Safe Home, Episode 1

Judges' comments

This is a crisp and precisely written pilot episode script that starts with an office drama feel, but swiftly flicks into a murder mystery that focuses on people experiencing family violence. Built from Anna Barnes’ own experience working in family violence community legal centres, Safe Home, Episode 1 follows Phoebe, a young woman who leaves her communications job at a prestigious law firm to join an overwhelmed and underfunded family violence legal centre.

Barnes uses the protagonist as a fish out of water to show us what daily life is like for both the lawyers working in the Family Violence Legal Aid centre and their clients interacting with the system. This episode’s storylines also include an older woman devastated by an escalation in abuse and control from her highly respected, recently retired husband. Barnes manages the moves between storylines beautifully, ensuring that one propels and interweaves with the other in emotionally logical ways that do not intersect, yet remain true to theme. These storylines effectively juxtapose two different facets of family violence — the horrific mundanity of harm embedded in the plodding nature of daily legalities and the urgent complexity of lived experience.

The judging panel unanimously recognise this distinctively crafted story and commend Barnes for the skill and care with which she has handled this difficult subject matter.