
LOGLINE:
A Gothic tale of an Alaskan rare book librarian's connection to his wife's suicide and a subconscious entity.
Rachelle Henry: photographybydawndra
SYNOPSIS
Inspired by Roman Polanski films while working as a wildlife biologist, Winter Bird is a Gothic adventure in the wilds of Alaska. In this slow-burn character-driven story, two individuals, are recovering from separate horrific experiences. The first is a former physician, currently employed as a librarian, who may well be delusional after helping his blond wife commit suicide. Then, one very slow evening in the Rare Book Room, he meets what looks like a nurse with amber eyes and blond hair. Murdered while pregnant 100 years ago, this shapeshifter locates a 5-volume set of antique herb books needed to heal an infant she found on the library steps. After vanishing with Volume 1, an Irish-American science student with Attention-Deficit Disorder helps his old family physician/mentor track the herbal thief to a mountaintop cabin. At her snowbound aerie, beneath a gibbous moon, her vampire persona glows crystal clear, prompting a life-or-death struggle for truth and mutual redemption.
Script @ Writers Guild of America-West (#1872030)
script available at www.inktip.com
The script has won many Annual Awards worldwide, including “Best Uncomissioned Screenplay” at the Oxford International Film Festival (UK 2020), Cannes Screenplay Contest "Thriller/Suspense Competition" (FR 2019), and Alaska International Film Awards "Feature Script" (AK 2019).
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 "BEST DRAMA/THRILLER SCREENPLAY"
(NV 2023)
AWARD WINNER (Feature Script)
(UK 2023)
AWARD WINNER (Feature Script)
(UK 2023)
AWARD WINNER (Gold Feature Script) (NY 2023)
WINNER "Best Unproduced Script Feature" (CA 2023)
WINNER "FEATURE UNPRODUCED SCRIPT"
(NL 2023)
WINNER "BEST FEATURE SCRIPT"
(FR 2022)
WINNER: "BEST DIALOGUES IN SCRIPT"
(CA 2022)
WINNER "BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY"
(NV 2022)
WINNER "BEST FEATURE SCREENPLAY"
(AUS-GER 2022)
WINNER: "SCREENPLAY AWARD"
(DE 2022)
WINNER: "Best Un-produced Feature Screenplay"
(AUS 2022)
BEST HORROR FEATURE SCREENPLAY
(CA 2022)
BEST FEATURE SCRIPT
(UK 2022)
WINNER: "SCREENPLAY AWARD"
(JP 2022)
WINNER: "SCREENPLAY AWARD"
(DE 2022)
WINNER SCREENPLAY AWARD
(CAN 2022)
WINNER SCREENPLAY AWARD
(NJ 2022)
WINNER 2021-2022
(INDIA 2022)
RUNNERUP: BEST FEATURE SCRIPT
(NY 2022)
WINNER: Best First Time Screenwriter
(CA 2022)
" 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)
"We all loved your script. We hope it gets made."
Annual Award (CA 2017)
"We all loved your script. We hope it gets made."
sdtreacy@gmail.com
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.
.
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."
In a Rare Book Room, a former physician/now librarian, haunted by his wife's assisted suicide, meets an amber-eyed woman seeking ancient herbals to rescue a foundling girl. The woman is a shapeshifter from Alaskan Native legend. Murdered while pregnant 100 years ago, she haunts the woods near Anchorage, often as a snowy owl, seeking s
In a Rare Book Room, a former physician/now librarian, haunted by his wife's assisted suicide, meets an amber-eyed woman seeking ancient herbals to rescue a foundling girl. The woman is a shapeshifter from Alaskan Native legend. Murdered while pregnant 100 years ago, she haunts the woods near Anchorage, often as a snowy owl, seeking someone to share the full horror of her paranormal origin. Seemingly intrigued by the librarian, she vanishes abruptly. A rambunctious science student helps explain the missing herb books and a gruesome murder in front of the library. He patiently emboldens his increasingly delusional mentor to track the woman to a snowy mountain cabin where existential differences become obvious. At her aerie, beneath a gibbous moon, her bloodthirsty persona glows crystal clear, prompting a life-or-death struggle for truth and a risky redemption.
Stephen Delos Treacy, Irish-American, (NW Screenwriters Guild & SAG-AFTRA) adapted the screenplay from his stage play at The Film School, Seattle.
2017
WINNER: "Ackerman Imagi-Movies Screenplay Award", Silver Scream Film Festival (TX) (featured in Famous Monsters of Filmland # 289, p 197).
2018
WINNER:
Stephen Delos Treacy, Irish-American, (NW Screenwriters Guild & SAG-AFTRA) adapted the screenplay from his stage play at The Film School, Seattle.
2017
WINNER: "Ackerman Imagi-Movies Screenplay Award", Silver Scream Film Festival (TX) (featured in Famous Monsters of Filmland # 289, p 197).
2018
WINNER: "Best Horror Screenplay", Los Angeles Film Awards (CA);
AWARD WINNER: Hollywood Screenplay Contest (CA).
2019
AWARD WINNER: "Thriller/Suspense genre", Cannes Screenplay Contest (FR);
WINNER: "Best Horror Screenplay" London Independent Film Awards (UK);
AWARD WINNER: "Feature Script" Hollywood Horrorfest (CA);
AWARD WINNER: Alaska International Film Festival (AK).
2020
WINNER: "Best Uncomissioned Screenplay", Oxford International Film Festival (UK);
WINNER: "Best Feature Script", Venice Film Awards (IT).
2021
WINNER: "Best Script" LA Sun Film Fest (CA);
WINNER: "Best Feature Script" Hybrid Genre Canada: Toronto Film Awards;
AWARD WINNER: Beverly Hills Film Festival (CAN);
AWARD WINNER: Hollywood International Golden Age Film Fest (NY);
AWARD WINNER: Winter screenplay competition, Depth of Field International Film Festival (DE).
2022
WINNER Best Feature Script: Paris Film Awards (FR);
AWARD WINNER Best Dialogues in script: Echonation Audio and Film Fest. (UK);
WINNER Best First Time Screenwriter: Festigious International Film Festival (CA);
RUNNER UP: Katra Film Series (NYC);
WINNER: Dreamz Catcher International Film Festival (INDIA);
AWARD WINNER: WRPN.tv Screenplay Competition (DE);
AWARD WINNER: Nature Without Borders International Film Festival (DE);
AWARD WINNER: Gold Star Movie Awards (NJ);
AWARD WINNER: Toronto Independent Film Festival of CIFT (CAN);
AWARD WINNER: Festigious Los Angeles (CA).
2023
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).
"I wasn't always a librarian."
[Statue of William Seward in front of Anchorage Main Library]
"...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."
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