After studying and embodying universal laws since she was young, Australian writer, Joanne Bellew, believes wholeheartedly that there is an unlikely hero in every person. She is passionate about writing comedic and dramatic films that show people's brave, and sometimes hilarious, paths to enlightenment. She loves to travel and, while living in Australia, has spent a significant amount of time in the USA. Her favorite screenwriting retreat was in South Africa in 2022 on the Screenwriters Safari where she chose Dan O'Shannon of Modern Family as her mentor.
All of Joanne's projects have received a significant number of awards.
Her short film 'Un Violon', about a young boy in Paris who braves his insecurities to heal his village through music during the pandemic, has made #1 on Coverfly's Red List for Family Shorts, Top 10 in the Roadmap Writers Shorts Competition, and semi-finalist in the Page Awards.
Her rom-com/buddy comedy feature 'Rudy's Christmas Revenge', about a loving Christian single dad who discovers that going rogue against his faith to exact revenge on an old rival only makes him the villain, has won various faith-based and comedy competitions, has appeared in The Blacklist Quarterly Top List several times and has made Quarterfinalist in the Page Awards.
Her civil-rights drama feature 'The Bracelets', about a young white girl and her Black best friend who fight a town and stand for a Black man wrongly accused of murder, made Top 10 in the Final Draft Big Break and Quarterfinalist in the Page Awards.
Her rom-com feature 'Mojo', about a young Haitian girl desperate to keep the home of her voodoo queen grandmother following her death, has won in various competitions, made Second Rounder at the Austin Film Festival, Quarterfinalist in The Page Awards, and Top 50 in the Roadmap Writers Feature Comp.
Her dramedy feature 'Saving Simon', about a reckless young woman forced to prove to social services that she is responsible enough to care for her young autistic brother, has won various competitions and reached semi-finalist in the American Zoetrope.