SeriesFest unveils ‘Potluck Ladies’ & ‘Breakthrough’ among Awards winners

Potluck Ladies

Canadian scripted show Potluck Ladies and a documentary exploring what happens when elite athletes are forced to end their sporting careers were among the stand-out winners at this year’s Independent Pilot Competition at SeriesFest in Denver.

Potluck Ladies explores how three women living in the suburbs of Toronto with their children turn to each other for support while their husbands work in other countries.

It has been written, directed and produced by Shazia Javed, with Natasha Krishnan, Elisa Moolecherry and Kavita Musty starring.

Breakthrough, from director JaMar Jones, took the unscripted prize, with its exploration of how athletes face identity crises and depression after a life-altering event results in their removal from the sport on a professional level.

Jared A. Johnston is writer, with LaTonya Joyce, Jenahye Johnson and Alexis Chinery producing, and D’joun Smith among cast.

The comedy prize, meanwhile, went to Broken Toilets from director and writer Jesse Toledano. It tells the story of a young Hassidic man tasked to take care of his father-in-law’s buildings in a low-income, mostly black outer borough of New York City.

The story tracks how his secret love of hip hop leads him to forging an unlikely musical trio who set off to make a demo record.

Those behind the three shows receive a cash prize and a development deal, with SeriesFest’s awards also honouring Problematic as the winner of the Digital Shorts prize. Miracle Wood took the Late Night category and The Haunting of Trisha Lozada secured the Pitch-A-Thon prize.

The awards wrapped up the 10th edition of the fast-growing SeriesFest, which is into its 10th edition this year.

A raft of US and international execs were in attendance, ranging from UCP and Universal International Studios president Beatrice Springborn and Shondaland creative partner Betsy Beers, to Mark Duplass and Mel Eslyn, who were behind recent Netflix pick-up Penelope.

“Our Independent Pilot Competition embodies the very essence of SeriesFest and aligns with our core mission – to champion independent artists,” said Randi Kleiner, CEO and co-founder of SeriesFest.

“With 10 seasons under our belt, we’ve been able to establish a platform for showcasing up-and-coming creators, providing them with an outlet to amplify their voices and share their projects with industry executives, established on-screen talent and below-the-line creatives. This year’s winners represent the future of television and we could not be more excited to celebrate their success.”

Docuseries Breakthrough also took the Level Forward Impact Award, securing $5,000, as well as receiving support from the Caz Matthews Fund.

The Colorado-based supporter of SeriesFest awarded the unscripted show, as well as This Boy’s Vida (Made In America), Hard to Swallow and The Doug Heir Story, with a one-time financial donation from the Caz Matthews Fund.