The 2017 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards announced their shortlist and the screenplay for SUCKER is nominated for the Betty Roland Prize for Scriptwriting.
Lawrence Leung and Ben Chessel’s film SUCKER, a coming-of-age con artist movie, impressed the judges whom described the script as “a playful approach to narrative conventions without ever undermining our connection to its memorable, multifaceted characters. Amid the fun and games, it is surprisingly wise on matters of identity, trust and love.”
The full shortlist:
The Code, Series 2 Episode 4 (Shelley Birse)
Sucker (Lawrence Leung and Ben Chessell)
Down Under (Abe Forsythe)
The Kettering Incident, Episode 1 (Victoria Madden)
Afghanistan: Inside Australia’s War, Episode 3 ‘We All Have To Get Home’ (Victoria Midwinter Pitt),
Cleverman, Episode 5 ‘Terra Nullius’ (Michael Miller)
The co-winners: The Code & Down Under
Read the Judges Comments about the Sucker script
SUCKER began as a one-man stage show written/performed by Lawrence Leung that received the Best Solo Show Award at the 2001 Melbourne Fringe Festival. Over the years, it was adapted as a screenplay, co-written by Lawrence and director Ben Chessell. The completed feature film stars veteran British actor Timothy Spall and newcomers John Luc and Lily Sullivan. SUCKER the movie premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival, was the winner of Best Narrative Feature Award at the St Lawrence Film Festival and was nominated for Best Screen Adaptation at the Australian Writers Guild Awards.
Watch the FULL MOVIE streaming online