruce Notham

Saint Catherine's Boys – John Ravitz

Sam I Am – Vicki Roth

The Hunters – Malcom Davis

The War on Peace – Gary Porpor

​

WINNER:  SAM I AM - VICKI ROTH

​

Adapted

An Ancient Journey – Curt Franklin

Buongiorno, I Love You – Michael Betty

Enemy Within – Frank Former

Escape from Slavery – Tim Wade

Trial by Trial – John Martins III

​

WINNER:  ENEMY WITHIN - FRANK FORMER

 

Animation

Colors – Mia Isabella

Dance – Mark Kelly

Dragons and Butterflies – OlivIa Blair

Taz and Company – Charlotte Marks

The Winter Wolves – Mark Kelly

​

WINNER:  DRAGONS AND BUTTERFLIES - OLIVA BLAIR

​

 Biographical

Dance to the End – Peter Noel

Journey Man: The Joe Smith Story - Doug Ward and Walter C. Richardson

Kingdom of Thieves – Madison McLamore

Stairway to the Heavens – Gianna Piazza

Why the Caged Bird still Sings – Chole Mason

​

WINNER:  JOURNEY MAN: THE JOE SMITH STORY - DOUG WARD AND WALTER C. RICHARDSON

 

Comedy

Faith, Hope, and Love – John Martins III

Love in the Time of Coronavirus – Emilio Santin

One Night Stan – Herbert Robertson

Rap Verse – Rickey Teems

Sometimes My Fears – Linda Kampley

Toilet Sharks – Bruce Griffith

​

WINNER:  ONE NIGHT STAN - HERBERT ROBERTSON

 

Crime

Dangerous Spirit – Behitha Lozen

Evil Awakened – Matt Fowler

Fighting for Our Children – John Martins III and Richard C. Buckner

Missing Person – Blair London

Murders of Lost Lake – Derek Lewis

​

WINNER:  FIGHTING FOR OUR CHILDREN - JOHN MARTINS III AND RICHARD C. BUCKNER

 

Drama

Aktion T-4 – John Martins III

Coup of Me – Hunter Ridgeway

Cuernavaca – Eliot Galan

My Iowa - John Maritins III

No Olvidado – D.B. Roderick

Pieces of You – Jack Warner

Sons of Abraham – Juliana Marchand

The Fourth Psalm - John Martins III

The Giant – Peter Noel

The Secret Ministry of Grass – Richard Turner

The Trial of Lady Annabelle – Victoria Louise Bradley

Winter Bird – Stephen Delos Treacy

​

WINNERS:  PIECES OF YOU - JACK WARNER

                                 THE FOURTH PSALM - JOHN MARTINS III

 

Faith-Based

Aktion T-4 - John Martins III

Arizona Sunrise – John Martins III

Billy & Sam – John Ravitz

Love’s Pure Light – Steven Hawkins

These Three Remain – Jeanne Dukes

​

WINNER:  AKTION T-4 - JOHN MARTINS III

 

Family

Arizona Sunrise – John Martins III

Game On – Tamir Becker

Max – Henry and Rebeca Walden

North to Alaska – Douglas Sheer

The Adventures of Paleta Man – Paul Ramirez

​

WINNER:  MAX - HENRY AND REBECA WALDEN

 

Fantasy

Elusive – Erik Huska

Jefferson, Franklin and Larry – John Martins III

The Last Dragon – Gil Sullivan

The Legend of the Oofs – Remo Notarianni

Wendigo – Gail Greene

​

WINNER:  WENDIGO - GAIL GREENE

 

Historical – Period Piece

Aktion T-4 – John Martins III

Dudes Rush In – Lynn Downey

Sacajawea, The Windcatcher – Jane L. Fitzpatrick

Summary Justice: A Lynching in College Town – Joseph Rufo

The Apostle – John Martins III

​

WINNER:  SACAJAWEA, THE WINDCATCHER - JANE L. FITZPATRICK

 

Horror

Consumed – Don Stroud

Fabel of the First Hound – Marc Taylor

Leapers – SherLann D. Moore

The Rise of Malicoy – Fawn Eggar

Toilet Sharks – Bruce Griffiths

​

WINNER:  TOILET SHARKS - BRUCE GRIFFITHS

 

LGBTQ

3 Days in Galveston – Bryan Matthews

JEB – Craig Bettendorf

Lion in the Sun – Gerry Franklin

Mel and Felix – Alisha Jones

Tabaha McQueen – Sasha Davidson

​

WINNER: MEL AND FELIX - ALISHA JONES

 

Military

Hero’s of the Hill – Robert Jenkins

Prince of Bagdad – Cheryl McGlothen

Sandman – Lynn Ambros

Stalingrad – Alyce Tabor

Victory Disease – Andrew tePas

​

WINNER:  PRINCE OF BAGDAD - CHERYL MCGLOTHEN

​

Mob-Themed

Crimson Streets – Alison McNeal

Glittering Underbelly – Lily Jenkins

High Stakes Hustle – Evelyn Pittman

Neon Shadows – David Luna

Whispers in the Alley – Carl Sears

​

WINNER:  CRIMSON STREETS - ALISON MCNEAL

 

