LOGLINE: A former physician, haunted by his fair-haired wife's assisted suicide, is intrigued by a blond Alaskan owl-woman.
Rachelle Henry: photographybydawndra
BACKGROUND
Inspired by Roman Polanski's "The Ninth Gate" and Unberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose", "Winter Bird" is a Gothic adventure in the wilds of Alaska. In this character-driven story with Native American themes, two individuals, are still recovering from separate deadly experiences.
LEAD CHARACTERS
1.. Former physician (50's) with family ties to Jamestown, S'Klallam tribe, Hired as a librarian, he is haunted by his fair-haired wife's assisted suicide.
2. Blond nurse with amber eyess (20's). Murdered while pregnant 100 years ago, she is inhabited by a snowy owl. She snatches an antique herb book.
3. Irish-American science student "(teenage) with Attention-Deficit Disorder. He helps his old family physician/mentor track missing books to a mountaintop cabin.
SCRIPT AVAILABILITY
Registered @ Writers Guild of America-West (#1872030).
Leasable @ www.inktip.com.
Being considered for an indie option in 2025.
SAMPLE AWARDS (2017-2024)
1. “Best Noncomissioned Screenplay” @ Oxford International Film Festival (UK 2020); 2. "Thriller/Suspense Competition" @ Cannes Screenplay Contest "(FR 2019);
3. "Feature Script @ Alaska International Film Awards (AK 2019);
4. "Best Fantasy Script"+"Best Original Writer" @ Dublin Indie Screen Fest (IRL 2024).
As featured in FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND # 289, p. 197:
"WINTER BIRD began as a stage play drafted for the Edward Albee Theatre Conference in Valdez, Alaska. I hesitate to argue with my wife, who claims she commanded me to write a play about a vampire, deriving from all those long winter nights our family of four was experiencing in Anchorage. The play is 100% recognizable to anyone who ever lived in Alaska -- Anchorage library, fur-trapper's cabin, sled dogs, northern lights, an Eskimo legend..."
"Wishing you nothing but the best with your project, jd". (J.D. Barker)
WINNER "NewYorker Indie Critics' Choice Awards 2024"
(IT 2024)
AWARD WINNER "Best Fantasy Script"/"Best Original Writer"
(IRL 2024)
GOLD AWARD "Feature Script"
(FR 2024)
WINNER "Best First 10 Pages"
(CA 2024)
AWARD WINNER "Best American Original Screenplay (ESP 2024)
AWARD WINNER "Best Screenplay"
(FR 2024)
WINNER "Best Unproduced Script Feature" (CA 2024)
WINNER "Best Unproduced Script Feature" (CA 2024)
AWARD WINNER "Best Screenwriting; Best Unproduced Script" (BEL 2024)
AWARD WINNER "Grand Prix Feature Screenplay" (IT 2024)
AWARD WINNER "Best Arthouse Writer of the Year" (IR 2024)
AWARD WINNER "Best Unproduced Feature" (ESP 2024)
AWARD WINNER ("Best International Feature Script" (CH 2023)
WINNER "Best Character Design" 8 & Halfilm Awards (IT 2023)
AWARD WINNER "Best Horror Screenplay"
(AUS 2023)
WINNER ("Best Drama/Thriller Screenplay") (NV 2023)
AWARD WINNER "Feature Script"
(UK 2023)
AWARD WINNER "Gold Feature Script (NY 2023)
WINNER "Psychological Screenplay"
(IL 2023)
BEST FEATURE SCRIPT
(UK 2022)
WINNER: "Best Feature Script"
(FR 2022)
AWARD WINNER "Best Feature Screenplay" (AUS-GER 2022)
AWARD WINNER: "Best Dialogues in Script" (SCO 2022)
WINNER "Best Horror Feature Screenplay"
(CA 2022)
WINNER: "Screenplay Award"
(JP 2022)
RUNNERUP: "Best Feature Script"
(NY 2022)
WINNER: "Screenplay Award"
(DE 2022)
WINNER "Best Unproduced script for a long feature film" (CAN 2022)
WINNER: "Best Un-produced Feature Screenplay"
(AUS 2022)
WINNER: "Best Feature Script"
(CAN 2021)
WINNER: "Screenplay Competition"
(CA 2021)
[" A Gothic tale of an Alaskan rare book librarian’s connection to his wife’s suicide and a subconscious entity." ] Oxford International Film Festival (UK 2020)
Annual Award "THRILLER/SUSPENSE COMPETITION" (FR 2019)
["Congratulations on your truly outstanding work. We will do our best to continue to promote your success in the industry."]
