Article: Diverse Story Showcase

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Diverse Story Showcase

The Diverse Story Showcase recognizes scripts, books, short stories, & stage plays in any genre that feature a story with diverse elements.

2024 WINNER

IN DEFENSE OF THE REPUBLIC

written by Carter Williams

African-American Thomas Morris Chester serves as a war correspondent for the Philadelphia Press, and reports the firsthand accounts of Black fighting-men in the Civil War.

2024 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

A BRAND NEW DAY by Lissette Mehl

ALIEN EXODUS by Paul Murdock

BETTER ATE THAN NEVER by Jason Summerfield & Angel Garcia

COLLISION OF DUTY by J. Jermaine Jones

FOOLS GOLD by T.J. Morehouse

MY FAVORITE NARCISSIST (Pilot "Zip-Lock Gold") by Diane Thomassin & Michael Miceli

NOWHERE TO BE by Deirdre O'Connor

OMAKASE by Alena Alova

POCKETFUL OF MONDAYS by Lindsey Morrison Grant

SAFE PASSAGE GUARANTEED by Pete Torrey

STRAYS by Carlos Perez

THE CAREGIVER'S PLAYBOOK (Pilot) by Dylan Wood

THE DATING TRAP by Quinn Paul Dewsbury

THE GIRL FROM KRAKOW by Staton Rabin

THE SHAFT by Dennis J. Manning

THE SHROUD TRINITY by Frank McEvoy

THE TRIALS OF THOMAS(INE) HALL by Vaughn Roste

UNDERNEATH THE ROCK (Ni Abeokuta) by Bolaji Tijani-Qudus

WHY DADDY PLAYS THE BLUES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT by Jean W. Yeager

2023 WINNER

AL-IDRISI

written by Emma Whitcombe

In the 12th Century, a young Muslim travels throughout Northern Africa and Europe finally settling in Palermo, Sicily - where he uses his knowledge to create the most accurate map of the world, the Tabula Rogeriana.

2023 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

ASH by Dave Stockwell (based on the nonfiction book "Route 9 Problem: The Battle for Lang Vei" by Dave Stockwell)

BILLY AND GEORGE by Ken Jones and Darryl L. Harris

BUTTERFLIES & BUBBLEGUM by French L. Fraker, Jr.

DUKES by Tim Tuchrello (story by Mohamed Mirghahari & Scott Shepard)

FAMILY EMBERS (Le Brace di Famiglia) by Carlo Celestino Colecchia

FEED THE BRUTE by Corsica Wilson

GOING OM by Lissa Coffey & Shawn Parikh

HOW NOT TO WRITE A ROMANCE NOVEL by Suzy Stein and Fernando Perez

IN HYDING by Carlos Perez (based on the book "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson)

MAKING WAVES by Drew Larimore

MIRACLE CHIPS by Nikhail Asnani

MOKSHA by Saurin Lakhia

NONE by Bryan J. Ferguson (based on the novel "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie)

PISTOL CITY by Lee John

SANA by Michael Orton & Robert Aguilar

THE HEALER by Lonas Taylor

THE PRAYER WARRIOR by D. Tina Batten and Traci Wooden-Carlisle

THE UNTOUCHABLE STUDENT by James M. Freeman

WHAT DO WE DO NOW? by Kevo Aregbe

WHITE-WASHED by Navdeep Bains

ZOOM HIT (First Episode of SILVIA MORETTI, ATTORNEY AT LAW) by Laura P. Valtorta

2022 WINNER

TALIAFERRO

written by David J. Ibrahim

Booker T. Washington serves as president of Tuskegee Institute and founds the National Negro Business League.

2022 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

A FREE MAN by John H. Richo

A SCENT OF LILAC by Frances G. McCoy

AMERICA THE LAND OF THE FREE? by Kandis Heckler

ASH by Dave Stockwell (based on the nonfiction book "Route 9 Problem: The Battle for Lang Vei" by Dave Stockwell)

AT THE MERCY OF FAITH (Horror Version) by Samuel Lee Taylor

B IS FOR BISEXUAL (Diverse Love) by Laura P. Valtorta

BERMUDA by Jasmine Ogunjimi

BLACK JOCKEY: TALES OF A LEGEND by D'Jae Johnson

CHECK OUT DINER by Eamonn Eeles

DOCTOR DOSE by Erik Long

EPHEMERAL CHAOS by Kyle McCoy

FULL CONTACT by Dave Kraft

GIN AND ORANGE BLOSSOM by David Kaneen

ICE CREAM FOR SALLY by Clive Morris

I'M ASIAN TOO! by Jason Ng

LOVE BITES by Kevin M. Glover

PACT ARCANUM by Arshad Ahsanuddin & Toby Osborne (based on the book series by Arshad Ahsanuddin)

THE FACELESS by Adlinna Liang

THE FORGOTTEN BOROUGH by Jeff Ingber (inspired by the book "When the Forgotten Borough Reigned: The 1964 Little League World Champions" by Jeff Ingber)

THE GREAT PANDEMIC: A MYSTERY, COMEDY, LOVE STORY by Craig Von Eister

THE HARVARD FIVE by Stampp Corbin

THE ROAD TO BURGUNDY by Michael Le Blanc (based on the novel ""The Road to Burgundy" by Ray Walker)

THE TRUE STORIES OF ATLANTIS AND BEYOND by Mya C. Taylor

2021 WINNERS

CITY OF ANGELS

Written by Ernesto Jimenez

After getting fired from his dead beat job, low-life Miguel Solano struggles to prove his worth to himself while attempting to move in with his cousins and grandparents in one of the inner cities of South LA.

