FTM’s Adam Smoluk and veteran film producer Juliette Hagopian have been awarded selection to the International eQuinoxe Screenwriting program that is taking place in Central Europe in October 2016.
“Adam Smoluk and Juliette Hagopian are an exceptional creative team, and FTM wishes to congratulate them on this prestigious accomplishment.” Said FTM Executive Director Neila Benson.
Smoluk’s new feature length screenplay CHANCE TO SURVIVE was selected to the International Screenwriters Master Class, which is exclusive to experienced screenwriters. Selection is globally competitive and judged by an international jury based on the merit of the writer’s submitted screenplay. Smoluk and Hagopian’s project is the only screenplay from the Americas to be selected to the program this year.
“We’re very fortunate 
to be selected to this excellent program and I’ve appreciated the many years of encouragement from our province’s outstanding media production organizations. Film Training MB, Manitoba Film & Music, the National Screen Institute of Canada, ACTRA MB and the Winnipeg Film Group have been outstanding supporters.” Said Adam Smoluk. During the program, the selected screenwriters develop their works with filmmakers from different cultural and professional backgrounds, leading to creative breakthroughs and the potential for co-financing.
Smoluk serves as a Program Manager at FTM and was youngest person ever selected to the National Screen Institute of Canada’s Features First Program and he is the first screenwriter ever to be shortlisted for the John Hirsch Award for Most Promising MB Writer.
His debut film, HORSETHIEVES was awarded the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film at the Winnipeg International Film Festival. His second feature film, FOODLAND was broadcast on Super Channel and selected to the Gem selections for critically acclaimed films. FOODLAND was acquired by Shaw and premiered on the Independent Film Channel (IFC).
He was a recipient of the Future Leaders of MB award; he was awarded an Investors Group scholarship for leadership studies at The Banff Centre, he was awarded the MB Federation of Labour’s Al Cerilli scholarship, a scholarship to attend the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Program and an RBC Foundation scholarship to attend governance training with the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Smoluk is an honours graduate of Red River College’s HR Management and Management Development programs and studied on scholarship at the British American Drama Academy at Oxford University.
Since 2001 eQuinoxe Europe has supported the screenwriters and producers of 140 projects. To date, 47 projects have been produced, 19 of them have been awarded international prizes, 4 of them have been the country’s candidate to the Academy of Motion Pictures for Best Foreign Film, and 1 film received the Academy Award for Best Picture. eQuinoxe Europe supports 18 projects per year.