Three Burned Bodies Screenplay Wins Award at Out On Film in Atlanta

The upcoming short film Three Burned Bodies has won Best Short (Unproduced) Screenplay at Out On Film in Atlanta, United States. The project received the award during the screenplay development stage, before the film enters production. The prize includes a cash award of $250.

The screenplay is co-written by Slovak screenwriters Erik Jasaň and Terézia Čikoš, alongside Pakistani screenwriter Javaria Waseem.

The film is inspired by cases of Romani women who entered marriages of convenience with Pakistani men in exchange for financial compensation. During our research, we came across the story of two Romani women whose relationship was torn apart by such an arranged marriage. This story became the starting point for our screenplay.

"In the film, we explore how economic insecurity influences personal decisions and relationships. We are particularly interested in situations in which people must choose between their own values and the possibility of securing better living conditions. Rather than passing definitive judgment on the characters, we want to understand the circumstances that lead them to make these choices."

— Erik Jasaň, screenwriter

Further Achievements

The award in Atlanta follows several previous achievements for the project. Three Burned Bodies received the Distribution Award in the Make It Short competition at the FEST – New Directors | New Films Festival in Espinho, Portugal. The project was also presented in a pitching session as part of the Talent Lab at the Reykjavík International Film Festival and was shortlisted for MIDPOINT Shorts 2025–26. The screenplay's development has been supported by the Slovak Audiovisual Fund.

The film is currently still in the screenplay development stage. Together with producer Hynek Spurný, we are continuing to develop the project and explore opportunities for international co-production.