KOLKATA: The Asian International Screenplay Awards marked its first chapter with a special celebration of screenwriting held on October 4 at Green Inn Banquet, Kolkata.
Held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the event brought together screenwriters, filmmakers, guests and members of the creative community for an evening centered on storytelling and the craft behind cinema and television.
The event marked the beginning of the awards platform’s journey to recognize original screenwriting and provide greater visibility to writers and their work. With a focus on the screenplay itself, the Asian International Screenplay Awards aims to celebrate stories at the stage where characters, ideas and cinematic worlds first take shape.
The awards cover a broad spectrum of screenwriting, with categories spanning Feature Script, Short Script, Thriller, Horror, Drama and Comedy, alongside Television Pilot, Original Story and Debut Screenwriter. This range allows the platform to recognize both established forms of screenwriting and emerging voices working across different genres and formats.
Chapter 1 featured a diverse selection of recognized screenplays and writers:
Circle Line – Joshua Ze Ming Woo
How to Fix a Broken Heart – Josh Kreuzman
Laws of Protection – Caretta O’Neal
Review – Jonathan Zarantonello
Blackpink in Action – Gerd Günter Witt
Béatrice, the Lady – Paula McCool
Bodies in Shadow – Daniel Pereira Menezes
Pig – Ferenc Berki
The Grim Roommate – Matt Dionne
Eye of the Dawn – Ernest Pick
American Phantasmagoria – Daniel P Quinn
Kris the Cat – Ross Hewitt
Thank You Life – Jessi Thind
Tell Me About It – Jack Maxwell
Redwood State – Matt Dionne
The Cow – Indra & Akash
Carnations vs Roses – Alexandr Levin
Ping! – Robert John Lancey
The Order – Brian M. Wixson & Aaron Hanson
Everything I Wanted – Job Michaud
Blood Rig – John Fife Sr.
Life Is Dark (and Full of Rainbows) – Petra F. Bagnardi
One Hogan Place – Wesley G Cheng
The recognized works span a variety of genres, formats and storytelling approaches, reflecting the range of contemporary screenwriting. Several projects received recognition in multiple areas, further highlighting the versatility of their writers.
Beyond the presentation of recognition, the Kolkata gathering offered an opportunity for writers, filmmakers and guests to meet, exchange ideas and celebrate the creative work represented by the first chapter.
The Asian International Screenplay Awards is built around four core principles: Discover, Recognize, Showcase and Inspire. Through these pillars, the platform seeks to discover new voices, acknowledge exceptional writing, showcase screenwriters and encourage fresh perspectives in storytelling.
By focusing specifically on screenplays, the awards provide a dedicated space for writers whose work forms the foundation of visual storytelling. The initiative also seeks to connect writers with a broader creative community and create opportunities for their stories to reach new audiences and industry professionals.
With Chapter 1 now complete, the Asian International Screenplay Awards looks ahead to its next chapter, continuing to build a platform where screenwriters can gain recognition, share their work and bring original stories into the wider creative conversation.
