Stage 32 & Catalyst Studios Unveil Script Development Program Finalists & Announce Berlinale MD Mariette Rissenbeek As A Mentor

Happy Tuesday, Creative Army!

As many of you already know, this past September at the 80th annual Venice International Film Festival, we made a huge announcement! In partnership with Catalyst Studios–a groundbreaking U.S. production company supporting female-fronted projects– we launched a first-of-its-kind screenwriting contest for feature films with a focus on social impact! We were overjoyed and impressed with the flood of submissions that we received from all over the world.

This past week while we were in Park City, we had the pleasure of finally announcing who our 11 talented finalists are through an exclusive on DEADLINE!

An Excerpt From DEADLINE:

EXCLUSIVE: Industry training platform Stage 32 has revealed the 11 finalists selected for its inaugural Empowering Women Script Competition, running in collaboration with production company Catalyst Studios.

Beyond offering a competition platform, the initiative will also provide ongoing development support and mentorship to the female and non-binary finalists.

“It’s not just about finding the next great script. This program fosters the talents of promising artists and empowers their voices to change the world,” said Stage 32 Managing Director Amanda Toney.

The winning writer will receive a guaranteed $5,000 option for their script and is eligible for up to $3,000,000 in financing from Catalyst for production.

In addition to financial support, the Catalyst team will collaborate with the winning writer on development, while Stage 32 will provide educational support for script development.

The partners also announced that outgoing Berlinale Managing Director Mariette Rissenbeek has joined the program as a mentor for the winner.

Catalyst Studios was launched in 2022 as a joint venture between social entrepreneur Holly Levow and producer Paul Kampf of Equitas Entertainment, and Mark Pennell of Beacon Pictures, with a focus on emerging talent and diverse storytelling

“We are very excited about all the finalists and are looking forward to showcasing this incredible talent. It’s so important to share diverse perspectives and stories that have the power to create awareness on important issues and a shared understanding in our communities,” said Levow, who is president of the company.

You can see the full DEADLINE article HERE or by clicking on the photo below.

Let’s Get To Know Our Finalists…

BACKLOG By Jacquelin Elyse Rosenthal

A young college sexual assault victim is silenced by her authorities, and after harrowing years spent reclaiming her life, she’s randomly chosen to be the key witness in the Senate Hearing to end the rape kit backlog. Can she find the strength to be the voice of hope for women globally? Inspired by a true story.

Jacqueline Elyse Rosenthal is a DGA Award-winning Director best known for her film BACKLOG (Winner, Cleveland International Film Festival - Oscar Qualifier, Cannes), a 2024 nominee for Best Drama Series by the Television Academy, and a writer whose Feature length script of the same name is in development as an official selection of Athena Film Festival's Writers Lab and a finalist for the Chinonye Chukwu Emerging Writer Award. Jacqueline, a recent Graduate of USC's Masters in Fine Arts in Film and Television Production (John Huston Scholar for Outstanding Directing), is gearing up for her next film, EUROPA, a sci-fi odyssey about humanity's relationship to the universe, that goes into production at Sony Studios this month. Repped by 3 Arts Entertainment.

SUPPORT SYSTEM By Laurie Ashbourne

After word gets out about a single mom’s extreme measures to get her child’s deadbeat dad to pay a backlog of child support, she becomes a sought after vigilante for others who can’t collect, and a target for those who owe.

Laurie Ashbourne started in the industry with Walt Disney Feature Animation. She is a writer-producer with over 30 produced credits and many in various stages, including an animated feature with the director of MULAN (active pre-production, 10-31, and CHRISTMAS TIME streaming globally (2023). Her recent documentary work includes SUPPRESSED - The Fight to Vote (2020) and RACIALLY CHARGED (2021) featuring Mahershala Ali. Her new book VALUES: RETHINKING HOLLYWOOD FILM INVESTMENT FOR MAXIMUM ROI & IMPACT, dares to challenge the business model for financing films by leveraging impact investing.

THE SINGLE GIRL'S GUIDE TO NARCISSISTS By Diane Thomassin

A kindergarten teacher turned dating app enthusiast, forms the Bomb Squad with her friends to find love, but when she meets the seemingly perfect catch, their relationship takes a toxic turn, leading to discovering her true worth and breaking free from his gaslighting grip at her sister's wedding.

Diane Thomassin is a dedicated screenwriter known for her empowering scripts that advocate for diversity and highlight the resilience of marginalized communities. Her work empowers minorities and challenges societal norms, striving to create a more inclusive and representative entertainment industry.

UNFOLDING By Carole Rinn

A mother and daughter find their lives turned upside down when a turn of events changes their lives forever.

Carole Rinn was born in Austin, TX, and moved abroad with her family to Europe, living in Belgium, Germany, and then studying acting in London at the prestigious Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama, where she obtained my BA in Actor/Musicianship. In 2022, she graduated from the Film Connection Institute with a certificate in screenwriting under the mentorship of Film Director/Producer Richard Brandes.

EVERYBODY KNOWS By Rangeley Wallace

After a beloved high-school science teacher’s unexpected death, her daughter returns home to the Gulf Coast of Louisiana where she uncovers a ruthless climate change coverup that ruined her mother's career, took her sanity and ultimately killed her.

After litigating in the toughest DC courts where she defended innocent women who were victims of politically motivated prosecutors, Rangeley Wallace now channels her passion for justice into telling stories about women facing moral dilemmas as they fight right-wing environmental forces, unjust legal prosecutions, and World War II Nazis.

FOR HER By Alyssa Carter

A rookie lawyer in El Salvador fights for the release of a young woman incarcerated for miscarriage in a country where abortion is illegal. Based on a true story.

Alyssa Carter has written, directed, and produced several award-winning short films, including LAS 17, which is the catalyst for the feature length script FOR HER (PARA ELLA). Alyssa looks forward to continuing her love of storytelling in this new era of female filmmakers, and is actively developing projects that empower and amplify the unheard voice.

KUDZU By Marisa Forrest

A recovering addict must rescue her estranged son from an “orphanage,” which is actually a front for a sinister evangelical cult that turns children into murderous criminals.

Marisa Forrest immerses herself in entertainment as both creator and consumer - in her world, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN and the “Housewives” peacefully coexist. After pivoting from being a development executive, her screenplay portfolio now includes five features and two pilots. Marisa is insatiably curious and adores informed decisions, great punchlines, and Diet Dr. Pepper.

EQUINOX By Mira Atwah

A young single mother must deliver a large illegal shipment with her three year old daughter to make financial ends meet.

Mira Atwah, 20, is a Japanese & Arab American film writer and producer from Cleveland, Ohio currently studying film and TV production at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

STORM By Agnes Peel-McGregor

A troubled physical therapist moves from Poland to San Francisco for a fresh start, and when she discovers she’s being followed by a mysterious girl from the orphanage next door, she uncovers secrets of her own hazy past, which suggest the orphan may not be who we think she is...

Agnes Peel-McGregor is an award-winning filmmaker. All of her short films have received critical acclaim, winning numerous awards on the festival circuit worldwide and from professional Guilds and Associations (including a full scholarship from DAVID LYNCH and consideration for the OSCARS® Short Film Awards). She has also written multiple feature-length screenplays, all of which have been recognized internationally. Agnes has recently moved to L.A. after being granted a talent green card for her achievements (EB-1) and she’s ready to make the jump to her directorial debut.

THE VENUS CONSPIRACY By Lydia Cornell

A corporate drone accidentally uncovers a tech company’s plot to keep women thin and insecure in order to make billions off of them. The problem is, no one believes her, not even her family, as she discovers a more sinister world than she ever imagined.

A women & children’s advocate, Lydia Cornell has been Invited to contribute her writings to the International Museum of Peace. An AFI Best Actress nominee and People's Choice Award winner, she is best known for her co-starring role on ABC’s Too Close for Comfort; guest-starring roles on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, and over 200 films and TV episodes in 27 countries. She won Best Director (Best Comedy Film) at United International Film Festival, and the Los Angeles Movie Awards for the SAG film It's My Decision. She costarred opposite James Earl Jones in her first movie 'Blood Tide,' filmed in Greece. She has an upcoming book on Stalin, in addition to a comedic feminist memoir—as well as several scripts in the works. Her Beirut Diary was published by US Magazine after her USO trip to visit the troops, just before the Beirut Barracks bombings. She is a mother, writer, director, public speaker, and podcast host. (She played Emmy legend Ted Knight’s daughter ‘Sara’ on the long-running hit series Too Close for Comfort.)

JEW(ISH) By Rachel Eddy

At a Passover Seder gone awry, teenage siblings uncover a sinister family secret that sends them on a chaotic guilt-trip to confront their shaken Jewish identity.

Rachel and Bobby Eddy are screenwriters, actors, and occasional siblings based in NYC. In addition to their award-winning screenplay, JEW(ISH), the pair co-created the short of the same name, which premiered at Chelsea Film Festival and has collected various accolades. Their other collaborations include a comedy pilot about the chaotic reboot of an early 2000s sitcom, a horror-comedy about the perils of seeking love on reality TV, and receiving matching BFAs from the University of Miami.

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