Annual Award (AK 2019)
["Reflecting the highest degree of excellence... We congratulate you and praise the talent and craftsmanship in your outstanding work." ]
WINNER: "Best Horror Screenplay"
(UK Aug 2019)
Annual Award (CA 2018)
WINNER "Best Horror Screenplay"
Annual Award (CA 2017)
["We all loved your script. We hope it gets made."]
sdtreacy@gmail.com
Slamdance (2023)
"Captivating premise that's an interesting twist on the paranormal genre. Promises a stunning escapist journey with its Alaskan setting. The screenplay expertly weaves together elements of mystery and horror to create a truly intriguing and sometimes poignant story. The dialogue is both natural and authentic."
Reno-Tahoe Screenplay Contest (2022)
"From the analyst's subjective standpoint, the most appealing or significant aspects of Winter Bird are its novel concept. A mystic indigenous legend and a modern-day librarian who helped his wife commit suicide are bound together by fate and a psychological, subconscious connection. This is a unique concept that the writer manages to do a lot with in the runtime of this film. There are wonderful reversals, changes of pace, plot twists, and unique character decisions. It's all very unpredictable and fresh.
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Chicago Screenplay Awards (2021)
"One of the script's most attractive qualities are its characters. This setting and the characters that inhabit it are compelling and authentic. This helps drive the script forward in a positive direction. The reader can discern and summarize the main concept rather quickly. A former physician is drawn into the world of an "owl-woman." There are other details that help clarify the story's intent, but this is the main concept. The logline is clear and communicable. The writer formats this script according to standard industry conventions. There are no glaring formatting or spelling errors that would detract from the reading experience of this story. The dialogue in this script is somewhat nuanced. There are some on-the-nose sections of dialogue, but these are outweighed by some solidly written, subtle exchanges. The writer manages to include a sense of underlying tension beneath conversations that feel normal. The script is generally easy to read. It does not require re-reading for comprehension. There is a logical flow from scene to scene."
Portland Screenplay Awards (2021)
"One of the most attractive features is the eerie tone that the writer establishes at the beginning of the script as Peter chats on the phone, unaware of what is going on outside his bookroom in the wintry night."
Thriller/Suspense Festival (2021)
"A really interesting concept where the mythical and natural world collide."
Oxford International Film Fest (2020)
"A Gothic tale of an Alaskan rare book librarian’s connection to his wife’s suicide and a subconscious entity."
The Golden Script - Glasgow (2019)
"The story is curious and enthralling, mostly by virtue of not being similar to anything else made before and because of its vivid imagery and dark realism that maintains a perfect balance with the fantastic elements. Yes, women turn into owl beasts and magic hats glow red, but there is also the gritty realism of the environment to make it all seem real and even possible. Dirt, grime, blood and other mundane elements combine to make the story feel grounded."
Development Executive, Tailored Films - Dublin (2018)
"I particularly enjoyed the Beckettesque dialogue. The surrealist nature of the characters conversations were very sharp and engaging."
Academy Nichols Feedback (2018)
"Fantasy imagery in this script is strongly cinematic. On page 44, especially, when a fog pours into a library and transforms into a woman with wings, imagery is especially powerful. I believe fantasy imagery is one of this script's strongest elements."
