THE DEFIANT ONE
HISTORICAL, INDIGENOUS, FEMALE-LED SCREENPLAY
THE DEFIANT ONE - Written by Veialu Aila-Unsworth
On a Pacific Island colony, an Indigenous girl accidentally gets her brother arrested and must save him from being executed.
"Recommend" in script coverage.
One of 10 screenplays chosen for The Black List's CAPE List ~ Second Round of the Sundance Development Track ~ The Black List x WIF Residence Longlist ~ Special Mention at UK Online Pitchbox.
WAR DANCER
HISTORICAL , FEMALE-LED, FEATURE SCREENPLAY & ONE-HOUR PILOT
WAR DANCER - Written by Veialu Aila-Unsworth
A teenage girl, forced into an arranged marriage, dreams of being a dancer, falls in love and must escape the Japanese invasion of Burma, World War II.
"Recommend" in script coverage.
BOMBAY BABY
DRAMA, INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY, IN-DEVELOPMENT
BOMBAY BABY - Written by Veialu Aila-Unsworth
While grieving from a great loss, a woman travels to India seeking solace — but when she’s swept into Mumbai’s glittering world of Bollywood stars and dreamers, she must confront the illusions of fame and the truths she’s been running from.
"This story exposes a very talented writer with a strong and clear story to tell."
New Zealand Writers Guild about THE DEFIANT ONE
"What a great piece! This was truly a pleasure to read. From structure, character development, world-building, dialogue – everything worked together effortlessly to immerse the reader in this sweeping war time romance."
Austin Film Festival Script Contest about WAR DANCER
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
"Epic in scope and intimate in emotion, “War Dancer” is an exhilarating story of romance, defiance, and dance. 8/10"
Barb Doyle, Extreme Screenwriting LA
*Top 2-5% of scripts
★★★★★
Recommend* in script coverage - THE DEFIANT ONE
Recommend* in script coverage - WAR DANCER
The Black List Reader (blcklst.com)
2024 Wellington UNESCO Creative City of Film Best Film Award
★★★★★
2024 Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival