Eugene Hattingh
- Writer
In 1995, the date January 30 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 an 80% global selection rate in festivals across his portfolio, headlined by over 150 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.
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. Key accolades include Best Horror Script and Best Comedy Script at NYIFA, Best 1st Time Screenwriter at both the Cannes World Film Festival and Oniros Film Awards, Best Feature Screenplay at the London Global Film Awards and Swedish International Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay at the Hollywood Blood Horror Festival, Best Screenplay at the South Film and Arts Academy Festival, and Gold Awards at the Paris, Milan, and International Gold Awards.
"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, earning Best Drama Script at NYIFA, Best Drama Screenplay at both the Berlin International Screenwriting Festival and Best Script Award London, Best Feature Script at the Independent Film Awards, and Gold Awards at the Hollywood and International Gold 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." Both scripts also advanced to the Semi-Finals at the Outstanding Screenplays Feature Competition.
Recently, his two short scripts have also been making waves at the international festival circuit, with both achieving a 100% selection rate so far.
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 150 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.
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 an 80% global selection rate in festivals across his portfolio, headlined by over 150 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.
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. Key accolades include Best Horror Script and Best Comedy Script at NYIFA, Best 1st Time Screenwriter at both the Cannes World Film Festival and Oniros Film Awards, Best Feature Screenplay at the London Global Film Awards and Swedish International Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay at the Hollywood Blood Horror Festival, Best Screenplay at the South Film and Arts Academy Festival, and Gold Awards at the Paris, Milan, and International Gold Awards.
"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, earning Best Drama Script at NYIFA, Best Drama Screenplay at both the Berlin International Screenwriting Festival and Best Script Award London, Best Feature Script at the Independent Film Awards, and Gold Awards at the Hollywood and International Gold 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." Both scripts also advanced to the Semi-Finals at the Outstanding Screenplays Feature Competition.
Recently, his two short scripts have also been making waves at the international festival circuit, with both achieving a 100% selection rate so far.
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 150 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.
