Biography for
Caitlin McCarthy (II) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

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Born in Tampa, Florida, and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, Caitlin McCarthy received her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Emerson College, which is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best graduate programs in the country. An award-winning screenwriter at international film festivals and labs, McCarthy has two projects in development: "Wonder Drug" with director Tom Gilroy ("Spring Forward") and producer Vanessa Hope ("The Imperialists and Still Alive!"); and "Resistance" with director Si Wall ("Marbella Nights"). In addition to screenwriting, McCarthy serves as an English teacher at an inner-city high school. Prior to education, McCarthy worked in public relations, where she fostered relationships with the press and crafted messages for companies that were delivered worldwide.

Trivia

Ernest Hemingway is her favorite author.

While Irish-American, McCarthy is also of Acadian descent. She is a 7th great-niece of Rene LeBlanc, the notary immortalized by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his poem "Evangeline".

McCarthy's older sister Erin attended her senior prom with Jay Lyons, one of the firefighters who died in the Worcester Cold Storage blaze on December 3, 1999.

Crowned senior prom queen at Worcester Academy, alma mater of legendary composer Cole Porter, Sixties icon Abbie Hoffman, and "Durango Kid" Charles Starrett.

McCarthy's great-great-uncle Dick Loftus played major league baseball for two seasons (1924 and 1925) with the Brooklyn Robins, precursor of the Brooklyn Dodgers. One would think that McCarthy would root for NY in light of this, but she is a born-and-bred Red Sox fan.

McCarthy's great-aunt Jodi Sheehan was a professional psychic who once dated famed pro-wrestler Killer Kowalski.

Named after Caitlin Thomas, author and widow of celebrated poet Dylan Thomas.

Oscar-nominated director Matia Karrell is one of McCarthy's mentors.

Her father was a Captain in the Air Force and attached to the NSA (National Security Agency) during Vietnam.

Musician Jess Klein thanks Caitlin in the liner notes of her album "City Garden" (2006).

McCarthy's script Vera won MafiaFest 2006's screenplay competition in Hollywood, California on November 8th. MafiaFest 2006 featured creative works, from short films and videos to stand-up comedy and live musical performances. The event was sponsored by the Emerson Mafia, a non-profit, independent group started by dedicated Emerson College alumni to promote networking and creative support.

McCarthy's script "Wonder Drug" won acceptance into the prestigious 2007 Hamptons International Film Festival's Screenwriters' Lab, co-sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. "Wonder Drug," a scientific drama, was selected as an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation script. Fellow participants in Lab included John Buffalo Mailer ("With Prejudice"); Geoffrey O'Connor ("The Experiment"); and Pawel Grajnert ("The Anatomists" - an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation script).

McCarthy's script VERA won the 2007 Buffalo Niagara Film Festival's Screenplay Competition.

Her script "Free Skate" won the 2007 Indie Gathering award for Best Drama/Sports Feature Script.

Her confirmation name was Ursula. St. Ursula is the patron saint of students. Coincidentally, McCarthy became an urban high school English teacher as an adult.

Her script Vera was chosen as a winner of the Atlanta Film Festival's 1st Annual Screenplay Competition.

Two of her scripts -- Vera and Wonder Drug -- were finalists in the 2008 Cinequest Screenplay Competition, a historic first for the highly competitive Cinequest. Vera went on to win second place.

Personal Quotes

I've always believed that work conquers all. You can never, ever give up on your dreams. They will come true if you work hard, make your own luck, and never stop believing in yourself.

Writing has always been fun for me. The best days, though, are when I write the first page and last page. I love when everything's a possibility and when all of my hard work has paid off with a completed draft.

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