Are you interested in the film industry? Do you have a good story in your mind? Or perhaps written one that only collects dust in your drawer? Do you know the basics of screenwriting? Maybe you have made a script before, but it probably hasn't been appraised on its merits. Would you like to give it another try in an international competition?

If you see yourself in this description, we would be delighted to welcome you to the Budapest International Screenplay Festival! Be a part of Hungary's new screenwriting competition, which leaves the online space and creates an opportunity to build professional relationships in person.

The festival aims to discover, present, and support national and international creators who want to use their talent in cinematography.

Everyone knows how difficult it is to get started and establish yourself in this profession, which is why we help promising screenwriters and ambitious producers find each other.
In addition to national and Central European applicants, we welcome anyone from anywhere in the world, thus enriching and improving the possibilities that lie in storytelling. We believe that racial and cultural variety is essential to scripts and learning about new perspectives.

The winners of the three main categories each receive 270 Euros, a certificate, a personalized, engraved glass trophy, and the opportunity to be introduced at the closing event!
The winners will be announced at the closing event, where the finalists can present their writings in front of prominent producers of the national film industry.

Why You Should Enter?

- We give space to free creation! Apart from the formal requirements of screenwriting, the number of pages, and the rules for the given category, there are no subject or genre restrictions.
- Gives you an authentic professional reference.
- As a beginner screenwriter seeking recognition, you may have the opportunity to introduce yourself and enter the film industry.
- The festival is diverse, you can enter several categories, without any limitation as to the number of projects. So, if you haven't found a suitable opportunity to present your story, now is the perfect moment.
- The Budapest International Screenplay Festival will appoint a panel of judges, which will be made up of prominent personalities in the field of the Hungarian film industry.
- Applications submitted to the festival are judged by members of this panel, through several rounds.
- Writers who make it past the first round will be invited to the festival's closing event, where they will have the opportunity to meet screenwriters, producers, and other professionals in person.
- The winners will be announced at the main event, where they’ll hear directly from industry professionals about various aspects of movie production.

Awards & Prizes

Main Categories:

The winners of the three main categories each receive 270€, a certificate, a personalized, engraved glass trophy, and the opportunity to be introduced at the closing event!

Best Short Screenplay (1-30 pages)
Best Medium Screenplay (31-60 pages)
Best Feature Screenplay (61-180 pages)

Sub Categories:

The winners subcategories each receive a certificate, a personalized, engraved glass trophy, and the opportunity to be introduced at the closing event!

Best International Screenplay
Best Hungarian Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Best Unproduced Screenplay
Best Student Screenplay
Best Screenwriter

The winners will be announced at the closing event, where the finalists can present their writings in front of prominent producers of the national film industry.

Rules & Terms

1. All submissions must be in PDF format via FilmFreeway.
2. All entries must be submitted in English or Hungarian, formatted in 12-point courier font.
3. Maximum 1-2 page synopsis in PDF format needs to be attached alongside the script.
4. All levels of experience eligible, whether it is your first script or your 200th...
5. All screenplays are considered complete once they are submitted to us. No revisions or updated copies will be accepted.
6. We do not accept anonymous submissions.
7. Multiple entries from the same submitter are accepted.
8. Entry fees are non-refundable.
9. Budapest International Screenplay Festival will not share your screenplay with anyone except the official judges of the competition.
10. By entering the Budapest International Screenplay Festival you represent that your entry is your original work, and does not infringe on the copyright or other rights of other people.
11. We do not accept hardcopy submissions by mail.
12. The decisions of the judges are final.
13. Budapest International Screenplay Festival reserves the right to make any necessary changes, postponements, or cancellations to event scheduling at our discretion.
14. The applicant agrees that if they are awarded a prize in a category, the organizers may publish watermarked details from the winning entry on the festival’s online platforms. In addition, the applicant has to provide contact info where producers or other investors who may be interested in their work can get in touch.
15. Organizers have the right to use film posters or your photos on public social networks to promote your project and our festival.
16. The competition is open to writers over the age of 18.
17. The finalists and the winners of the competition agree that during the live event, video and/or audio recordings can be made of them for promotional use.
18. If it turns out that a participant has violated the rules of the competition in some way, the Budapest International Screenplay Festival reserves the right to withdraw any awarded prizes from these participants, without entitlement to compensation, or to exclude these participants from the competition with immediate effect.