First Place
JOURNAL OF A DINKA BOY
By Jomo Merritt  
Albany, GA
Occupation:  I am currently a doctoral candidate in Education attending Argosy University in Chicago
Logline: In Sudan, a young boy whose tribe is decimated, writes of his and his brothers’ road to survival.

What or who was your inspiration for JOURNAL OF A DINKA BOY?

After watching movies like “Hotel Rwanda” and “Sometimes in Apri,l” whose themes both deal with the issue of genocide. I felt that there was a story that needed to be told about the mass murder of innocent Christians that had been going on in Sudan for years.

How did you come up with the idea for the script?

I had been interested in the Lost Boys of Sudan for a while and God had placed the idea in my heart to write a story about it so  I just went for it. I also became even more motivated to write the script after learning about  the other genocides that had taken place throughout history such as;  The Armenian Genocide in Turkey, The Jewish Holocaust in Europe and the on-going conflict in Darfur, Sudan.

How long did it take for you to write the screenplay?

It took me three years to write he script because a lot of research was involved.

What were some of the challenges you faced during the writing process?

My biggest challenge in my writing process was time. I had to learn to multi-task because at the time I was working two jobs and going to two different colleges at the same time so it was hard tying to stay on task and continue the flow of ideas.

Do you have formal training as a screenwriter?

I don’t have any formal writing as a screenwriter. I have had some writing coaches in the past that helped me here and there but to be honest practice makes perfect, the more you write, the better you get.

Have you won other contests?

Journal of a Dinka Boy has garnered the following honors:

Winner, 2008 Illinois International Film Festival, St. Charles, Ill
Honorable Mention, 2009 Mexican International Film Festival, Rosarito, Mexico
Finalist, 2009 Beverly Hills Film Festival, Los Angeles, CA
Finalist, 2009 Charleston International Film Festival, Charleston, SC
Honorable Mention, 2008 August Sun Film & Television Festival, Studio City, CA
Official Selection, 2008 Independent European Film Festival in Paris, France
Official Selection, 2008 Queens International Film Festival, New York, NY
Finalist, 2008 Cinema City International Film Festival, Toluca, CA
Finalist, 2008 London Independent Film Festival in London, England
Finalist, 2008 Peachtree Village International Film Festival, Atlanta, GA
Finalist, 2008 Blazing Quill Student Screenwriting Competition

What are your words of advice for other writers who are dealing with Christian themes?

To be honest, I always pray and ask the Lord what to write, about so I would say seek his mind first before you do anything and just trust him even if he has you to take some risk.