by FilmInk Staff
Australian independently produced series Lake Boga has taken top honors at SeriesFest 2025, winning Best Independent Pilot in the Drama category at the annual festival celebrating global excellence in episodic storytelling.
Selected from a competitive field of twelve pilots from the U.S. and around the world, Lake Boga screened to a sold-out audience on May 4, 2025 at the SIE Film Center in Denver, Colorado. Created by friends and creative duo Ben Bryan and Nick Capper, an esteemed industry jury comprising Annie Laks (SVP of Content, Shondaland), John Horn (Entertainment Journalist, NPR) and Jocko Sims (actor, Grosse Pointe Garden Society), awarded the Australian series First Place, praising it “for establishing a specific sense of place and populating it with characters who feel both authentic and original — and giving audiences an unexpected but not unearned twist ending.”
Produced on an absolute shoestring of just $20,000, Lake Boga announces the arrival of a new creative force, writer Nick Capper and writer-director Ben Bryan, most known for his award-winning cinematography on feature documentaries Franklin and the 2025 Visions du Reel selected Iron Winter, both directed by Kasimir Burgess. Speaking of the unexpected but welcome outcome, Ben said:
“We knew that if an Australian broadcaster wanted to commission Barry meets No Country for Old Men, Nick and I would not make the showrunner shortlist. Using Mr. Inbetween as inspiration, we focused the writing and direction on tone and mood, allowing the place and people to shine as much as the storytelling. We pulled in every favour we had – my sister edited and all Nick’s mates are our actors – who besides being brilliant creatives were also free. It was bizarre to have the creators of Better Call Saul and Shondaland Executives asking me when the rest of the series would be airing in Australia. They laughed when I told them firstly I needed a producer because the whole thing up until this point has been just me and Nick. It’s been a wild, crazy labour of love but I’m confident we’ll find the right partners and place for Lake Boga to live now we know that the content has a proven and global audience.”
Lake Boga now joins an elite group of SeriesFest alumni, many of whom have transitioned to series production and significant public acclaim including Dreaming Whilst Black, winner of Best International Pilot at SeriesFest 6, commissioned by BBC Three and A24 and currently filming its second season and Potluck Ladies, winner of Best Drama at SeriesFest 10 which premiered on Hollywood Suite and Canada’s Yes TV in 2024.
Held annually in Denver, SeriesFest is a global platform for both emerging and established creators to showcase new pilots before influential industry players. The 2025 edition featured guests and representatives from Carnival Films (Downton Abbey, The Day of the Jackal), Cooper Raiff (Hal and Harper, Cha Cha Real Smooth), Emil Pinnock (Unleashing Giant), and Jason Ritter (Matlock, Parenthood, Poker Face).
With its critical acclaim and audience buzz, Lake Boga looks set to follow the festival-to-series trajectory of SeriesFest’s most successful alumni.
About Ben & Nick
Ben Bryan is an award-winning cinematographer, most known for his collaboration with director Kasimir Burgess on Franklin (2022) & Visions du Reel selected International Competition title, Iron Winter (2025). As director Ben’s first short film Trees (2022) was awarded Spirit of the Civic award at NZIFF. His second short, Yiyili (2024) aired on SBS & NITV.
Nick Capper is a stand-up comedian, writer and actor with a cult following on the Melbourne comedy circuit. His shows Pig in the City, Loose in London and most recently Hold Me Closer, Tiny Cancer about his battle with unexpected testicular cancer have collected top prizes and reviews at festivals including Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Adelaide Fringe, Edinburgh Comedy Festival and Perth International Arts Festival. He is a regular podcast guest including recurring stint on The Debrief with Dave O’Neill as well as being the creator of the long-running serial The Phone Hacks, along with fellow comedian Mike Goldstein.
About SeriesFest
SeriesFest is an award-winning, international festival dedicated to showcasing the best in episodic storytelling from around the world. Founded in 2015, the festival champions both emerging and established creators through its juried competitions, industry panels, live events, and year-round development initiatives. Held annually in Denver, Colorado, SeriesFest provides a platform for independent pilots across all genres, connecting visionary storytellers with leading executives, producers, and distributors. SeriesFest continues to redefine the future of television by elevating diverse voices and bold new narratives from across the globe.
