0/5

Writer Samantha Strauss honoured

Dance Academy co-creator is lauded by Australians in Film in Hollywood.

Screenwriter Samantha Strauss this week received the State of Escape Creative Creatures Award from Australians in Film in Hollywood.

Producer Bruna Papandrea (Big Little Lies) presented her with the award at Curtis Stone’s restaurant Gwen, recognising her achievements in television.

Strauss co-created Dance Academy, and created the upcoming series The End, and has credits including Mary: The Making of a Princess, Wonderland, Offspring, and more.

She is currently working on several projects with Bruna Papandrea, including Nine Perfect Strangers, The Last Anniversary, and feature film, The Dry. She’s also working on The Presidents Astrologer with British director, director John Madden, and an unnamed TV adaptation project with Tom McCarthy’s company.

“I’m blown away by this award and feel extremely grateful to AiF and all the work they do,” said Strauss. “I thank my lucky stars every day I’m a writer in this time and place where we’re finally able to tell stories about women who are brilliant and powerful and messy and flawed and… actually whatever the hell we want them to be. It’s a privilege to be part of a community of Boss Lady Creative Creatures, all committed to telling stories with complex women at the core.”

“Ever since we started the business we’ve been drawn to women in likeminded creative industries. Australian women in television, both in front and behind the camera, are doing ground breaking work globally which we want to celebrate and is the reason we’re here today,” said Brigitte MacGowan, Designer and Co-Founder of State of Escape.

The luncheon featured high-profile female creatives from all facets of the industry, including: Alice Bell, Writer, The Slap/ The Expatriates; Alison Bell, Creator/Actress, The Let Down; Alix Friedberg, Costume Designer, Big Little Lies; Anna Bingemann, Stylist; Brigitte MacGowan, Designer & Co-founder, State of Escape; Bruna Papandrea, Producer, Big Little Lies; Carly Mensch, Co-creator, Glow; Casey Haver, Made Up Stories; Chelsey Martin, Australian Consul-General; Harriet Dyer, Actress, The InBetween; Georgina Haig, Actress, Secret Bridesmaids Business; Imogen Banks, Producer, Sisters; Jenny Cooney, EVP, Bunya Productions; Jessica Knoll, Author, Luckiest Girl Alive; Justine Flynn, Director/writer, The Unlisted; Kara Buckley, VP TV Production, FOX Searchlight; Leila Gerstein, Creator/Writer, Hart of Dixie; Liv Hewson, Actress, Santa Clarita Diet; Liz Flahive, Co-creator, Glow; Lucy Coleman, Director/Writer, Hot Mess; Madeleine Parry, Emmy®-Nominated Director, Nanette; Meaghan Oppenheimer, Creator, Queen America; Pam Veasey, Writer/Executive Producer, LA’s Finest; Rachel Caris Love, Writer, Blindspot; Samantha Strauss, Writer, Dance Academy; Sarah Scheller, Creator/Writer, The Letdown; Simonne Overend, Chairman, Australians in Film; Simone Kessell, Actress, The Crossing; Terri Taylor, Casting Director, Blumhouse; Tess Sanchez, EVP Casting, FOX; and Tracey Robertson, Producer, Tidelands.

Leave a Reply