Los Angeles Film Awards (2018)
"Congratulations on winning Best Horror Screenplay. Our jury loved your work on Winter Bird. It is highly engaging and we hope you take pride in it! Great writing. Thank you for being a part of LAFA18! ❤Best Regards, Nami, Roy and the LAFA team"
UK Film Festival - London (2018)
"...the committee enjoyed reading Winter Bird and it made it past the final cut... This is no mean feat and we want you to know that we appreciate your creativity and professionalism."
Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards (2018)
"Our industry professional judges have carefully read and considered over 2500 submissions... you should feel proud of the fact that your script--after being closely reviewed by multiple judges--was ranked as among the Top 15% of all entries received."
13Horror.com (2018)
"You write to an extremely impressive standard and Winter Bird represents a very original idea delivered in glorious Gothic style, even boasting its very own Woman in White. There’s a nice blend of tension and humor throughout and they are well balanced against each other. Alfred stood out for me – very amusing and likeable."
Slamdance Screenplay (2017)
"This is an intriguing and compelling adaptation of the play by the same name... as the author sets up the world, characters and the events that unfold, it becomes clear that things are not what they seem in this quaint Alaskan town. What is additionally refreshing is the subtle weaving of moments of magical realism that pushes the narrative further into what is fantasy, dreams and legends. Overall this is a unique refashioning of typical vampiric lore while remaining contained and grounded in the rules and mythos originally established in the first several pages."
Seattle International Film Festival (2017)
"The writer succeeds at creating a clear sense of setting and time. Descriptions and details of the physical world (i.e. exemplifying the tundra of Alaska through different animals) were cinematic and instilled a very intense image of Alaska's natural beauty. The story was propelled, almost exclusively by dialogue without being overly expository -- this was a major strength of the script. The dialogue was original and engaging. The characters, and their interpersonal relationships, felt realistic and impactful; their relationships with one another were genuine. Each character had their own distinct voice. Also, the use of a diverse set of characters is refreshing and automatically makes the story-world more intriguing."
Holly Interlandi, Executive Editor, Famous Monsters of Filmland (2017)
"Appreciate it! Winter Bird is fantastic, by the by. Amazing Dialogue."
Playwright Bio
The writer was born in Huntington, WV. He took Playwriting at University of Washington (Seattle 1963) and theatre courses at Marshall University (WV), where he received a BA in 1971.
He served with the US Peace Corps (Panama 1966-68) in a pilot program ("Theater Workshop in Latin America"), where he directed original plays a
Playwright Bio
The writer was born in Huntington, WV. He took Playwriting at University of Washington (Seattle 1963) and theatre courses at Marshall University (WV), where he received a BA in 1971.
He served with the US Peace Corps (Panama 1966-68) in a pilot program ("Theater Workshop in Latin America"), where he directed original plays and produced a Tennessee Williams one-act that he translated into Spanish.
He joined Screen Actors Guild for "Magnum Force". Elected to the Executive Council (SAG-AFTRA), he initiated a local SAG casting office for student films @ San Francisco Art Institute.
As a playwright (Dramatists Guild), his feature-length stage play "Winter Bird, A Gothic Fantasy in Three Acts" was first read @ Last Frontier (Edward Albee) Theatre Conference (Valdez AK 1995). It subsequently had a professional premiere @ Eclectic Theater (Seattle 2015).
He adapted this script @ The Film School (Seattle) and joined Northwest Screenwriters Guild. No sooner was "Winter Bird" revamped (2017), than it began winning screenplay contests (46 Awards to date).
His one-act play, "The Patent Application", premiered @ "Summerplay 2005", The Changing Scene Theatre Northwest (WA) and was later staged @ NY Artists Unlimited: "International CringeFest 10" (NYC).
As a professional stage actor (Actors Equity), Steve was in many shows in Alaska and Washington. He once produced and starred in Brian Friel's 3-person "Faith Healer" (Seattle 2010) [clip @ IMdB]. He has produced and directed a few stage shows.
