CHICAGO SCRIPT AWARDS – YOUR GATEWAY TO THE FILM INDUSTRY

Are you an aspiring screenwriter looking to break into the film and television world? The Chicago Script Awards is more than just a competition—it’s a launchpad for your career. We provide emerging voices with the opportunity to connect with top-tier industry professionals, including producers, directors, and agents from Hollywood, Chicago, and beyond.

Get your work evaluated by the best in the business. Our jury pool features elite Oscar and BAFTA nominees, along with seasoned members of the WGA, PGA, and DGA. Our mission is to provide long-term visibility for our writers. By connecting our top talent with influential Hollywood studios, agents, and producers, we turn scripts into careers. Join our ranks of successful Alumni who have already reached Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying milestones

MEET OUR HEAD JURORS:
◆ Talkhon Hamzavi – Special Jury Member
Academy Award nominee for Best Live Action Short Film (Parvaneh), bringing exceptional international recognition and industry expertise.
◆Paul G. Andrews – Head of Jury for Feature Screenplays
An accomplished screenwriter and producer, Paul has led major international productions and collaborated with Oscar-winning teams. His projects have received over 30 international awards, specializing in historical dramas, crime thrillers, and indie films.
◆Roberto Romano – Head of Jury for Television Screenplays
An award-winning Italian screenwriter, Roberto holds degrees in cinema and screenwriting from top European universities. His expertise spans television and feature films, bringing fresh insight to our competition.
◆Chuck Johnson – Head of Jury for Short Screenplays
A producer, director, and action film actor, Chuck has worked on over 100 productions worldwide. As the founder of Quiet Flame Films, he is committed to discovering and mentoring new screenwriting talent.
◆Olena Chepurna – Head of Jury for Super Short Scripts
A Ukrainian screenwriter and educator, Olena merges storytelling with innovative teaching techniques. Her unique approach to screenwriting education makes her an invaluable member of our jury.
◆ Charles Borg (United States) - Projects streaming on Hulu, Amazon, Apple TV+; worked with Bad Robot and Lucasfilm creatives; Winner at Chicago Script Awards 2025 for TV Pilot Entry.
◆ James Robertson (Australia) - Writer for Channel 9 TV; Winner at Chicago Script Awards 2025 for Feature Script.
◆ Dylan Frusciano (United States) - Winner Best First Time Screenwriter at Chicago Script Awards; USC screenwriting program.
◆ Jeanne Bøe (Norway) - International theatre tours across Europe and USA; Winner at Chicago Script Awards 2025 for First Time Screenwriter.
◆ Elise Plakke (United States) - Creative work for L.L.Bean, Trek Bikes and J.Jill; Winner at Chicago Script Awards 2025 for Feature Screenplay.
◆ Fisher Alexander (United States) - NBC series Found actor; Orlando Sentinel Best Featured Actor winner; Winner at Chicago Script Awards 2025 for Drama Screenplay.

WHY SUBMIT TO THE CHICAGO SCRIPT AWARDS?
• IMDb-Qualifying Competition – Gain industry credibility with an official IMDb credit.
• Every Script is Read in Full – Our jury ensures thorough script analysis.
• Exclusive Pitching Opportunities – Connect with directors, producers, and investors actively seeking compelling scripts.
• Professional Feedback – Receive detailed script notes covering character development, structure, and marketability.
• Industry Exposure – Stand out in our online script repository, where numerous writers have caught the attention of producers.

OUR WINNERS HAVE SECURED DEALS & INDUSTRY ATTENTION
Previous winners have included internationally recognized screenwriters such as Henry Myers, Stephen Delos Treacy, Dewane Alexander, Mike Patrick Johnston, Jonathan Vickers, Julian Poulter, Melisa Mathis Raney, Lynn Vincentnathan, and Ryan Costello, among many others.

SUBMIT YOUR SCRIPT TODAY!
With over 5,000 screenplays submitted from 70+ countries, the Chicago Script Awards is a premier competition dedicated to discovering and promoting new talent. Winners in Feature, Television, Short, and Super Short categories receive industry recognition, interviews, and over $10,000 in valuable services annually.

And what’s even more exciting – the Chicago Script Awards will be part of the annual awards ceremony of our partner festival, Crown Point International Film Festival.

Take the first step toward your screenwriting dream! Enter the Chicago Script Awards today and bring your story to life on the big screen.

Awards & Prizes

🏆 BEST FEATURE SCREENPLAY
• Sundance Membership (1 year)
• Media Publicity ($ 500) - Interview, Special Social Media Post, Online Library for Producers
• OSCAR Nominated Screenplay (Read Only)
• OFFICIAL DIPLOMA
• IT APPLIES TO THE CATEGORY: FEATURE SCREENPLAY

🏆 BEST TV PILOT SCREENPLAY
• Sundance Membership (1 year)
• Media Publicity ($ 500) - Interview, Special Social Media Post, Online Library for Producers
• OSCAR Nominated Screenplay (Read Only)
• OFFICIAL DIPLOMA
• IT APPLIES TO THE CATEGORY: TV PILOT SCREENPLAY

🏆 BEST SHORT SCREENPLAY
• Sundance Membership (1 year)
• Media Publicity ($ 500) - Interview, Special Social Media Post, Online Library for Producers
• OSCAR Nominated Screenplay (Read Only)
• OFFICIAL DIPLOMA
• IT APPLIES TO THE CATEGORY: SHORT SCREENPLAY

