This lovely glass trophy came in the mail last week. I almost didn’t expect it even though I’d been notified of the win. But the Vienna Script Awards operated differently from most awards bodies and film festivals I know by inviting me to submit for free – somehow they had heard of me and my script through the grapevine – and then promptly awarding me their top prize and offering to send me their trophy for free, from Austria nonetheless (some awards bodies will send you a certificate of winning but make the trophy an optional item you pay for yourself, or at least ask you to pay for the shipping yourself.)

So to achieve recognition with absolutely no monetary strings attached from submission to statuette, that is something to note. Thank you, Vienna Script Awards!

But what is “Prelude to a Death”, the script that won the award? This is the first time I mention this project on my blog. But I have been working on this original feature length script – a gothic ghost story unlike anything you have heard before – for a while, and am now ready to shop it around, as they say.

Which has included submitting the work to a handful of festivals / awards groups that accept unproduced screenplays. The response so far has been pretty good. Here is a handful of additional award certificates (if not tangible trophies) “Prelude to a Death” has received:

Robinson Film Awards

SILVER WINGS SEASON 6 SCREENPLAY WINNERS

one of three scripts nominated by Cinema Carnival

Meanwhile, Vienna Script Awards asked me to send them a picture of me with the trophy.

This is what I sent (using both trophy and phone as infinity mirrors):

UPDATE: Two articles in on-line magazines discuss the Vienna Script Awards and the Best Feature prize for “Prelude to a Death”:

“The highlight of the season was the announcement of the 2025 winners. The award for Best Feature Length Script went to “Prelude to a Death” written by Danny Ashkenasi, a captivating and poetic exploration of mortality and the human condition.” (https://ventsmagazine.com/2025/04/17/vienna-script-awards-announces-2025-winners-and-opens-call-for-new-submissions/)

“The festival proudly announced this year’s winners recognizing screenwriters whose work stood out for its emotional depth originality and craftsmanship. “Prelude to a Death”, written by Danny Ashkenasi, was honored as Best Feature Length Script for its poetic intensity and compelling narrative arc.” (https://theinscribermag.com/voices-from-around-the-world-shine-at-vienna-script-awards-2025/)