Sep 27, 2012
Artist Development
The San Francisco Film Society, in partnership with the Djerassi Resident Artists Program, today announced that Joshua Zeman has been awarded the 2013 Djerassi Residency Award / San Francisco Film Society Screenwriting Fellowship, for continuing development of the script of his film Collider. Additionally, Elizabeth Chatelain received an honorable mention for her project Glass Desert.
The Djerassi Residency Award / San Francisco Film Society Screenwriting Fellowship provides uninterrupted time for work, reflection and collegial interaction, making this award unique in its capacity to provide a screenwriter with an inspiring and supportive environment in a stunningly beautiful rural location. Located 40 miles south of San Francisco in the Santa Cruz Mountains overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this residency offers living and work-studio accommodations and all meals from August 6 through September 4, 2013, at no cost to the recipient. The winner was selected from applications submitted in response to an international call for entries.
The panelists who reviewed the finalists’ submissions are independent producer Carlton Evans; Athena Kalkopoulou, SFFS project development coordinator; Director of Filmmaker360 Michele Turnure-Salleo; and filmmaker Natalie Zimmerman. In a statement, they noted “The jury has selected Collider for its commitment to tackling the challenging and timely topics of ethics within science, technology and human progress.”
“I am absolutely thrilled to be chosen for the Djerassi Residency Award / SFFS Screenwriting Fellowship,” said Zeman. “Being part of the San Francisco Film Society family is a wonderful honor considering the quality of projects they’ve supported. I can’t wait to get started!”
WINNER
Joshua Zeman
Joshua Zeman has been creating independent films for over 10 years. His directorial debut, the critically acclaimed horror documentary Cropsey, premiered at NYC’s IFC Center. It was a critic’s pick with numerous outlets including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Variety. As a producer/coproducer, some of Zeman’s past credits include The Station Agent, Mysterious Skin, The Hawk is Dying, Choking Man, and Against The Current. He recently executive produced Ceremony starring Uma Thurman and directed by Max Winkler.
Collider
Collider documents the 72 hours after three supercollider physicists believe they might have created a strangelet, a subatomic particle capable of converting all nearby matter into energy. As they struggle to confirm their findings, the scientists must wrestle with issues of responsibility, guilt and the consequences both to science and to the people around them.
HONORABLE MENTION
Elizabeth Chatelain: Glass Desert
Glass Desert is a feature-length drama about Jenny, a strong-willed teenage girl living in rural North Dakota, who seeks out her estranged mother after the tragic death of her father. As she grows closer to her “new” mother and half-brother, she discovers her father’s involvement in the world of rural methamphetamines and finds herself entangled in the same web.
Previous recipients of the Djerassi Residency Award are Julie Tosh (2012) for her science fiction-infused family drama Program Rose, Adam Chanzit (2011) for his psychological thriller The 15th Stone and Kathryn Mockler (2010) for her project Weak People Are Fun to Torment.
For more information visit sffs.org/Filmmaker360/Grants or djerassi.org.
Filmmaker360 offers unparalleled assistance and opportunities designed to foster creativity and further the careers of independent filmmakers nationwide and oversees one of the largest film grant programs in the country, which disperses nearly $1 million annually to incubate and support innovative and exceptional films. Other elements of Filmmaker360 include project development consultation, membership discounts and benefits, fiscal sponsorship, grants, residencies and information resources. Additional screenwriting initiatives include the SFFS / Hearst Screenwriting Grant, the SFFS / Kenneth Rainin Foundation Filmmaking Grant and Off the Page, a program that provides private script-reading sessions with celebrated actors for filmmakers with screenplays in development. For information visit Filmmaker360.
The Djerassi Residency Award / San Francisco Film Society Screenwriting Fellowship is supported by a gift from Film Society board of directors member Dale Djerassi.