Jacqueline Elyse Rosenthal’s Untested Rape Kit Drama ‘Backlog’ Wins Stage 32 & Catalyst Studios’ Empowering Women Script Contest
17.02.2024 - 17:29
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: L.A. filmmaker Jacqueline Elyse Rosenthal has won the first edition of Stage 32 and Catalyst Studios’ Empowering Women Script Competition for her social impact film Backlog.
The drama is inspired by the real-life U.S. Senate Hearing to end the national backlog of millions of untested rape kits.
It follows a young college sexual assault victim who becomes a key witness. After years of reclaiming her life following a brutal attack that was never brought before the courts due to an untested rape kit, she musters her strength to be a voice of hope for women globally.
Rosenthal will receive a $5,000 option and be eligible for up to $3 Million in financing for the film from Catalyst Studios.
She will also be mentored by outgoing Berlinale Managing Director Mariette Rissenbeek, who will be taking on some development and production projects following her departure from the festival at the end of this year’s edition.
The winning feature project expands Rosenthal’s award-winning 2023 short film of the same name, which won the Oscar-qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival and was also in the selection of the Emerging Filmmakers Showcase at the American Pavilion in last year.
Rosenthal is a recent graduate of USC’s Masters in Fine Arts in Film and Television Production. She is repped by 3 Arts Entertainment.
She was among 11 finalists selected from more than 1,000 scripts submitted to industry training platform Stage 32 & Catalyst Studios’ Empowering Women and Non-Binary Script Development Program from 37 countries.
“We are blown away by the incredible talent that came in from around the world from the Stage 32 community,” said Stage 32 Managing Director Amanda Toney.
“It was clear that Backlog is a story that