Short Screenplay AFIN 305
READING OF THE WILL
Written by Amanda Louise Lay
AFIN 2025 Winner
- 2025
-
Australia - English
- M
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Synopsis
Allison and Doug have a wonderful life except for one small problem, Allison’s grandma, Margaret. A cantankerous old lady who hates Doug and is determined to break them up. She guilts Allison into taking her on every holiday. She almost gets the last word by dying in Doug’s caravan in France. Doug recounts his tale of woe to the lawyer. The will is read. Doug discovers how much Margaret hated him. For Allison to inherit her money she must divorce Doug. Will she choose her marriage or the millions?
From the Judges
From the Judges
The writing crackles with a fresh, funny concept that turns something as ordinary as a will reading into an escalating comedy of errors. It struck the panel how vividly the characters come alive, their personalities shining through, while the flashback structure bounces across timelines and still makes clean, satisfying sense. This is a genuinely dark comedy that lands its laughs and its memorable, electric characters with a consistent, well-managed sense of chaos.
Writer's Biography
Amanda Louise Lay Writer
Amanda has been writing stories since she was in high school. Recently she had a couple of ten-minute plays short listed in the Short and Sweet Festival in Brisbane and Sydney. She was asked to write a play for a local theatre group. It is now being workshopped for the stage. In 2021 she applied to the Faber Write a Novel course with Teacher’s Pet and has completed stages one and two.
When she isn’t writing Amanda is a taxi for three children. She runs her own business but nowadays leaves that to her husband. Writing is a lot more fun.
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READING OF THE WILL was Winner of Best Short Screenplay at the AFIN International Film Festival 2025, a Top 100 Best Reviewed and IMDb-qualifying festival.
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