🏆 BEST NEW WAVE FEATURE SCREENPLAY AWARD
• Sundance Membership (1 year)
• Media Publicity ($ 500) - Interview, Special Social Media Post, Online Library for Producers
• OSCAR Nominated Screenplay (Read Only)
• OFFICIAL DIPLOMA
• IT APPLIES TO THE CATEGORY: First Time Screenwriter (Feature), UK Feature Screenplay, Feature Treatment, Best First 10 Pages, Stage Play, Drama Screenplay, Comedy Screenplay, HASTFW Screenplay (Horror, Action, Sci-fi, Thriller, Fantasy, Western), Queer Screenplay, War Screenplay, Foreign Screenplay (non UK/USA and Australia screenwriter)

🏆 BEST NEW WAVE SHORT SCREENPLAY AWARD
• Sundance Membership (1 year)
• Media Publicity ($ 500) - Interview, Special Social Media Post, Online Library for Producers
• OSCAR Nominated Screenplay (Read Only)
• OFFICIAL DIPLOMA
• IT APPLIES TO THE CATEGORY: Super Short Screenplay (under 10 pages), First Time Screenwriter (Short), UK Short Screenplay, Drama Screenplay, Comedy Screenplay, HASTFW Screenplay (Horror, Action, Sci-fi, Thriller, Fantasy, Western), Queer Screenplay, War Screenplay, Foreign Screenplay (non UK/USA and Australia screenwriter)

Rules & Terms

All writers of submitted material must be 18 years of age or older
• Entries must be in English
• Submissions via PDF file only
• Resubmits/changes incur additional fee
• Produced/optioned or otherwise encumbered scripts are ineligible
• All submitted materials must be the original work of the author(s)
• Adaptations of prior works must give source material credit
• Decisions of judges are final as per industry criteria
• Pages should be numbered.
• We welcome applications from registered organizations and professional representatives.
• Full-Length Feature Scripts: 160 pages or under
• Short Film Scripts: 40 pages or under
• TV Pilots: 130 pages or under
• All written or verbal coverage, critique, criticism, or analysis of submitted material is provided subjectively based upon objective standards as they are applied to the writing submitted and under consideration.
• No warranties are expressed or implied as to the utility, value, or accuracy of statements written or spoken by our reader-analysts with regard to material submitted to us by writers, customers, or contest entrants.
• Comments provided by judges, readers, administrators, or other writers are based upon personal opinion only and do not reflect the opinions of management; management assumes no responsibility the academic, creative, professional, economic, or emotional impact or consequences of the opinions we provide.
• Submitting writers agree to hold harmless against claims of any and every kind, each and every employee, independent contractor, reader, analyst, system administrator, or officers of the company in perpetuity.
• By entering this contest or any others with which Best Script Awards – London is affiliated, you agree to receive email marketing messages and updates relative to this contest and any affiliated sources and providers from us. You may opt out/unsubscribe from those messages and marketing protocols at any time simply by letting us know at info@bestscriptawards.com
• Material submitted to the competition is solely at the risk of the individual registering, entering, or offering written material for scoring, analysis, judgment, or commentary.
• Once submitted material has been read, reviewed, analyzed, critiqued, scored, or commented upon by agents, employees, representatives, or management of the company, no refund of entry fee will be made.
• Sundance Membership is only awarded to annual winner, not seasonal.
273 Reviews
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  • Jordan Hopa

    The Chicago Script Awards was a fantastic experience from start to finish. Communication was professional, clear and supportive throughout the process, and it genuinely felt like they value and celebrate independent writers and filmmakers.

    I was honored to have my script “Kid” selected as a finalist, and I truly appreciated the recognition and encouragement the festival provides to emerging voices. Competitions like this play an important role in giving writers motivation and visibility, and the Chicago Script Awards creates a welcoming and inspiring platform for storytellers.

    Grateful to be included among so many talented creatives, and I would absolutely recommend this festival to other screenwriters looking for a well-run and meaningful competition experience.

    May 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for your thoughtful review. We are delighted that the experience was a rewarding one for you.

  • Ralph Wagnitz

    Chicago Script Awards was the first FINALIST I received for my musical screenplay "PUGET SOUND". It is indeed an honor to be recognized for the screenplay which includes 18 original musical selections!

    April 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for the thoughtful review. We’re glad the recognition was meaningful for you and appreciate your support.

  • Hovey Smith

    I was deeply honored to receive the Winner's award for my screenplay The Buzzard Squadron 2 in the War Movie Script Category. I look forward to receiving their feedback.

    April 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for your kind words. We’re glad the recognition meant a lot to you and appreciate your support.

  • Aliya Jackson

    Thank you Chicago Script for picking me. It was a pleasure seeing my script called "2 Minutes," make it all the way to the FINALS. From 700 scripts, all the way down to 49. Congrats to the winner. Most importantly, I want to salute all the writers, because writing is the 1st step to the movies.

    April 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for the thoughtful review and kind words. We’re glad you had a positive experience with the festival and appreciate your support for fellow writers as well.

  • Patricia Marshall

    Thank you to the Chicago Script Awards for recognizing the value of my script. I felt seen and validated by my selection in this competition.

    March 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re pleased the selection was meaningful and appreciate you being part of this year’s edition.