Congratulations to Our 2024 TV Fellowship Winner, Matija Šraj!

We’re thrilled to introduce our 2024 TV Fellowship winner, Matija Šraj, whose winning original comedy pilot, QUEENMAKER, impressed us with its unique, irrepressible voice. In QUEENMAKER, when a drag queen running for Australian parliament as a fake candidate is accidentally elected, he has to overcome his own toxic tendencies, inept housemates-turned-staffers and constant media scrutiny to try and change politics for the better.

As this year’s TV Fellowship winner, Matija receives free tuition and housing for this year’s retreat as well as a private advisory session at the retreat with all the mentors, who include working Hollywood agents, managers, producers, development executives, showrunners, and other pros. In addition, Matija receives a cash prize of $1,000 and a 12-month fellowship program with two of our mentors.

Matija Šraj is an emerging Australian/Slovenian screenwriter and stand-up comedian based in Melbourne, Australia. With a lifelong obsession for storytelling, Matija has had a circuitous pathway to screenwriting – from being a mentor in an Aboriginal school in the outback, to working in refugee and conservatorship law, and even training as a fitness instructor.

Immediately prior to his screenwriting journey, Matija worked in media/communications in federal politics for the Australian Greens, including as an adviser to a senator and one of the party’s lead advisers for Australia’s 2017 marriage equality campaign.

Matija mostly writes LGBTQI+ and multicultural stories with several original spec pilots and features in development. He works in TV writers’ rooms including on shows for Amazon Australia and Australian streaming service Stan.