🏆 Contest & Fellowship Calendar
🔴 Within 30 Days
Austin Film Festival — Screenplay Competition
Feature & Short categories • Entry: $50-70 • Genre: All
Notable alumni: Brian Helgeland, Trey Edward Shults
Mar 3, 2026
ISA Fast Track Fellowship
TV & Feature writers • Entry: Free with ISA membership • Access to industry mentors
Recent success: 2024 winner signed with CAA within 6 months
Mar 10, 2026
🟡 Within 3 Months
Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting
Academy-sponsored • Entry: $85 • The gold standard for unproduced screenwriters
Winners receive $35,000. Past fellows: Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich), Ehren Kruger
Apr 15, 2026
PAGE International Screenwriting Awards
10 genre categories • Entry: $59-79 • Strong industry visibility
Winners receive $25,000 cash + management/agent meetings
Apr 30, 2026
BlueCat Screenplay Competition
Feature & Short • Entry: $50-70 • Written analysis on every entry
Grand prize: $25,000. All entrants get feedback.
May 1, 2026
🟢 Within 6 Months
Sundance Screenwriters Lab
Highly selective • Free to apply • Intensive mentorship with established writers
Alumni: Dee Rees, Ryan Coogler, Destin Daniel Cretton
Jun 15, 2026
SXSW Film Festival — Screenplay Competition
Episodic, Feature, Short • Entry: $55 • Festival exposure + industry networking
Strong launchpad for indie filmmakers
Jul 2026 (TBD)
Film Freeway — Top 100 Reviewed Festivals
Ongoing deadlines vary • Use Film Freeway to search by deadline, genre, and budget
Key: Filter by "Screenplay" category, sort by review rating
Rolling
📊 First-Timer Spotlight
Data on contest winner career trajectories coming soon — tracking signing rates, staffing rates, and production credits post-win. This will help you prioritize which contests deliver real career outcomes vs. just a trophy.
Data on contest winner career trajectories coming soon — tracking signing rates, staffing rates, and production credits post-win. This will help you prioritize which contests deliver real career outcomes vs. just a trophy.