Screenwriter  Jacqueline Escolme (THE BIRTHDAY LIST)

Watch the Screenplay Reading:

Inspired by a young adventurer, a frustrated midlife wife escapes her marriage and flies to America with a birthday bucket list that helps her find truth, freedom and the future she’s waited twenty years for.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Shawn Devlin
Jenny: Hannah Ehman
Richard: Sean Ballantyne

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?
Jenny Collins is a bored, midlife bookworm who unexpectedly gatecrashes a wake, gets inspired by a young adventurer and takes a surprise trip to New York with a birthday bucket list that turns into the adventure she’s always wanted. Discovering who she might be, if she gave herself a chance.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under? Dramedy / RomCom

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie? Because so many women get trapped by marriage, motherhood and the ideal of being a “Good Woman,” instead of embracing adventure and following the path of self-discovery. This screenplay is for every woman who’s ever settled for less or talked herself into staying in an unfulfilling relationship because it’s what society rewards her for.

4. How would you describe this script in two words? Uplifting. Empowering.

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life? Overboard with Goldie Hawn

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay? I initially wrote it 9 years ago – yikes! Then found the script while clearing out, re-read it, remembered how much I loved the idea and did a serious re-write!

7. How many stories have you written? Oh wow, everything from books to flash fiction, various short screenplays and about 6 feature film scripts, some of which have won awards!

8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?) Recently, “Never Gonna Not Dance Again” by Pink because life’s too short 🙂

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay? Doing a complete re-write, re-inventing characters and realizing the script that I thought was finished 9yrs ago, was really just the bare bones of something that’s become so much better.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about? Travel and adventures, teaching Kundalini yoga and dancing on tables.

11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site? Totally positive. The whole process was smooth, easy and professional.

12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received? The fact that it supports female writers was a huge draw and I found the feedback I received very helpful and professional.