The date January 30, 1995, marked a turning point for Eugene Hattingh: Brad Pitt was named Sexiest Man Alive, and Eugene’s three-year reign was officially over. Decades later, having suffered through the trauma of dealing with his fading good looks, tragedy struck again...he broke a nail while cleaning out a closet. That's when Eugene decided it was time to pivot toward something more productive. He became a writer.
On a more serious note:
Eugene Hattingh is a multi-award-winning screenwriter specializing in character-driven narratives across several genres, including Comedy, Drama, Romance, Horror, and Science Fiction.
Eugene currently maintains a 71% global selection rate in festivals across his portfolio, headlined by over 30 awards and honors in 2026 alone. His versatility was on full display at the New York International Film Awards™ (NYIFA), where he secured a multi-genre sweep—winning Best Horror Script and Best Comedy Script for "Escape to Alcatraz," while "7 D.B.S." took home Best Drama Script.
His work has garnered widespread international acclaim, with his award-winning screenplay, "Escape to Alcatraz," consistently placing at the top of the global festival circuit. Some awards include:
• Best Horror Script (New York International Film Awards™ - NYIFA)
• Best Comedy Script (New York International Film Awards™ - NYIFA)
• Best Horror Script (Oniros Film Awards® - New York)
• Best 1st Time Screenwriter (Oniros Film Awards® - New York)
• Gold Award: Feature Script (Paris Film Awards)
• Gold Award: Feature Script (International Gold Awards)
• Silver Award: Feature Script (London Movie Awards)
• Best Screenplay Winner (South Film and Arts Academy Festival)
• Best Horror Screenplay (World Class Film Awards)
• Best Writer (Tamizhagam International Film Festival)
• Feature Script (Bangkok Society of Film CRITICS' AWARD)
• Best First Time Screenwriter (Festival de Cine Auto Cine El Sur Mutxamel)
It is also a finalist at the Berlin International Screenwriting Festival, as well as advancing through the final rounds as a Dual Nominee at the Cannes World Film Festival.
His second screenplay, "7 D.B.S.," has also garnered widespread attention:
• Best Drama Script (New York International Film Awards™ - NYIFA)
• Best 1st Time Screenwriter: Honorable Mention (NYIFA)
• Gold Award: Feature Script (Hollywood Gold Awards)
• Special Jury - Best Script (Reels International Film Festival)
• Best Feature Script (Mei International Film Festival)
• Outstanding Achievement Award (Tamizhagam)
The project also holds Official Selections at the New York Movie Awards and the Florence Film Awards. Notably, Eugene dominated the recent South Film and Arts Academy Festival circuit, where his scripts represented two of the three Finalist spots, ultimately leading to a "Best Screenplay" win for "Escape to Alcatraz."
With a background as a 14-year Navy Veteran, Eugene brings a unique combination of structural precision and emotional resonance to his work, ensuring his scripts perform at an elite level across global festival circuits.
Having secured over 20 awards in a single year has finally taken away some of the sting of losing "Sexiest Man Alive" to Brad Pitt. The broken nail, however, remains a much tougher tragedy to overcome.
