From Unknown To Greenlit: The Screenplay That Broke The System
“We’re going for the rafters.”
We are thrilled to announce that The Waif — the breakout winner of Kinolime’s 2024 Screenplay Competition — has officially found its director. BAFTA-nominated filmmaker Stephen Fingleton (The Survivalist, Nightride) is set to helm the project, bringing his unique vision to Adam Hampton’s genre-bending script. Voted on by the public, The Waif is slated to head into production later this year.
Kinolime’s debut screenwriting competition made waves in 2024, with The Waif clinching the top prize — earning an option and a production deal. The crowd-powered, meritocracy-based contest drew hundreds of submissions, with screenwriters and cinephiles casting votes based on anonymous scripts and table read podcasts. In a final showdown, just three scripts advanced to a public vote, where audiences cast the final ballot.
Fingleton, known for his intense, grounded visual style, didn’t hesitate when he read the script:
“It was a really well done story about grief told in the vernacular of a horror film. I think the most interesting stories are being told in the horror genre so was immediately interested. Adam (Hampton) writes very rich characters grounded in reality and the female antagonist is a really complex and interesting role.”
Already working hard to bring his vision, Fingleton added:
“The material was immediately cinematic but I needed to find a way in to make sure I could tell the story in a way personal to me. Eventually, I found a way in that really excited me and everyone at Kinolime.”
When pressed on what Kinolimers and cinephiles can expect from his vision, Fingleton promised a bold, uncompromising take: “I think we’re going to bring something really new to audiences. There are some ideas and concepts in the film that the audience will not have seen. We’re taking a big swing with the approach. We’re going for the rafters.”
The writer, Adam Hampton, shares that excitement — and a deep respect for what comes next: “I am excited with the partnership of Stephen Fingleton with “The Waif.” This guy is highly decorated and hungry and passionate and I’m just sort of at the edge of my seat, waiting to see how his vision of the script plays out… I’m really enthusiastic to see how he interprets this story of horror and loss and redemption with his formidable skill set.”
The project now moves into development — and with it, a major validation of Kinolime’s model. Hampton agrees: “Kinolime has not only offered a life-changing opportunity for me, and for “The Waif,” but they’re bringing me along for the ride… Winning this contest is the kind of validation that shrinks words, honestly. And watching this come together has been exciting beyond measure. I can’t wait for what’s next.”
For more about our director, check out these quick links:
