Belinda Chayko

Judges' comments

Belinda Chayko is the hidden gem of Australian screenwriting – or should we say was the hidden gem – these days she is one of the busiest screenwriters in this country. Her subject matter often centres on the profound, unresolved events of our time – going to war, surviving bushfires, rescuing refugees – events whose consequences ripple across time. In Fires, Safe Harbour, Prosper, Stateless, Secret City, Fighting Season and more, Chayko’s writing seamlessly merges the political and the personal. She tells gripping stories that explore morally complex ideas and characters. Who is right or wrong is never as important as truthful explorations of how people behave under pressure, and what their decisions say about them. And nothing is more important than their humanity. 

The judges had no hesitation in naming Chayko as the most deserving recipient of the 2024 Mona Brand Award. Chayko’s rigorous, contemporary and very moving body of work is also absolutely aligned with the life and aims of the late Mona Brand.