In its fifth year, one of the hottest and fastest-growing film fests in the world, the GenreBlast Film Fest, is partnering with Canadian production company Dragon Born Films to create the Call of the Dragon Film Award. We are coming together to find one lucky low budget feature screenplay to be selected at GenreBlast V in 2020 and produced in time to world premiere at GenreBlast VI in 2020!

From Dragon Born Films:

"Get your low-budget feature screenplay produced! If selected the winner will have their film produced by Maninder Chana and Michael Dragnea (Scratch, Little Terrors, Cell 213) in Toronto, Canada. The feature will debut at Genre Blast VI.

What we’re looking for: Scripts that can be produced within a limited budget; preferably one to three locations; a limited cast and limited VFX: all the things that make a feature without a Hollywood budget doable. Story-wise, we’re open. Just make it something unique and so interesting that we cannot say no. Best of Luck!"

Please visit the GenreBlast Film Fest FilmFreeway page for more details on the fest itself and its reputation before you submit.

Awards & Prizes

One (1) winner will have their submitted screenplay selected for production by Dragon Born Films, based out of Toronto, Canada. Final budget will not exceed $50,000 and actual budget will be determined after the conclusion of GenreBlast V, Labor Day Weekend of 2020.

The selected feature screenplay will go into development immediately after GenreBlast with a guaranteed world premiere at GenreBlast VI in 2021.

A runner-up and honorable mention will be selected in case the chosen screenplay ends up not being produced. Runner-up and honorable mention will also receive prize packages and consideration from GenreBlast for potential development and production.

The Winner, runner-up, and honorable mention writers will receive a custom award certificate designed by Raygan Ketterer and Le Monkey House.

Rules & Terms

All screenplays submitted must be in standard industry format and must come to us as a PDF file. 120 pages or less. The sweet spot is 80-110 pages.

Please write for budget. The expected ceiling for the production budget is around $50,000. The final number will be determined at or immediately after the next GenreBlast Film Festival on Labor Day Weekend in 2020 in Winchester, VA at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.

Special consideration will be given to scripts with one or few locations, small casts, and minimal FX. Stories with original, fresh voices and/or provocative, daring narratives are especially desired.

You may submit revisions to your submitted script up until the final deadline of June 26, 2020. All decisions are final and will be made by a panel of judges comprised of Michael Dragnea, Maninder Chana, and Nathan Ludwig and guest judges to be assigned if necessary based on submission volume.

All submission fees for this award go directly toward the production budget of the selected screenplay and nowhere else. Dragon Born Films and GenreBlast Film Festival will provide the remainder of the budget if necessary. Dragon Born Films will provide all production gear, equipment as well as location scouting, casting, etc...

The selected screenwriter will not necessarily be the director for the film. This will be open for negotiations after the winner is selected. Maninder Chana and Michael Dragnea will serve as producers and will make the final decision in that regard. Any roles beyond screenwriter will be discussed after selection and in the early stages of development.

The screenwriter will retain all rights to the screenplay. The contest is for the option rights to shoot a feature film of the selected script. Any other adaptation rights or intellectual properties belong to the screenwriter.

GenreBlast Film Fest has an excellent reputation in the filmmaking and film festival communities and we stand by that proudly with this exciting new venture we are undertaking with Dragon Born Films, Maninder Chana, and Michael Dragnea. Submit with confidence.