History, Film and Screenwriting

The availability of historical facts not only as records from such historical periods, but also as living evidence presents a whole new vision for screenwriting, where the goal is accomplished not through documenting, but through creative storytelling.

Circa Historical Screenplay Competition

Circa Historical Screenplay Competition accepts Historical Screenplays in three categories: Feature Screenplay, TV Pilot and Short Screenplay. All three categories compete for Circa Historical Screenplay Competition Award: "Best Historical Screenplay".

As our environment is a big part of our lives, our society and our history, we plant 20 trees for every Entry and support Wildlife Conservation.

Q: What is a Historical Screenplay or a Historical Film to CHSC?
A: Depth of Historical Facts

Past Winners:
2020 Competition: Sound of the Somme by Alexander Menu, Michael Vermaercke
2021 Competition: Empires Of Smoke by Marthese Fenech
2022 Competition: Forza by Caroline Rovello
2023 Competition: Salem Aftermath by Tom Phillips
2024-2025 Competition: Dark Ladies by Rhona Silverbush, Sami Plotkin

Announcement Dates:
Oct 25 - Quarterfinalists
Nov 15 - Semifinalists
Nov 30 - Finalists
Dec 15 - Winner

2024-2025 Winner

Dark Ladies, Writers Rhona Silverbush, Sami Plotkin

2024-2025 Finalists

40 Shades of Green: The Junkman of Brooklyn, Writer Joan Beesley
Banished: The Story of a Great Injustice, Writer Cody McDevitt
Children of the Dust, Writer John McCarney
Committee Of Five, Writer Kevin Stirling
Dark Ladies, Writers Rhona Silverbush, Sami Plotkin
Girolamo Savonarola & The Trial Of Fire, Writer Giampietro Manzalini
Hiroshima, Writer Jannik Ohlendieck
In A Full Moon's Fortnight, Writer Caroline Rovello
Pacific Lion, Writer Kevin M Sullivan
Rainy Lake, Episode 1: Red Skirt's Girl, Writer Mary Casanova
The Beecher Trials, Writers John Gatta, Julia Gatta
The Last Enemy, Writer Caleb Thompson

2023 Winner

Salem Aftermath, Writer Tom Phillips

2023 Finalists

Red, Writer Camilla Elisabeth Erlandsdotter
Viktor - 119104, Writer James Patrick Dillon
Holy Warfare, Writer Robert Milius
[Sic Semper], Writer Carla Jean Miles
Salem Aftermath, Writer Tom Phillips
Caravaggio's Woman, Writer Deborah Baxtrom

2022 Winner

Forza, Writer Caroline Rovello

2022 Finalists

Amelia Earhart, Writer Michael J Dunker
Emery & Ellsworth Make a Picture, Writer Madi Stine
The Lionesses and The Eagle, Writer Anne Marie Caluwaert
Forza, Writer Caroline Rovello
The Staats, Writers Louise Heller, Kirk German
The Milliners, Writers Christine Brandon-Gomez, Lynn Blackwell Denton

Awards & Prizes

If Feature Screenplay is awarded Winner: Top Prize, "Best Historical Screenplay" - $2000
If TV Pilot is awarded Winner: Top Prize, "Best Historical Screenplay" - $1500
If Short Screenplay is awarded Winner: Top Prize, "Best Historical Screenplay" - $1000

Rules & Terms

(1) Screenwriters from all over the world are eligible to enter.
(2) Screenwriters can enter in three categories: Feature Screenplay, Short Screenplay and TV Pilot.
(3) Entrant must be at least 18 years old or older, and must be an emerging screenwriter
(4) Screenplay must be in English, in proper screenplay format and in pdf file
(5) Feature-length screenplay must be between 80 – 120 pages; Short screenplay between 1 – 40 pages; and TV Pilot between 48 – 60 pages
(6) Only Title on ‘Title Page’
(7) Each Feature-length Screenplay, Short Screenplay and TV Pilot must include a separate one-paragraph historical description of story

Terms and Conditions "Terms"

Number of Entries:
A minimum of 15 Entries is needed for the Competition to proceed to Judging Stage (Quarterfinal). If, however, the minimum Number of Entries is not met, the Competition cannot proceed to Judging Stage and the Entries will be carried on to compete into the next scheduled Competition or will be returned, including Entry Fee, to the Entrants.
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  • Sami Plotkin

    My writing partner Rhona Silverbush and I are extremely honored that our pilot Dark Ladies was selected to be this year’s CHSC winner! We’re thrilled that this competition exists for us writers of historical film and television! Your competition encourages people like us to keep going. It can feel Sisyphean to try to get a project made, but you’ve given us a huge boost of confidence and, even more importantly, a very meaningful credential to use when pitching this project. We thank you from the bottoms of our hearts.

    December 2025
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  • Kevin Stirling

    Thank you Circa Historical Screenplay Competition for selecting my historical screenplay, "Committee of Five" as a 2025 screenplay finalist! Congratulations to the other writers and thank you for a wonderful festival experience. I am grateful for this honor and I look forward to submitting again in the future. Wishing you a very Happy Holiday Season & New Year!

    December 2025
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  • C.J. Miles

    Very grateful to have an opportunity to submit my feature script-- [Sic Semper]-- to Circa Historical Screenplay Competition this year. The competition must have been fierce among writers, but happy I made it to "Finalist" at the last seconds.

    Congratulations and I hope to see produced versions of the works which achieved Finalist and did well this year:

    2023 Finalists

    Red, Writer Camilla Elisabeth Erlandsdotter
    Viktor - 119104, Writer James Patrick Dillon
    Holy Warfare, Writer Robert Milius
    [Sic Semper], Writer Carla Jean Miles
    Salem Aftermath, Writer Tom Phillips
    Caravaggio's Woman, Writer Deborah Baxtrom

    December 2023
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  • Caroline Rovello

    Truly, I am honored to win for my feature screenplay this year. Grazie mille. Forza!

    November 2022
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  • Elizabeth Stevens

    Excellent festival. We are honored that our screenplay, FREEDOM, was Selected as a Finalist.

    January 2022
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