We're proud to present our 3rd Annual Palm Springs Women in Film & Television + Stage 32 Short Script Competition!

Open to Short Scripts!

Grand Prize Winner Gets Your Short Screenplay PRODUCED for a GUARANTEED budget of $10,000!

Great short films captivate audiences with concise storytelling, compelling characters, and emotional resonance in a brief yet impactful narrative. Getting your short script produced is the quickest way into the industry. Many famous writer/directors have started with short films like Damien Chazelle with WHIPLASH, Wes Anderson with BOTTLE ROCKET, Taika Waititi with TWO CARS, ONE NIGHT, Christopher Nolan with DOODLEBUG, Jane Campion with PEEL, and Martin Scorsese with THE BIG SHAVE. The list goes on... and with this competition, we hope the same success for you.

That is why our Grand Prize is your Short Screenplay PRODUCED for a GUARANTEED budget of $10,000 just like these films!

In honor of screenwriters everywhere, Palm Springs Women in Film & Television (PSWIFT) has partnered with Stage 32 to launch our one-of-a-kind Short Script Competition open to filmmakers from all countries from around the world, centered on the theme of Sports, the Outdoors, and Mental Health.

The competition is open to writers of all backgrounds and experience levels, the competition invites bold, original short scripts that explore how physical activity, nature, and teamwork impact mental wellbeing. Stories may address themes including resilience, healing, identity, burnout, grief, trauma recovery, inclusion, and the power of human connection—set in any sport or outdoor environment worldwide.

“Storytelling has the power to heal, connect, and create understanding,” said Kim Waltrip, Founder of the Filmmakers Lab. “This competition is about amplifying stories that show how sports and the outdoors can play a meaningful role in mental health, resilience, and hope. We’re excited to partner with Stage 32 to give writers a platform to share these important and deeply human stories.”

Stage 32 CEO Richard Botto added, “At Stage 32, we believe in storytelling that creates impact. Partnering with PSWIFT on a competition focused on sports, the outdoors, and mental health allows us to support writers who are tackling vital conversations through universally relatable experiences. These stories have the power to resonate far beyond the page.”

The winning script is guaranteed production, with a production value of $10,000, and will receive a premiere at the HollyShorts Film Festival, screen at the Garden State Film Festival, and air on ZPTV, a ROKU channel, offering filmmakers a rare opportunity for both high-profile festival exposure and broadcast distribution.

The winning script will be produced by PSWIFT’s Filmmakers Lab. The Filmmakers Lab has produced five short films, four are award-winning and the fifth is in post production, and a season of a variety talk show, “PS After Dark” starring Tristan Rogers.

The members of the Lab will judge the projects and the winner will be announced July 10th. The winning script will be produced in the Winter of 2026.

Important Dates to be Aware Of

Super Early Bird Deadline: February 5th, 2026

Early Bird Deadline: February 26th, 2026

Regular Deadline: March 18th, 2026

Final Deadline: April 15th, 2026

Quarterfinalist Announcement: May 29th, 2026

Semifinalist Announcement: June 12th, 2026

Finalist Announcement: June 26th, 2026

Winner Announcement: July 10th, 2026

If you have any questions regarding this contest, check out frequently asked questions here or email contests@stage32.com.

Awards & Prizes

Our Grand Prize Winner will:

-- Have your short screenplay produced by Palm Springs Women in Film & Television for a guaranteed budget of $10,000!

-- Have your completed project screened alongside the Stage 32 Short Film Program at our partner festival Hollyshorts Film Festival and the Garden State Film Festival!

-- Have your completed project streamed on Roku's ZPTV

-- Receive a free membership to the Stage 32 Writers’ Room, a private, virtual community of writers from around the world the meet and learn from industry professionals like Meg LeFauve (INSIDE OUT, CAPTAIN MARVEL) and Aimee Riviera, VP of Motion Picture Production at Skydance Media (TOP GUN: MAVERICK), Tripper Clancy (STUBER) and managers & agents from WME, CAA, Gersh, Circle of Confusion, Zero Gravity & more!

-- Free access to Stage 32’s educational webinar library, which includes over 3,000 hours of content featuring top industry professionals

All 10 Finalists will:

-- Receive an exclusive, one page of written coverage from one of Stage 32's professional industry readers.

