Insite Award Winner Announced

19 October, 2015

ADELAIDE FILM FESTIVAL AND AUSTRALIAN WRITERS’ GUILD ANNOUNCE INSITE AWARD WINNER

The winner of the 2015 INSITE Award for unproduced screenplays has praised the Australian Writers’ Guild and the Adelaide Film Festival for providing “a unique platform” for performance writers.

Melbourne-based screenwriter, video artist and filmmaker Harry Aletras said the award was “testament to the importance of the Australian Writers Guild and the Adelaide Film Festival”.

“It is a unique platform that affords members of the Guild, including student members like myself, the opportunity to be recognised by their peers and to provide ongoing support in the development of their careers.”

Harry – full name Charalabos Harry Aletras – graduated from RMIT University in Fine Arts (Media Arts) in 2009 and spent three years operating a Video Production company before attending the Victorian College of the Arts (Master of Screenwriting). He has won the 2015 INSITE Award for his unproduced screenplay ‘Martingale’.

He will attend the Adelaide Film Festival and meet industry directors and producers with a view to moving the project forward and onto the screen. The winner of the inaugural INSITE Award, Cut Snake by Blake Ayshford, is currently enjoying critical and box office success in cinemas.

The 2015 INSITE Award judges gave a special runner up (highly recommended) commendation to Warren Coleman and Stephen Abbott for their screenplay ‘The Infernal Optimist’.The judges of this year’s competition praised 'the exceptionally high standard' of the five shortlisted screenplays.

AWG President Jan Sardi said INSITE celebrates and acknowledges the outstanding work being produced by AWG writers and remains one of the country’s premier screenwriting competitions.“The winner, Harry Aletras’ Martingale, is a taut crime-thriller showcasing a talented writer with a bright future,” he added.Adelaide Film 

Festival Director Amanda Duthie said of Harry’s win: “The Insite Award is especially embraced by Adelaide Film Festival as it is about uncovering talent and letting it shine. We want to showcase Australian talent across all aspects of filmmaking and this award is an wonderful way to achieve this. Congratulations to Harry.”

Here is the full list of shortlisted scripts:

Stephen Abbott & Warren Coleman for The Infernal Optimist (runner up)

Philip Tarl Denson for Borderline

Penelope Chai & Adam Spellicy for Mary Mary

Lou Sanz for Ronnie and The Girls 

And the long list:

Hannah Suvi for Sand

Katherine Dolheguy for The Beard

Brandan Gore for Stalking Monica Bellucci

Alfred Bell for Night Cargo

Mike Green for Revision

Shane Brady & Priscilla Cameron for Thunderbolt & Me