by FilmInk Staff
Now in its 3rd year, the CinefestOZ x WIFT Australia Writers’ Retreat, set for 1 – 4 September 2024, has selected the four participants for this year’s program.
The West-Australian based creative writing incubator will welcome Victorian Danielle Stamoulos, Tasmanian Lynn Reed, and West Australians Hayley Reeve and Yasmin Kassim to Busselton next month where the retreat will be held in the lead up to the region’s annual film festival.
Drawing inspiration from the region, the retreat offers peace and tranquility for participants to work on their chosen scripted project before taking advantage of the festival’s extensive network of industry contacts.
Danielle Stamoulos will be working on her online series Curse of the Virgin, about Greek Orthodox Maria and her bestie Zimbabwean-Australian Zai, who cast a banishment spell to harness their inner confident energies, rid their problems with shame, purity anxiety and help Maria break her frustrating curse of still being a virgin.
The Octopus and I by Lynn Reed follows the life of a young woman after a traumatic accident which leads her to develop an intense fascination with the local Tasman Peninsula octopus and find a new sense of belonging in her community and connection to the wonders of the natural world.
Hayley Reeve’s thriller feature film Method, explores the dangerous repercussions of method acting when West End sensation Josephine takes on a new role and the lines between reality and imagination start to blur.
Finally, Yasmin Kassim intertwines comedy with supernatural elements in her feature film Ghost Writer about Zara, a stand up comedian who is visited by her dead grandmother whilst on tour who helps her grand daughter overcome her shame and ‘help her find her funny’.
With a renewed focus on advanced scripted projects, CinefestOZ Film Festival CEO Cassandra Jordan said the aim of the program was to develop new screen products that could one day premiere at the festival.
“We are thrilled to be working with these outstanding writers and with WIFT Australia on developing the next generation of Australian writing talent,” said Ms Jordan.
“Providing a platform for new voices to be heard is exactly what Cinefest exists for and we look forward to seeing the retreat significantly enhance these projects.”
Previous participants of the CinefestOZ WIFT Australia Writers Retreat had high praise for the program.
“The opportunity to have dedicated time to explore my script Marmalade coupled with rich discussion and mentorship was an absolute gift,” said 2023 participant Dr Veronica Wain from Queensland.
“To have the support of WIFT, CinefestOZ, and individual mentors tailored to our projects, and so much more over the course of a week, was unlike any other mentorship opportunity I’ve had before,” said 2021 participant Annabel Maclean.
CinefestOZ Film Festival officially launches on August 31. The four Writers’ Retreat participants will connect with industry at the conclusion of the retreat at the annual Industry Program which takes place on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 September.
