The Australian Writers’ Guild congratulates screenwriters Mads McRae and Georgia Struckel, who have been announced as the winners of the 2025 Emerging Writers’ Awards.
The Awards were announced tonight to a packed room of senior writers, producers, industry folk and Guild members, who spent the evening mixing with the talented cohort of winning and shortlisted writers.
Mads McRae won the Long Form Award for her feature film Grave’s End. Following the death of her father, a young woman does the one thing she swore she’d never do and brings back the dead with devastating consequences.
“McRae has created a beautifully gothic and original world with confidence and lyricism,” said the judges. “The script shows a strong grasp of tone and voice, and the judges felt easily able to imagine the world on screen.”
Georgia Struckel received the Short Form Award for her black comedy series Sugar Soap, in which a single mother starts working as a “cleaner” for a contract killer. Accidentally.
“This deserving winner is well-written, funny, and produceable, with an engaging lead and clear series premise. It is a slick and accomplished pilot,” said the judging team.
The two winners will now share in $10,000 in script development funding, generously provided by Scripted Ink. as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting the growth of Australian writers and commercially viable projects.
Melody Chen’s comedy series Penny Loafers was commended as runner-up in the Long Form category.
The Emerging Writers’ Awards are an Australian Writers’ Guild tradition going back to the 1970s. Each year they recognise excellence in screenwriting and playwriting among the Guild’s Associate and Student members, celebrating the exciting future of Australian storytelling.
The winning and shortlisted projects are now available to view on AWG’s prestigious Pathways Showcase, joining an outstanding collection of projects available for development.
The Emerging Writers’ Awards will open for entries again in 2026.
LONG FORM CATEGORY
Winner
Graves’ End by Mads McRae [Television, Drama]
A young woman faced with the death of her father does the one thing she swore she’d never do and brings back the dead with devastating consequences.
Highly Commended
Penny Loafers by Melody Chen [Television, Comedy]
Nineteen year-old Penny Wu wakes up in the body of her finance bro older brother, Daniel, the week before his death. As Penny stumbles through Dan’s life and uncovers the dark truth behind his accident, she must also grapple with painful questions about their relationship, her fractured family, and ultimately, what it means to live a life of her choosing.
Shortlist
Hell’s Gate by Danielle Frost [Feature, Horror]
A convict with a haunted past joins a British expedition to salvage a sunken warship, but as they descend into Hell’s Gate, they uncover a terrifying secret that threatens to consume them.
Hysterical by January Jones [Feature, Thriller]
When Harriet moves to a new development in rural Australia, strange things begin to happen to her body.
Tiny Places by Charlie Milne [Feature, Drama]
In small-town South Australia, a complacent man is given the technology to journey into the mind of his wife, where they rekindle their relationship as her dementia worsens.
SHORT FORM CATEGORY
Winner
Sugar Soap by Georgia Struckel [Television, Comedy]
A single mother starts working as a “cleaner” for a contract killer. Accidentally.
Shortlist
Homebody by Jess Fisher [Television, Comedy]
After an agoraphobe accidentally kills her estranged sister’s criminal ex-boyfriend, a detective arrives in their small Queensland town to investigate but the sisters must confront their differences in order to keep their deadly secret buried from the cops and a local bikie gang.
Hussk by Senie Priti [Short film, Thriller]
A middle-aged woman’s solitary retreat by the Snowy River becomes a dangerous game of Cat and Mouse when three fishermen invade her campsite, unearthing her survival instincts and buried past as she fights to reclaim her space.
