Brennan Cusack’s “The Badlands Woman’s Clinic” Wins Grand Prize
Erick Torres Receives Screenplay Mentorship Award for “Cucuy”
More than $18,000 in prizes and industry services awarded to emerging writers
LOS ANGELES, CA (October 28, 2025) – Slamdance Group today announced the winners of its 2025 screenplay competition, awarding the Grand Prize to Brennan Cusack for her screenplay “The Badlands Woman’s Clinic.” Awards were presented this evening during a live ceremony at AGBO, the independent studio founded by Anthony and Joe Russo, in Downtown Los Angeles. Winners were recognized across five categories: feature film, horror/thriller, TV pilot, short film, and screenplay mentorship. More than $18,000 in prizes plus industry services were awarded to winners across all categories.
AGBO’s Chief Creative Officer Angela Russo-Otstot welcomed honorees. Presenters included writers and Slamdance alumni Emily Carmichael (Pacific Rim Uprising, Jurassic Park: Dominion), Daniel Casey (Fast & Furious 9), Neil Ferron (Fishmonger), Jamie King (Jessica Jones), Beverly Neufeld (Action! Action!), Elle Jae Stewart (The Invention of Ella Jae), and sponsor Aditya Ezhuthachan of Pessah Law Group.
“The Badlands Woman’s Clinic” follows a young OBGYN who must trade a promising career in Chicago for a year working in her rural hometown’s Women’s Clinic in order to regain custody of her daughter. There, she’ll find that knowing obstetrics isn’t the same as knowing how to be a mother.
“In a country where millions live in ‘maternity care deserts,’ ‘The Badlands Clinic’ celebrates the women who have worked together to create oases. This story explores the transformational power of choice in women’s lives. Here in rural America, choice is not just a headline. It is power, identity, dignity, community, and…survival,” stated Cusack.
“We read thousands of stories this year, and ‘Badlands Woman’s Clinic’ didn’t just stand out – it recalibrated the room. It’s the kind of writing that changes how you think about what television can hold,” said Taylor Miller, Slamdance Festival Director. “At a time when storytelling is engineered to please algorithms, this pilot refuses the formula – and Brennan Cusack makes that refusal feel inevitable.”
The Slamdance Screenplay Mentorship Award goes to Erick Torres for Cucuy, a story about a fighting dog who escapes the pits and seeks redemption.
“Cucuy is a story of endurance, trauma, second chances, and the power of love,” said Slamdance Festival Manager Anna Lee Lawson. “Torres demonstrates remarkable talent through his emotional depth, creativity, and ability to tell a powerful story without relying on dialogue. We see tremendous potential here and look forward to working with Erick.”
Now in its 28th year, the Slamdance Screenplay Competition received 4,218 submissions from around the world and has awarded more than $450,000 in prizes to emerging filmmakers to date.
This year’s prize package includes:
- $10,000 Grand Prize
- $2,000 to each category winner
- A one-year membership to Roadmap Writers
- Complimentary legal services from Pessah Law Group, Official Sponsor and Festival Legal Counsel
- Script coverage from Sony Pictures Classics to the feature winner
The Slamdance Screenplay Awards honor the conviction that independent filmmaking remains one of the bravest acts in cinema—and there’s no better place to celebrate that spirit than together at AGBO. Since 2018, Slamdance and AGBO have partnered on the AGBO Fellowship, a mentorship program supporting bold, independent storytelling. Together, they remain committed to keeping doors open for the next generation of filmmakers.
