Bessie's Place
A conservative Catholic widow, her outspoken maid, and a gay theatre designer in 1930 San Francisco become destitute after the stock market crash. When they open a male brothel, it sets them, and the young men who work there, on an unexpected journey of transformation -- in this sexually liberated comedy-drama.
“Bessie’s Place was a charming, unique, and fully compelling script that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. The writing creates such a palpable and vivid group of characters, and I became fully invested in their journeys and arcs. It was one of the most entertaining reads I’ve had so far.” -- Academy Nicholl Fellowships
"Very impressive! A great cast of characters whose personalities fly off the page... love the friendship between this unlikely group of characters that adds so much heart to the story." -- Script Reader Pro
“This is such a fun script, with a strong premise, memorable characters, a propulsive plot, and themes that feel totally pertinent to a contemporary audience.” -- Screencraft Comedy Competition
“A lighthearted, feel-good comedy romp with a lot of heart and a diverse cast of characters... a thoroughly fun read with delightful turns of dialogue and compelling, universal themes.” – Shore Scripts
“An entertaining, original story featuring colorful characters in a unique setting. The ensemble will appeal to A-list actors looking for something fresh in today’s saturated marketplace.” -- Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards
“A thrilling, character-driven story that would have a long-lasting impact on viewers. A perfect match for indie companies such as A24. The film could become a serious contender for awards.” -- Golden Script Competition
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Adam SandelWriter
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Project Type:Screenplay
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Number of Pages:106
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Language:English
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First-time Screenwriter:No
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Student Project:No
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Digital Cinema Package:Unavailable
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Table Read My Screenplay Competition Hollywood 2024Hollywood, CA
August 28, 2024
Top 10 Finalist -
Academy Nicholl Fellowships 2024Los Angeles, CA
Quarter Finalist -
San Francisco International Screenwriting Awards 2024San Francisco, CA
Finalist -
The Golden Script Competition 2024
Quarterfinalist -
StoryPros Awards 2024
Quarterfinalist -
Cannes Film AwardsCannes, France
June 15, 2025
Best Comedy Screenplay
Adam Sandel is an Emmy-nominated screenwriter and playwright who’s had more than 20 productions of his plays performed internationally. He wrote, produced, and directed the satirical web series The Gay Husbands of San Francisco which is streaming on Comcast, Pluto, Oasis TV, and YouTube.
His musical Watch Me Shine (with Richard Link) earned Sandel and Link Certificates of Honor from the City of San Francisco and the California State Assembly.
His play Love Life was performed at L.A.'s Mark Taper Forum Lab, Paramount's Chicago Theatre Project, and a television production of Love Life won several Chicago Emmy Awards and a special nomination for Sandel.
Stage productions include This is Not My Life (Magic Theater), musicals Gideon’s Dream (Vienna, Austria, JCCSF and Dominican University), and Dream World (San Francisco State University).
Screenplays include Bessie’s Place, F***boys, The Makeover Man, My Wild and Secret World *, and Dave’s New World* (Best Screenplay, Canadian Diversity Film Festival and Platinum Winner, LGBTQ Unbordered International Film Festival). TV pilots include It Had to Be Lou (Winner, San Francisco International Screenwriting Competition), and Medium Raya*.
* Honorable Mention - Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards