I'm a Kiwi screenwriter based in Tokyo, recently a 2026 Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices and 2025 Creative Screenwriting Feature and TV pilot semi-finalist. I write intimate noir thrillers about morally gray characters navigating fault lines between corruption and survival. Across my work, I explore what happens when ordinary people are forced to make extraordinary moral choices. My tone is psychological, atmospheric, and emotionally grounded, more concerned with the why behind the crime than the crime itself. I'm also a dad to two growing boys of mixed ethnicity whose ears I suspect are painted on, but they love to eat.
  • Writer (20 Credits)
    208
    Screenplay
    BOBBY KNUX
    Screenplay
    CASTLEPOINT
    Screenplay
    CHANTING MILLIONS
    Screenplay
    DIVISION 9
    Television Script
    FEATHERSTON
    Screenplay
    FIFTH STREET
    Short Script
    FLY BY NIGHT
    Television Script
    HANA
    Screenplay
    JOSHI
    Short Script
    MIDWAY
    Screenplay
    OUTLAW
    Screenplay
    SHEARWATER
    Screenplay
    TAKAO
    Screenplay
    THE ADVOCATE
    Television Script
    THE CLEANER
    Screenplay
    THE CONVERSATION
    Short Script
    THE NEW RIGHT
    Television Script
    THE ROAD
    Screenplay
    VOLK
    Television Script
  • Director (1 Credit)
    THE TERRACE
    Television Script
Official Selection
TAKAO
Our Time Film Festival
2026
Nominee
TAKAO
Med Screen Arts Screenplay Competition
Malta
2026
Quarter Finalist
TAKAO
Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards
California
2026
Finalist
FEATHERSTON
West Lothian Film Festival
England
2026
Semi-Finalist
FEATHERSTON
Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition
California
2026
Nominee
FEATHERSTON
Med Screen Arts Screenwriting Competition
Malta
2026
Quarter Finalist
TAKAO
Emerging Screenwiters Screenplay Competition
California
2026
Quarter Finalist
HANA
Emerging Screenwriters Thriller Screenplay Competition
California
2026
Official Selection
HANA
ICJ International Film Festival
Lviv
2026
Nominee
FLY BY NIGHT
Digital Griffix Film Awards
Montreal
2026
Quarter Finalist
THE ADVOCATE
Emerging Screenwriters Drama Screenplay Competition
California
2026
Nominee
THE ADVOCATE
Wolf Media Festival
Florida
2026
Best Feature Script
CASTLEPOINT
Rameshwaram International Film Festival
India
2026
Semi Finalist
CASTLEPOINT
Rameshwaram International Film Festival
India
2026
Quarter Finalist
CASTLEPOINT
Rameshwaram International Film Festival
India
2026
Nominee
FLY BY NIGHT
Prague Film Festival
Prague
2026
Quarter Finalist
FLY BY NIGHT
Outstanding Screenplays TV Pilot Competition
2026
Official Selection
VOLK
FESTIVAL ANGAELICA
California
2025
Finalist
BOBBY KNUX
Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival
Athens
2025
Official Selection
BOBBY KNUX
Bangkok Movie Awards
Bangkok
2025
Official Selection
HANA
Sugarloaf Film Festival
New York
2025
Honorable Mention
HANA
INTERDEPENDENT Studio 1
California
2025
Official Selection
HANA
FESTIVAL ANGAELICA
California
2025
Finalist
BOBBY KNUX
Bangkok Movie Awards
Bangkok
2025
Film Critic's Award
BOBBY KNUX
Bangkok Movie Awards
Bangkok
2025
Official Selection
BOBBY KNUX
FESTIVAL ANGAELICA
California
2025
Honorable Mention
BOBBY KNUX
INTERDEPENDENT Studio 1
California
2025
Official Selection
BOBBY KNUX
Sugarloaf Film Festival
New York
2025
Official Selection
FLY BY NIGHT
FESTIVAL ANGAELICA
California
2025
Quarter Finalist
FLY BY NIGHT
Creative screenwriting TV pilot competition
America
2025
Semifinalist
FLY BY NIGHT
Creative screenwriting TV pilot competition
California
2025
Semi Finalist
FLY BY NIGHT
Hollywood Just4 Shorts Film and Screenplay Competition
Hollywood
2025
Official Selection
FIFTH STREET
FESTIVAL ANGAELICA
California
2025
Official Selection
FIFTH STREET
API International Festival
Romania
2025
Official Selection
FIFTH STREET
Blue Eye Screenplay Competition
New York
2025
Finalist
TAKAO
Honor Film Festival
2025
Official Selection
TAKAO
FESTIVAL ANGAELICA
California
2025
Best Feature Film Crime Screenplay
TAKAO
Cannes 7th Art Awards
Cannes, France
2025
Quarter Finalist
TAKAO
Manchester Film Festival Screenplay Competition
Manchester, England
2025
Honorable Mention
TAKAO
INTERDEPENDENT Studio 1
California
2025
Quarter Finalist
TAKAO
Creative screenwriting feature screenplay competition
America
2025
Semi Finalist
TAKAO
Creative screenwriting feature screenplay competition
California
2025
Official Selection
TAKAO
API International Festival
Romania
2025
Official Selection
TAKAO
Lumiere International Film Festival
2025
Quarter-finalist
TAKAO
Page Turner Screenplays
Santa Monica
2025
Official Selection
TAKAO
Gil International Screenwriting Awards
2025
Official Selection
TAKAO
Folkestone Film Festival
Kent, England
2025
Honorable Mention
THE CLEANER
INTERDEPENDENT Studio 1
California
2025
Official Selection
THE CLEANER
API International Festival
Romania
2025
Official Selection
THE CLEANER
Gil International Screenwriting Awards
2025
Best Action Screenplay
THE CLEANER
Gil International Screenwriting Awards
2025
Official Selection
CHANTING MILLIONS
FESTIVAL ANGAELICA
California
2025
Honorable Mention
CHANTING MILLIONS
INTERDEPENDENT Studio 1
California
2025
Official Selection
CHANTING MILLIONS
Sugarloaf Film Festival
New York
2025
Honorable Mention
CHANTING MILLIONS
Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival
Athens
2025
Official Selection
JOSHI
API International Festival
Romania
2025
Official Selection
JOSHI
Hollywood International CINEVERSE Screenplay Awards
California
2025
Official Selection
JOSHI
Blue Eye Screenplay Competition
New York
2025
Semi Finalist
JOSHI
New York Script Awards
New York
2025
Official Selection
THE NEW RIGHT
Gil International Screenwriting Awards
2025
Quarter Finalist
THE NEW RIGHT
The Great Pitch Competition
California
2025
Nominee
THE NEW RIGHT
Digital Griffix Film Awards
Montreal
2025
Honorable Mention
THE NEW RIGHT
Macoproject Film Festival
New York
2025
Official Selection
CASTLEPOINT
API International Festival
Romania
2025
Honorable Mention
CASTLEPOINT
INTERDEPENDENT Studio 1
California
2025
Official Selection
CASTLEPOINT
Bangkok Movie Awards
Bangkok
2025
Finalist
CASTLEPOINT
Bangkok Movie Awards
Bangkok
2025
Best Feature Screenplay
FEATHERSTON
Sugarloaf Film Festival
New York
2025
Official Selection
FEATHERSTON
Sugarloaf Film Festival
New York
2025
Semi-finalist
FEATHERSTON
Peshawar International Film Festival
Pakistan
2025
Official Selection
FEATHERSTON
Peshawar International Film Festival
Pakistan
2025
Official Selection
FEATHERSTON
API International Festival
Romania
2025
Best Feature Script
FEATHERSTON
Rohip International Film Festival
India
2025
Official Selection
FEATHERSTON
Rohip International Film Festival
India
2025
Honorable Mention
FEATHERSTON
INTERDEPENDENT Studio 1
California
2025
Official Selection
FEATHERSTON
FESTIVAL ANGAELICA
California
2025
Official Selection
FEATHERSTON
Gil International Screenwriting Awards
2025
Best Crime Screenplay
FEATHERSTON
Gil International Screenwriting Awards
2025
Official Selection
FEATHERSTON
Flight Deck Film Festival
New York
2025
Finalist
FEATHERSTON
Berlin International Screenwriting Festival
Berlin
2025
Quarter Finalist
FEATHERSTON
The Great Pitch Competition
California
2025
Official Selection
SHEARWATER
FESTIVAL ANGAELICA
California
2025
Honorable Mention
SHEARWATER
INTERDEPENDENT Studio 1
California
2025
Finalist
SHEARWATER
Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival
Athens
2025
Official Selection
THE CLEANER
FESTIVAL ANGAELICA
California
2025
Quarter Finalist
CASTLEPOINT
The Great Pitch Competition
California
2025
Honorable Mention
FLY BY NIGHT
WideScreen Film and Music Festival
Toronto, Canada
2024
Quarterfinalist
FLY BY NIGHT
WideScreen Film and Music Festival
Toronto, Canada
2024
Official Selection
FLY BY NIGHT
Austin International Screenplay Awards by CINEVERSE
Texas
2024
Finalist
FLY BY NIGHT
Dubai International Cineverse Screenplay Awards
Dubai
2024
Finalist
FIFTH STREET
Dubai International Cineverse Screenplay Awards
2024
Official Selection
FIFTH STREET
Scriptify
2024
Finalist
VOLK
Hollywood International CINEVERSE Screenplay Awards
Hollywood
2024
Official Selection
TAKAO
Tokyo Lift-Off Film Festival 2024
Tokyo
2024
Official Selection
TAKAO
Dubai International Cineverse Screenplay Awards
2024
Quarterfinalist
TAKAO
Emerging Screenwriters Suspense Screenplay Competition
2024
Official Selection
TAKAO
Flight Deck International Film Festival
New York
2024
Finalist
TAKAO
Clown International Film Festival
Paris
2024
Best Feature Screenplay
TAKAO
Flight Deck Film Festival
New York
2024
Finalist
TAKAO
London International Cineverse Film Festival
London
2024
Best Feature Screenplay
TAKAO
Hong Kong International Cineverse Screenplay Awards
Hong Kong
2024
Finalist
TAKAO
Chatham-Kent International Film Festival
Canada
2024
Best Original Screenplay
TAKAO
Sugar Loaf Film Festival (SLFF)
New York
2024
Finalist
TAKAO
Paris International Film Festival by CINEVERSE
Paris
2024
Award Winner
TAKAO
Scriptify
2024
Best International Writer
TAKAO
Hollywood International CINEVERSE Screenplay Awards
Hollywood
2024
Feature Script
TAKAO
Hollywood International CINEVERSE Screenplay Awards
Hollywood
2024
Official Selection
TAKAO
Script Mind Screenwriting Awards
2024
Finalist
HANA
Hollywood International CINEVERSE Screenplay Awards
Hollywood
2024
Birth Date
June 26, 1978
Current City
Tokyo
“The first draft of anything is shit.”
— Ernest Hemingway
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Résumé & Attachments
  • James Sutherland Screenwriting Resume
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Résumé & Attachments
  • James Sutherland Screenwriting Resume
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