With feedback sent on every single entry, 13Horror.com is back with THE go-to contest for horror screenwriters and film-makers!

The categories for the contest are:
1) Feature-length screenplays
2) Short screenplays
3) Feature-length movies
4) Short movies

The contest includes feedback on every single entry from one of our Hollywood judges explaining how screenplays or films did against the judging criteria. This is an extremely popular feature of our contest and is on of the reasons why our contest is recognized by screenwriters and film-makers as one of the best contests in horror.

Our Hollywood judges include Andrew Hannon, editor of the international best-selling 'Thirteen' horror anthologies and writer of several critically acclaimed screenplays, films and stage plays, including Stage Fright, Creepy Hill and CarnEvil.

FEATURE-LENGTH SCREENPLAY CONTEST
One grand prize winner will receive:
- $1,000.00
- Professional publication of their screenplay, including a professional cover design and royalties for life
- The coveted 13Horror.com Golden Skull award
- A letter of introduction from 13Horror.com
- A framed winner’s certificate
- A horror movie model
- A place in the 13Horror.com Hall of Fame

Second and third place winners will receive:
- $500.00 and $350.00
- Professional publication of their screenplay, including a professional cover design and royalties for life
- The coveted 13Horror.com Silver Skull award
- A letter of introduction from 13Horror.com
- A framed winner's certificate
- A horror movie model
- A place in the 13Horror.com Hall of Fame

10 x additional winners will receive:
- Professional publication of their screenplay, including a professional cover design and royalties for life
- A winner’s certificate including their laurels
- A place in the 13Horror.com Hall of Fame

SHORT SCREENPLAY CONTEST
One grand prize winner will receive:
- $500.00
- Professional publication of their screenplay, including a professional cover design and royalties for life
- A letter of introduction from 13Horror.com
- A framed winner’s certificate
- A place in the 13Horror.com Hall of Fame

Second place and third place winners will receive:
- $300.00 and $200.00
- Professional publication of their screenplay, including a professional cover design and royalties for life
- A letter of introduction from 13Horror.com
- A framed winner's certificate
- A place in the 13Horror.com Hall of Fame

10 additional winners will receive:
- Professional publication of their screenplay, including a professional cover design and royalties for life
- A winner's certificate
- A place in the 13Horror.com Hall of Fame

In addition to the above winners in both screenplay categories, entrants who score highly enough to qualify as Finalists will be eligible for exclusive discounted publishing packages and awarded Finalist laurels.

FEATURE-LENGTH FILM
Laurels will be awarded for: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor & Best Actress, Best Horror Baddy and Best Special Effects

SHORT FILM
Laurels will be awarded for: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor & Actress, Scariest Moment, Best Horror Baddy and Best Special Effects

Selected films will also be offered distribution via 13Horror.com's Amazon Prime distribution channel.

Winning screenplays and films will be chosen based on the following criteria:

(i) originality
(ii) story
(iii) characterization
(iv) presentation
(v) overall impression

Feedback will be sent on every single entry to each writer and filmmaker regarding their respective work as soon as a judge has completed their review. The deadline for entries is August 5th 2023. Screenplays and movies selected as finalists and winners will be announced on August 15th 2023.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Dane Benko

    Submitting my short script to the 13Horror.com contest was a great experience. I received meaningful, thoughtful feedback that enabled me to push my idea further and see how it read to people outside my network, which is invaluable. My script Shroomery didn't do too bad either, making it to finalist! I appreciate the communication and opportunity to share my work.

    May 2023
  • Great festival, with great films, and lots of creative love being shared here. Quick and prompt communication. Thanks for the consideration!

    May 2023
  • Fantastic festival! Loved that they pointed out parts from my script they thought were clever! I will be definitely entering again in the future!

    April 2023
  • Sergei Protasov

    Thank you for your appreciation of the film "The Seer" and for the pleasant personal communication!

    April 2023
  • I recently had the pleasure of participating in the 13HORROR.COM Film & Screenplay Contest, where both my short screenplay, "Straw on the Camel," and feature screenplay, "The Shadow PPL," reached the finalist stage. The contest provided an incredible opportunity to showcase my work and connect with fellow horror enthusiasts. The organizers were highly professional and the competition itself was well-structured, offering a platform for emerging and established screenwriters to gain recognition and valuable feedback on their scripts.

    One aspect of the contest that I particularly appreciated was the feedback process. I received prompt and insightful feedback on my short screenplay, which helped me identify areas for improvement and further develop my storytelling skills. While it took a bit longer to receive feedback on my feature screenplay, this was understandable given the longer format and the number of submissions the contest received. Overall, I am grateful for the experience and the chance to have my work evaluated by industry professionals. The 13HORROR.COM Film & Screenplay Contest is undoubtedly a valuable resource for any screenwriter looking to refine their craft and gain exposure in the horror genre.

    April 2023