Cardiff-shot film wins Best Screenplay at US film festival

Stephen Price

New psychological thriller, Bravado, which was filmed in some of Cardiff’s most iconic locations has won Best Screenplay at the prestigious FilmQuest Festival in the United States, following four nominations.

Co-written by Welsh actor & filmmaker Luca Malacrino and director Alex Hanno and filmed across Cardiff and Los Angeles, the win adds another major accolade to the film’s growing success on the international festival circuit.

Welsh editor, Warren Blackmore, was also nominated for Best Editing.

Bravado follows Amy Erickson, played by Caitlin Morris, an ambitious screenwriter whose breakthrough script brings her into the orbit of acclaimed but troubled film director Patrick Lombardi, played by Malacrino. As their creative relationship develops, the thriller explores ambition, obsession and the pressures of creating something extraordinary.

For Welsh audiences, the film also offers familiar locations, including Cardiff city centre, Cardiff Bay and the much-loved family restaurant Giovanni’s on The Hayes, owned by Luca’s father, Giovanni Malacrino, since 1983.

The FilmQuest screening gave the filmmakers a particularly special opportunity to see Cardiff on the big screen in front of an international audience.

Luca Malacrino said: “The most incredible part, besides the four nominations and the win, was how well the audience truly connected with the film. Seeing parts of Cardiff on the screen at FilmQuest was one of the coolest experiences ever.”
Director and co-writer, Alex Hanno said:

“There is something undeniably ironic about winning a Best Screenplay award for a script about a screenwriter striving to write a great screenplay. It was an incredible honour to be nominated alongside such compelling and innovative films at one of the top genre festivals in the world and we can’t thank FilmQuest enough.”

Actress Caitlin Morris added: “FilmQuest was an unforgettable experience. Bravado is truly a love letter to screenwriters, so to hear the subjects of our adoration respond with laughter, gasps, groans, tears and cheers was downright thrilling”.

The latest award adds to an impressive run for Bravado, which has already screened at several major US festivals, including the Oscar-Qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival, Julien Dubuque International Film Festival and Stony Brook Film Festival, in addition to its Hollywood premiere at Dances With Films: LA, where it screened at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre.

 

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The film has also attracted attention from US entertainment publications, with The Hollywood Times describing it as “the Black Swan of scriptwriting” and Deadline praising the ambition behind the project.

And after making its mark across the United States, Bravado will make its voyage back to Wales, with a special Cardiff screening planned for January 2027. Luca added: “I can’t wait for Welsh audiences to see the film, especially the scenes featuring my dad and his restaurant, which so many people in Cardiff will recognise!”

The film’s Welsh producer, Rebecca Hardy, says the award is also a celebration of international collaboration: “It shows what Welsh and US filmmakers can accomplish when we collaborate. We’re incredibly proud of this film, and can’t wait to bring Bravado home to Wales in January.”

Full details of the Welsh screening are yet to be announced, but audiences can follow the film’s journey and get the latest screening news on Instagram: @bravadofilmofficial

With its latest international award, Bravado continues to put Cardiff and Welsh filmmaking talent on the global stage, demonstrating what can be achieved through collaboration between Welsh and US filmmakers.