Other writing credits include theatre reviews (ATCA) published in "The Leader" newspaper (Port Townsend WA). He also wrote many published reports on marine mammalogy as well as poems in Ice-Floe (International Poetry of the Far North), Rainshadow Poetry, and Cirque (A Literary Journal for the North Pacific Rim).
Winter Bird Story
In a Rare Book Room, a former physician is haunted by his fair-haired wife's assisted suicide. He is intrigued by an amber-eyed blond nurse who is seeking ancient herbals to heal an infant girl she finds on the library steps. The woman, now a shapeshifter, was murdered while pregnant 100 years ago. She haunts the woods near Anchorage, often as a snowy owl, seeking someone to share the full impact of her paranormal origin. Intrigued by the librarian, she vanishes abruptly.
A rambunctious Irish-Ameerican science student helps his delusional mentor to locate the missing herb books (He also describes a gruesome murder scene in front of the library.) He patiently emboldens his increasingly delusional mentor to track the woman to a snowy mountain cabin.
At her aerie, beneath a gibbous moon, her bloodthirsty persona glows crystal clear, prompting a life-or-death struggle for redemption.
Stephen wrote the stage play to be read at Edward Albee Theatre Conference (Valdez AK 1995.
Stephen wrote the stage play to be read at Edward Albee Theatre Conference (Valdez AK 1995. It was read @ Edward Albee Theatre Conference (Valdez AK). It won Honorable Mention at Virtual Theatre Project's "The Pen Is A Mighty Sword" play-writing competition 2008-09.
Ultimately it received a professional premiere @ Eclectic Theater (Seattle 2015).
Stephen Delos Treacy, Galwegian-American screenwriter (Northwest Screenwriters Guild.
He adapted this script @ The Film School (Seattle) and joined Northwest Screenwriters Guild. No sooner was "Winter Bird" revamped (2017), than it began winning screenplay contests (46 Awards to date).
2024
AWARD WINNER: "Best Screenplay": @ Lyons Interna
Stephen Delos Treacy, Galwegian-American screenwriter (Northwest Screenwriters Guild.
He adapted this script @ The Film School (Seattle) and joined Northwest Screenwriters Guild. No sooner was "Winter Bird" revamped (2017), than it began winning screenplay contests (46 Awards to date).
2024
AWARD WINNER: "Best Screenplay": @ Lyons International Film Festival (FR);
WINNER: "NewYorker Indie Critics' Choice 2024": @ 8 & Halfilms (IT);
WINNER: "Best Fantasy Script" & "Best Original Writer" @ Dublin Indie Screen Festival (IRL) [New Cinema Festival];
WINNER: "Best Arthouse Writer of the Year": Irish Film Critics Award (IRL);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Unproduced Feature": Madrid Arthouse Film Festival (ESP);
GOLD AWARD WINNER: "Feature Script" @ Paris Film Awards (FR);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Character Design": Brisbane International Film Union (AUS);
AWARD WINNER: "Best American Original Screenplay": International Academy Arthouse Fest (ESP);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Screenwriting; Best Unproduced Script" @ Brussels World Film Festival (BEL);
WINNER: "Best Screenplay Feature" San Diego Independent Cinema Awards (CA);
AWARD WINNER: "Grand Prix Feature Screenplay" @ Kraken International Film Festival (IT);
WINNER: "Best Indie Author of the Year": 8 & Halfilm Awards, Special Event in Cannes (FR);
AWARD WINNER: "Best First 10 Pages" Hollywood International Indie Screenplay Awards (CA);
AWARD WINNER: "Feature Script": Frida Film Festival (FR);
AWARD WINNER: "Feature Script": Hollywood Gold Awards (CA);
2023
AWARD WINNER: "Best Unproduced script in a feature film": London International Filmmakers Festival (UK);
AWARD WINNER: "Best International Feature Script": Switzerland Film Fest and Screenplay Competition (CH);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Horror Screenplay": Sydney Film and Screenplay Festival (AUS);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Feature Script" & "Best Fantasy": 8 & Halfilm Awards (IT);
