First Screenwriters Lab-developed Film to be Produced Premieres and Wins Award, Featured in Variety

Mazal tov to Jewish Writers Institute alum Noam Ash on premiering his film Bookends, developed in the inaugural cohort of the Screenwriters Lab! Bookends premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in February andwon the festival's 2026 ADL Stand Up Award. Check out a recent Variety interview with Noam, who wrote, produced and stars in the film, about the film.

Bookends follows Nate, a gay, Jewish millennial who moves in with his grandparents in their retirement community after a bad breakup. When his grandfather shows signs of cognitive decline and his grandmother refuses to acknowledge her husband’s dementia, Nate is torn between fleeing or confronting family responsibilities, while navigating an unexpected romance with his grandparents’ handsome doctor.

We're so proud of Noam and honored to have played a role in bringing the project to life.