The annual Screenwriters Lab, which brings together rising screenwriters and established creative voices for a weekend one-on-one mentorship, returns to East Hampton to celebrate its 25th year. The 2025 lab features mentors including producer Dan Janvey, whose past work includes Nomadland, an Academy Award-winning film for Best Picture in 2021; playwright, novelist and screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes, who most recently wrote the Luca Guadagnino-directed films Challengers, starring Zendaya, and Queer, starring Drew Starkey; and Rachel Shukert, executive producer and showrunner of the series Nine Perfect Strangers and executive producer on The Handmaid’s Tale, among many other Broadway, television and literary credits.
This year’s selected screenplays for 2025’s lab are Lullaby by Aliza Brugger, Halloween 1999 by Keaton Ventura and The Mirex by Pepi Ginsberg. Artistic director David Nugent noted, “After reviewing this year’s submissions, we were impressed by how these three projects stood apart with their originality and fresh storytelling. We’re also pleased to have three esteemed creative voices to assist in fostering and mentoring the next generation of creative talent.” Through pairing these three screenwriters with hands-on mentorship with acclaimed industry talent, the lab continues to champion fresh voices.
HamptonsFilm will also present The Mirex screenwriter Pepi Ginsberg with the 2025 Melissa Mathison Award. Established in 2016 and named for the late, beloved Oscar-nominated screenwriter, the award strived to foster the continued development of female writers in the industry. The recipient will receive access to a casting director and a staged reading of their project in New York City. hamptonsfilmfest.org