AWARD WINNER: "Psychological Screenplay": Chicago Script Awards (IL);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Unproduced Script": Monte Carlo Movie Awards (CAN);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Horror Screenplay": Filmatic Filmfare (UK);
AWARD WINNER: "Feature Script": London Movie Awards (UK);
GOLD AWARD WINNER: "Feature Script": New York Movie Awards (NY);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Unproduced Script (Feature)": San Jose Independent Film Festival (CA);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Drama/Thriller Screenplay": Vegas Movie Awards (NV);
AWARD WINNER: "Feature Unproduced Script": Rotterdam Independent Film Festival (NTL);
2022
AWARD WINNER: "Best Feature Script": Paris Film Awards (FR);
WINNER "Best Feature Screenplay": ORION International Film Festival (AUS/DEU);
AWARD WINNER "Best Original Screenplay": Sin City Festival (NV);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Un-Produced Feature Script": Hybrid Genre Australia, Melbourne Film Awards (AUS);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Feature Script": Stanley Film Awards (UK);
RUNNER UP: "Best Feature Screenplay": Katra Film Series (NYC);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Feature Screenplay": Silver Mask Live Festival (CA);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Un-Produced Feature Screenplay": International Cosmopolitan Film Festival of Tokyo (JP);
WINNER: "Screenplay": Dreams Catcher International Film Festival (INDIA);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Horror Script": Gold Star Movie Awards (NJ);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Unproduced Script (long feature film)": Toronto Independent Film Festival of Cift (CAN);
AWARD WINNER: "Screenplay": Nature Without Borders International Film Festival (DE);
AWARD WINNER: "Screenplay Competition": WRPN.tv (DE);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Dialogues in Script": Echonation Audio and Film Festival (UK);
AWARD WINNER: "Best First Time Screenwriter Feature": Festigious International Film Festival (CA);
TOP-3 SCREENPLAY: New Hampshire Film Festival (NH);
2021
WINNER: "Best Script": LA Sun Film Fest (CA);
WINNER: "Best Feature Script": Hybrid Genre Canada, Toronto Film Awards (CAN);
AWARD WINNER: "Screenplay Competition": Beverly Hills Film Festival (CA);
AWARD WINNER: "Screenplay Competition": Depth of Field International Film Festival (CA);
AWARD WINNER: "Best Unproduced Script (Feature)": Hollywood International Golden Age Festival (NY);
2020
WINNER: "Best Uncomissioned Screenplay": Oxford International Film Festival (UK);
WINNER: "Best Feature Script": Venice Film Awards (IT);
2019
AWARD WINNER: "Thriller Suspense Competition": Cannes Screenplay Contest (FR);
WINNER: "Best Horror Screenplay": London Independent Film Awards: (UK);
AWARD WINNER: "Feature Script": Hollywood Horrorfest (CA);
AWARD WINNER: "Feature Screenplays": Alaska International Film Awards (AK);
2018
WINNER: "Best Horror Screenplay": Los Angeles Film Awards (CA);
AWARD WINNER: Hollywood Screenplay Contest (CA);
2017
WINNER: "ACKERMAN IMAGI-MOVIES SCREENPLAY AWARD": Silver Scream Film Festival @ Famous Monsters of Filmland Convention (TX).
"I wasn't always a librarian."
[Statue of William Seward in front of Anchorage Main Library]
"My Great grandmother knew such a woman."
[Helen Konek walking into her igloo in Arviat, Nunavut in 1949]
"...Look! Look at this sky! These colors. Vivid far from the city. Come. Watch the green ribbons move, dance, expand. Inhale them. Breathe the green. The ribbons display themselves for us to see, to smell, to taste!"
"Shhhhh! Your body is tensing now. Like a caged bird."
"Almost like it never died."
Kwakiutl Owl Mask [from "Spirit and Ancestor" by Bill Holm]
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