Musical

By the Dark of the Black Blood Moon – Salvito Prano

One Last Dance – Jan McNair

The Dream of a Songbird – Sherrie Austin

The Four Flames – Douglas Heil

The Soul of Sound – Freddie Hook

​

WINNER:  THE SOUL OF SOUND - FREDDIE HOOK

 

Mystery

Betrayal at Russell Ridge – David Reamer

Glimmers of Dissent – Melanie Yearwood

The Willow Creek Murders – Chelsie O’Neal

Tides of Treachery – Salvatore Pichette

Whispers of Betrayal – Terry Slayton

​

WINNER:  GLIMMERS OF DISSENT - MELANIE YEARWOOD

​

Romance

Faith, Hope, and Love – John Martins III

Falling Hard – Benjamin Rodefer

Silent Whispers – Damon Kline

Stairway to Heaven – Lori McGill

The Art of the Matter – Janna Jones

​

WINNER:  STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN - LORI MCGILL

 

Science Fiction

Bumped – Chad Young

Delta Station – Ronald McQueen

The Enchanted Outpost – John Hernandez

Victor's Circle – Kevin J. Howard

When I Stop Dreaming – Natalie MacMahon

​

WINNER:  DELTA STATION - RONALD MCQUEEN

 

Sports

My Iowa – John Martins III

Relegated – Michael Hicks

The Apex – Sandy Smith-Johnson

The Prince of Greatness – Taylor Vacker

They Came for the Game – Robert Clark

​

WINNER:  THEY CAME FOR THE GAME - ROBERT CLARK

 

Thriller

Demanding an answer from God – Kevin J. Howard

Intrigue amongst the Pines – Hailey Thompson

Killing Time – Jack Warner

Sons of Abraham – John Martins III

Wendigo – Gail Greene

​

WINNER:  INTRIGUE AMONGST THE PINES - HAILEY THOMPSON

 

Western

Chasing Horizons – Teri McCall

Frosty Whispers – Damon Reed

Heart of the Wilderness – Sheri Hess

Shadows on the Prairie – Linda Goodworth

Trail Of Tears – Hans Sluijter

​

WINNER:  HEART OF THE WILDERNESS - SHERI HESS

 

Stage Play

Dietrich – John Martins III

Escalator Wit – Louise Schwarz

Poor Players – Ron Kaehler

Songs From Szechuan Garden – Mitch Finn

​

WINNERS:  ESCALATOR WIT - LOUISE SCHWARZ

             POOR PLAYERS - RON KAEHLER

​

Young Storytellers

Angie - Darcy McMichaels

Our Last Treasure Hunt - Beth Jenkins

Creatures from my Closet - Damien Jackson

Hidden in Plain Sight - Tara LaMotta

​

WINNER: OUR LAST TREASURE HUNT - BETH JENKINS​

 

Existing TV Sitcom Spec (1/2 Hour)

 Abbott Elementary: Know-It-All – James Hill

The Bear: Over Easy – Michelle Goodwin

The Geek Girl: Double Date – Tara Smith

What We Do in the Shadows: Be It Ever so Crumbled, There's No Place Like Home – Kevin Hanna

 Young Sheldon: The Hopeful Journey – Arlene Hook

​

WINNER: YOUNG SHELDON: THE HOPEFUL JOURNEY - ARLENE HOOK

 

Existing TV Drama Spec (1 hour)

​ Law & Order...and the Mob – Lawrence Whitener

Severance: Visions of Gemma – Melanie Villines

Tell me Lies: You’re Mine or You’re no one’s – Dean Maxwell

The Morning Show: Hey, we’re live in five! - Samantha James

Tulsa King: New York – New York – Al Musterelli

​

WINNER:  TULSA KING: NEW YORK - NEW YORK - AL MUSTERELLI

 

Original TV Drama Pilot (1 hour)

​ 7 Years After – Melissa Skirboll

Arkadiko – Brian Nolin

Hollywood Ghostwriter – Melanie Villines

Last Hand – Sandi Jerome

Newley! – Graham Mulvein

​ The Age of the Empath – Steve Brown

​

WINNERS:  HOLLYWOOD GHOSTWRITER - MELANIE VILLINES

                                                                                    NEWLEY! - GRAHAM MULVEIN

 

Original TV Sitcom Pilot (1/2 Hour)

Big Trouble in Boise – Emma Colesen

Happy Landing – Dianne Blomberg

I Follow You – Zoe Mahfouz

Laugh it up, Chuckles – Billy Messner

Vegas Vixens – Tess Greenberg

​

WINNER:  BIG TROUBLE IN BOISE - EMMA COLESEN

 

Short Script Finalist

The Warden – Korea Black and Gianna Rose

Trophy Boy – Kevin Hanna

Twin – Peter Cameron

Waiting for Schrodinter – Kevin Hanna

Words Don’t Come Easy – Bryan Huynh

​

WINNER: WORDS DON'T COME EASY - BRYAN HUYNH