Oct 3, 2011
Artist Development
The San Francisco Film Society, in partnership with the Djerassi Resident Artists Program, today announced the winner of the 2012 Djerassi Residency Award/San Francisco Film Society Screenwriting Fellowship given annually to encourage the career of an emerging or established screenwriter. The fellowship is part of the Film Society’s suite of filmmaker services designed to foster creativity and further the careers of independent filmmakers. Amy Rich was selected for her project The Insect Princess.
The panelists who reviewed the finalists’ submissions are writer/director Dan Damman, director/producer Julie Kahn, writer/producer Chris Thomas, Film Society Creative Director Miguel Pendas and Film Society Filmmaker Services Director Michele Turnure-Salleo. The panel released a statement stating, “We were captivated by Rich’s fresh perspective on the coming-of-age story and found her layering of adult and children’s themes in a world where fantasy coexists with realism intriguing and innovative.”
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. Set 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 7 through September 6, 2012, at no cost to the recipient. The winner was selected from 25 applications submitted in response to an international call for entries.
WINNER
Amy Rich, The Insect Princess
In October 2010 Rich graduated from Skillset Screen Academy Scotland with an MA in screenwriting and a merit of distinction for her feature-length project, The Meanwhile Gardens. Soon after, she won the top prize at the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards for her short film script, How to Tell If Someone Likes You, which was subsequently optioned by Teebster Productions. Currently Rich is working on the first drafts of The Insect Princess, a coming-of-age feature for Matador Pictures and a romantic comedy, Time to Pass Go.
The Insect Princess is a feature-length, fantasy-infused family drama set in rural Yorkshire about Romilly, a lonely little girl who discovers she can communicate with insects. While she quickly accepts this odd turn of events, those around her don’t, so she learns to hide the relationship with her new friends. Gradually with the help of her fantasy friends, Romilly learns to stand up to the school bully, to accept herself and to develop friendships with her classmates.
Previous recipients are 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/filmmaker-services/grants-and-prizes or djerassi.org.
SFFS Filmmaker Services screenwriting initiatives also include the SFFS/Hearst Screenwriting Grant and the SFFS/Kenneth Rainin Foundation Filmmaking Grants, with more programs in the early planning stages including script readings with local actors and theater companies, script editing consultations and networking events to connect writers with producers.
The Djerassi Residency Award/San Francisco Film Society Screenwriting Fellowship is supported by a gift from Film Society board of directors member Dale Djerassi.