Robbie Robertson
"The Invalid"

The Invalid Synopsis: : After a hip replacement leaves her stranded on a remote coastal island, formidable widow Roslyn Davis hires a charismatic young caregiver to help her recover. But Hope’s unorthodox therapy quickly turns invasive, controlling, and dangerous. As a hurricane cuts off all escape, Roslyn uncovers the truth: Hope is the daughter she secretly erased from her husband’s life decades earlier. Trapped together, caregiver and patient become predator and prey in a psychological war fueled by betrayal, buried guilt, and the cost of rewriting the past. THE INVALID is a tense, character-driven thriller about power, identity, and the lies we tell to survive.

Robbie Robertson is a playwright and screenwriter, and a graduate of UCLA’s Professional Screenwriting Program. His debut short film as writer/director, Whistler’s Mother, premiered at Screamfest, won the Audience Award at the Crimson Screen Film Festival, and was funded by an SC Indie Grant. His short Common as Red Hair—addressing intersex bodily autonomy—was an Austin Film Festival finalist with a live table read and went on to screen internationally at festivals and cultural institutions worldwide. Robbie has received two South Carolina Artist Fellowships, staged a sold-out NYC adaptation of Satan in High Heels, and earned finalist recognition from AFF, BlueCat, Cinequest, Del Shores Foundation Writers Search, and others. His latest feature comedy, Jamestown Boys, is currently optioned. Follow his journey on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

Jameson L. Black
"ANIMALS ~or~
We Just Want Love..."

ANIMALS ~or~ We Just Want Love... Synopsis: Matty and Dion are high school best friends in a small Texan town in 2008. Matty’s abusive home life keeps him at Dion’s family’s trailer-home, despite Dion’s Mother expressing disdain for the boy. Dion’s status as the star pitcher for the baseball team makes him much more popular than Matty, who is known as the “gay outsider”. Despite this, they discover that they have feelings for each other, but must keep their secret hidden. Dion and his addict-mother struggle with the recent loss of his sister, Sadie, and his father in a car accident that has mysterious circumstances surrounding it.

Jameson L. Black (They/He) is a Dallas-based actor and playwright who is a senior at SMU getting their B.F.A. in Acting, and who has an Associates Degree from TJC. They also recently spent time as an apprentice with The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. He often writes about the struggles of the lower class, love, and the feeling that one belongs elsewhere. He is incredibly grateful that The Del Shores Foundation chose their script ‘ANIMALS ~or~ We Just Want Love…’ for The Playwriting Award, which is a story they feel many will relate to, understand, and love. You can find them on on Instagram.

Eric Gustafson
"Do You Take This...?"

Do You Take This...? Logline: After arguing about attending a possibly dangerous event, two husbands are caught in a tragic attack that leads to a shocking reveal.

Eric Gustafson is a Richmond, Virginia-based screenwriter who has written screenplays and short stories most of his life. He is a lover of science fiction, foreign cinema, 80s pop culture, giant robots, and cute dogs. He lives in Richmond, Virginia with his husband and is honored to have his first professional screenplay “Do You Take This?” be included with the Del Shores Foundation award recipients. Contact him on Instagram.