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. That's when Eugene decided to become 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. Bringing a commercial mindset shaped by a university degree in advertising, he focuses on high-concept, elevated genre mashups built for global appeal.
Eugene currently maintains a 75% global selection rate in festivals across his portfolio, headlined by over 100 awards and honors since mid-April 2026. 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. Recently, both scripts advanced as Semi-Finalists in the prestigious Outstanding Screenplays Feature Competition, successfully narrowing down a crowded field of 540 entries to the final 240.
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 1st Time Screenwriter (Cannes World Film Festival)
• 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)
• Gold Award: Feature Script (Milan 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.
"Escape to Alcatraz" anchors a planned trilogy, with its parallel sequel "Escape to Catalina" currently in active development.
His second screenplay, "7 D.B.S.," has also garnered widespread attention:
• Best Drama Script (New York International Film Awards - NYIFA)
• Gold Award: Feature Script (Hollywood Gold Awards)
• Gold Award: Feature Script (International Gold Awards)
• Silver Award: Feature Script (London Movie Awards)
• Best Fiction Writer (Festival de Indie)
• Best Feature Script (1st Monthly Film Festival)
• 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 100 awards and honors since mid-April 2026 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.