THE BLUEPRINT PROJECT

Written, Directed & Produced by Deo Mwano

A collection of stories inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s “What is Your Life Blueprint?”

THE LONG NIGHT

Written by Terry Aderholt

Unable to sleep, a young girl spends the night at her dad's house and keeps him awake all night.

THE REVOLUTION GENERATION

Written, Directed & Produced by Josh Tickell & Rebecca Tickell

A manifesto for today's youth on the societal forces that have shaped and held back their generation, and how they can deploy their unique strengths to revolutionize the political system.

2021 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

ACTING WHILE BLACK written & directed by Rokhaya Diallo, produced by Valerie Tubiana & Loic Bouchet

CELIBATE written by Sara Grace & Trevor O. Munson

DIVERSE CODE written by Erica Jacobs-Ware

ETHICAL NON-MONOGAMY written by Lulenoxx & Sara Kerr

FLIGHT OF THE SPARROW directed by Jeanette Miura & James Miura, written & produced by Jeanette Miura, James Miura & Anitra Smith

LUCHA & THE EKEKO: AN ADOPTION STORY written by Roger L. Edwards, Jr.

MARBACHUMENTARY directed & produced by Arturo Javier Mireles & Matthew Skinner

MARIA written & directed by Robert Burns, Produced by Robert Burns & Neil Anderson

NAVY MED written by Sharon C. Enujioke

NORTH BEYOND EAST written by Alex Farhandi

OUR WAY written by Joe Nieves

OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE written by Ivy Vale & Rick Reil

RETURN POLICY written by Joshua W. Dowdy

SASS AND TRAZ SAVE THE LIBRARY written by Michelle Worthington

T.W.I.N. written by Malaika Langa

TAKEN FROM WITHIN written by Michael Casey

TAL JONES: A BLACK OIL LEGACY written by Pamela J. Richardson (with story by Bernard Moore)

THE FACELESS written by Adlinna Liang

THE MAGICAL POWERS OF PROF written by Michael Wayne Wojcik

THE NEAR DISTANCE written by R.J. Matthew

THE PERFECT SEASON written by Cindy Hooper

THE STRESS HAT written by Rubina Mian & Omar Mian

TO BELONG directed by Nacho Trujillo, Sofia Nicolini Llosa & Julieta Maccarino, written & produced by Nacho Trujillo

TREASURE written by Kenneth Irby & Stephanie Santos

WEATHERED written by Tatsuya Suzuki

2020 WINNERS

BADAASS YELLAHBOY

written by Dylan Braud

An old, washed-up cowboy serving a life sentence competes in the prison rodeo to earn money to save his estranged lover’s life.

DEAD NAME (Second Chances)

written by Audrey Webb

A transgender detective and her partner work to solve homicides.

DRIVING ME DESI

written by Sai Saripella

After eloping with Padma, a woman raised in a traditional Indian family, Cody must endure karma as her traditional parents visit America for the first time, causing Cody and Padma's two kids to be torn between two very different cultures.

PACHUCOS

written by Robert M. Cuen

In 1979, Michael Garcia was out of the gang life, but like the low-rider oldies music that resonates in his life, he can't escape the violence in East Los Angeles.

PRESSURE POINT

written by Mia Thompson & Richard Blomberg

When an airliner full of diplomats is hijacked, a task force team has 48 hours to locate the missing women and children aboard before lives are lost and countries go to war.

SKULDIG

written by Andrew Matthew-Goth

A damaged woman and her cohorts take a family hostage and subject them to trial by social media, encouraging everyone to become judge, jury and executioner.

2020 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

AMERICAN HATE directed by Daniel Brea, written by Alexander Dean Williams, Shawn Parikh & Nellie Christine

AT THE MERCY OF FAITH written by Samuel Lee Taylor

BERMUDA written by Laura Puccia Valtorta

BLIND JUSTICE written by Ramona L. Taylor

BRUEHM'S CLOSET written, produced & directed by Ramona L. Taylor

DISCLOSURE written and directed by Chris English, produced by Chris English & Elena Altman

HEAVY (Pilot Episode) written by Collette Legault

INDIAN SUMMER written by Madhu Powar Garg

KARACHI DREAMS written by Alex Devereaux

KIDS STILL written by Robert C. Bonfiglio

LA LENGUAR written by Rob Fatal

LOTUS written by Saffy Laurio

METACOM (The Last King of America) written by Richard Guimond

MOLEHILL INTO MOUNTAIN written by Jaclyn Natoli

NO OTHER WAY (Chapter One: Public Diplomacy) written by James Dinkins

PHANTOM HEART written by Elijah Sarinana

PROJECT OMEGA (Pilot: Nina Blacke) written by P James Norris

RHYTHM & BREW (Bump in the Road) written by Nicole Chrysostom-Murray

STEERS AND AMIR written by Sai Saripella

STYLIST TO THE STARS written by Melissa Darch

TAMALE written by Leo Maselli

THE AMERICAN DREAM directed by Baldev Sandhu, written by Fernando A. Funes, produced by Valerie Vasilas

THE ART OF WORSHIP written, directed & produced by Ahmed Khairat

THE BIG IDEA written by DJ Schroeder

THE BROTHERS BOUDINOT (Annabel Lee and the Confederate Gold) written by Philip Lombardi

THE DIALOGUE directed by Cathrine Hatcher, written by Colin Ross

THE FORGE written by Howard W. Robertson

THE MOOR written by Andrew Matthew-Goth

THE OPEN WINDOW written by Marcia L. McNair

THE ROACH RISES written by Rhett C. Bruno & Christopher J. Valin

THREE SQUARED written by Frank Wood

2019 WINNERS

ARISTOCRAT MANOR

written by Robert L. Hopkins and Rob LaLoggia

After the investigation of his best friend's murder goes cold, quick witted juvenile delinquent Stephen "Live" Mitchell teaches himself to be a detective in order to bring a dangerous killer to street justice.

BATTLE CRIES

written by Karen M. Walker

An injured military veteran uses her love of the game to rise above tragedy and lead Marines on the battlefront once again.

2019 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

AKATEWA written by Jean-Marie Mazaleyrat, Edith Woi and Robin F. Gainey

AT THE MERCY OF FAITH written by Samuel Taylor

BEST INTEREST written by James Montague Freeman

BUDHI DIWALI directed and produced by Mela Ram Sharma, written by Rajendra Rajan

COYOTE directed by Marbet Marin, written by Marbet Marin, Nora Curran and Caitlin Sheridan, produced by Nora Curran and Alyssa Campbell

DEATH AT SEA written by Samuel Heath-Dray

ERASED written by Ambrealys Petonnet-Vincent, Camille Huot and Tasha Lann

FLYING BIRD'S DIARY written by Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel

I HAD A GREAT DAY written by Melissa Darch

JERUSALEM: A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE directed by Awad Joumaa

LIFE IN TECHNICOLOR written by Lisa Wood

POWER COUPLE written by DJ Johnson

PUSHOUT: THE CRIMINALIZATION OF BLACK GIRLS IN SCHOOLS directed by Jacoba Atlas, written by Monique Morris and Jacoba Atlas, produced by Denise Pines and Jacoba Atlas

SHE TOUCHED ME written by Timothy Wayne Folsome

SO FOREIGN directed by Trisha LaFache, written and produced by Mariana Brassaroto and Albina Katsman

THE BET written by Jorge Gonzalez

THE FORTUNATE written by Alyce Tzue

THE OPERATOR written by Huey Q. Pham and Jessica Petrucci

THE WAY HOME directed by Yiran Zhou, written by Yiran Zhou and Zheng Nie, produced by Summer Xinlei Yang

WHEREVER YOU ARE written by Marina Pereiro Davis

2018 WINNER

EXECUTION DAY

by Mike Reid

When the red phone rings during a death row convict’s last words, the voice on the other end is not the governor’s, but that of a kidnapper demanding the governor pardon the death row convict by midnight or the warden’s wife will be killed.

2018 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

AT THE MERCY OF FAITH by Samuel Taylor

BLACK JACK by Stephen Curran

BREAKING FAITH by Jocelyn Watkins

BURDEN OF COURAGE by Daron Ross

CATFISH AND THE CRABS by Sojean Peou

DESPOSYNI by Jean Galliano

GANG RUN by Dan Martinez

HUNTING MY EVIL TWIN BROTHER by Sojean Peou

MACAU OMEN by Tony Shyu

ORUPTION by Nehemiah Russell

PUPPET GIRL by Terry Southern, Taylor Negron and Abina Anthony-Davis

REVERSE DISCRIMINATION by Raynard Goodman

STUCK! by J.R. Diaz-Rios

THE ODDS: BODY REPLACEMENT GAME by Kyla Harris and Shannon Getty

2017 WINNERS

HALFWAY HOME

by David J Schroeder

A young man’s Ivy League scholarship is interrupted by a paralyzing accident and community service as a live-in supervisor in a halfway house for the mentally disabled.

MIXED

by Chris Moore

A mixed-race family navigates identity issue and stigmas living in a San Diego suburb.

VARIABLE

written & directed by Chris Valenziano
produced by Maurice Whitfield, Ryann Graye and Veronica Pettiford

A scientist working to discover the secrets of time travel gets a visit from a familiar face — himself, one day in the future. Now, he must follow his mysterious alter ego on a mission to correct the timeline he has created, forcing him to decide between himself, his family and the future.