Shia LaBeouf, who got to the quarterfinals of the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards for up-and-coming screenwriters two years ago for his script for last year’s “Honey Boy,” has now entered a second contest for aspiring scribes. And won.
Earlier this month, the Sun Valley Film Festival declared LaBeouf’s “Minor Modifications” the winner of its High Scribe award — which offers him “one-on-one meetings with some of the industry’s finest to discuss their work” as well as “mentoring from an experienced professional.”
The victory by LaBeouf — who has starred in dozens of films, including last year’s “Honey Boy” — has led to frustration and confusion from other emerging screenwriters, questioning both how a festival focused on helping undiscovered talent could award a star like LaBeouf, and why someone with the actor’s name recognition would even enter such a program in the first place.