Diablo Cody
After completion of her book, Cody was encouraged by Mason Novick to write her first screenplay. Within months she wrote "Juno", a coming-of-age story about a teenager's unplanned pregnancy. The Jason Reitman-directed comedy stars Ellen Page and Michael Cera.
Giada Colagrande
Colagrande made three short films: “Carnaval” (1997), “Fetus – 4 brings death” (1999), and “n.3” (2000). In 2001, she wrote, directed and starred in her first feature film, "Aprimi il Cuore" (Open My Heart), which opened at the Venice Film Festival 2002, and then was selected by many international film festivals, such as the Tribeca Film Festival 2003, in competition, and Paris Cinéma 2003, where it won the award Prix de l’avenir. Colagrande was also nominated for Best New Director at the Silver Ribbon 2003. Open my Heart was released in Italy by Lucky Red and in the USA by Strand Releasing.