Blaze

Judges' Comments

This is a stunning script, vivid in its visual language and inexorable in its conclusion. Character and theme are all universal yet placed in a contemporary world and plotted with social issues that reverberate with today’s audience. It provides us with such an interesting and evocative take on a crime that has resonated down through centuries. Puppetry and animation give the work a thematic and stylistic twist, and the mid-story turning point is sharply spun. 

The script weaves the untidy threads of trauma and healing into a clear vision of dragons, disassociation, and a personal sacrifice that pumps through a young girl, taking her across the uncomfortable threshold of childhood and into her own power. This is controlled, devastating writing that pushes the limits of genre, opening up possibilities for new storytelling trends. Del Kathryn Barton and Huna Amweero have created a truly refreshing and bold offering that marks a milestone in Australian screenwriting.