-- Get a free one month membership to the Stage 32 Writers’ Room,a private, virtual community of writers from around the world the meet and learn from industry professionals like Meg LeFauve (INSIDE OUT, CAPTAIN MARVEL) and Aimee Riviera, VP of Motion Picture Production at Skydance Media (TOP GUN: MAVERICK), Tripper Clancy (STUBER) and managers & agents from WME, CAA, Gersh, Circle of Confusion, Zero Gravity & more!

About Palm Springs Women in Film & Television:

Palm Springs Women in Film & Television (PSWIFT) is a nonprofit organization, founded in 2001, dedicated to empowering, promoting, educating and nurturing its members – both women and men – involved in the entertainment, communication and media industries. PSWIFT is also focused on educating, inspiring and bringing in more production work to the Coachella Valley.

Rules & Terms

Rules & Requirements

Submitted scripts must be narrative in genre (drama, comedy, family, thriller, or inspirational).

Please make sure that your entry adheres to the following requirements:

Short Scripts should be within 3 - 15 pages.
All scripts must be written in English.
Story location must be conducive to the Palm Springs Area.
We welcome submissions from screenwriters and filmmakers from all countries around the world.
Material submitted must be written and owned by the person submitting.
All entries must be original, with writers retaining full rights to their work.
There is no age limit. All ages can enter.
There is no limit on the number of scripts a writer may submit. You are allowed to submit as many entries as you like with a respective fee for each entry.
Palm Springs Women in Film & Television claims no ownership of your work. All ownership and rights to the scripts submitted to this competition remain with the original rights of the person(s) that submitted.
Palm Springs Women in Film & Television will act as a Production Company for a Short Film project. Therefore Palm Springs Women in Film & Television will have the final call on funding, cast, crew, and edit of the Short Film.
All decisions of Palm Springs Women in Film & Television are final. By applying to this competition each participant agrees to hold Palm Springs Women in Film & Television our judges and sponsors immune from any competition disputes, claims, liabilities, and expenses

Important Dates to be Aware Of

Super Early Bird Deadline: February 5th, 2026

Early Bird Deadline: February 26th, 2026

Regular Deadline: March 18th, 2026

Final Deadline: April 15th, 2026

Quarterfinalist Announcement: May 29th, 2026

Semifinalist Announcement: June 12th, 2026

Finalist Announcement: June 26th, 2026

Winner Announcement: July 10th, 2026

If you have any questions regarding this contest, check out frequently asked questions here or email contests@stage32.com.

ENTRANT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Void where prohibited by law.

This Stage 32 Contest is an international contest.

Entrant agrees to Stage32.com terms and conditions.

This Stage 32 Contest is not a game of chance. All material is read and reviewed by industry professionals.

All quarterfinalists, semi-finalists, finalists and winners are subjectively determined by our judges.

There is no limit to the number of screenplays an Entrant can enter. The same screenplay cannot be submitted multiple times under different names. If so, you will be disqualified.

Entrant must not be an immediate family member or friend of any of the judges or their respective companies.

Entrant acknowledges that because of the judges' and mentors' position in the entertainment industry they receive numerous submissions of ideas, formats, stories, suggestions and the like and that many such submissions heretofore or hereafter received by them are similar to or identical to those developed by them or their employees or, if an agent, are otherwise available to them.

Entrant acknowledges that they will not be entitled to any compensation because of the use by judges or mentors of any such similar material.

Entrant acknowledges that no fiduciary or confidential relationship now exists between Entrant and judges or mentors, and Entrant further acknowledges that no such relationships are established between Entrant and judges or mentors by reason of this contest entry.

Entrants must submit screenplays and payment online.

Entrants must upload their submission within 72 hours of entry purchase.

Entry fees will not be returned or adjusted.

No waivers are available for this contest.

SCREENPLAY TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Screenplays should be written in English and in standard industry format.

The rights to the Entrant’s screenplay should not have been previously optioned or sold.

The Entrant retains the rights to his or her screenplay at all times.

Entrant’s screenplay must not have been produced.

The screenplay can be submitted with or without a title page and/or contact information.

After a screenplay is entered, no new drafts or corrected pages can be made by the Entrant unless it is confirmed in our records that the Entrant has paid for the "Resubmission" option.

Screenplay must be submitted as a PDF document.

Screenplay must be the original work of the Entrant and may not be based whole or in part on any fictional or non-fictional material, published or unpublished, produced or unproduced for which the Entrant does not have rights. Neither Stage 32 nor its judges investigates or attests to the authenticity of an applicant’s statement of authorship or rights secured. By entering the competition, you are acknowledging that you have secured all necessary rights.