James Elazzi

James Elazzi is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and director whose bold, emotionally resonant work amplifies marginalised voices. He is the recipient of the 2024 Martin-Lysicrates Prize, the ANZ Tomorrow Makers Award, and the Panavision Award for his short film Seeds of Gold. His work has received three consecutive NSW Premier’s Literary Award nominations, multiple Sydney Theatre Award nominations, the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award, and shortlistings for the Silver Gull Play Award, and the 2026 Carlo Annoni International Playwriting Prize. In 2024, he was Assistant Director on Holding the Man at Belvoir St Theatre. His second short film, Seeds of Gold, exploring Lebanese migration, won the 2024 Panavision Award and has screened at eight international festivals. His debut film Yannis (2022) was selected for over 17 global festivals and won Best Performance at the LGBTQ+ Los Angeles Film Festival, alongside multiple nominations and awards. James' sold-out stage works include Saints of Damour (Qtopia Sydney), Karim (National Theatre of Parramatta), Son of Byblos (Belvoir 25A), Lady Tabouli, Queen Fatima, and Omar and Dawn. Through bold storytelling, he continues to push boundaries and amplify diverse narratives.