(Above: Filmmatic's annual Sundance networking event - "Monday on Main Street". ALL ENTRANTS are invited!)

The Filmmatic Screenplay Awards were created to locate and expose up-and-coming screenwriters, as well as to empower and educate those talented writers still waiting for their invitation to the mainstream industry.

*Lit manager will guest judge this season, and will also provide our overall winner with a zoom consultation regarding their project and career.

The Season 11 Filmmatic Drama Screenplay Competition is open to feature-length and short works, screenplays and teleplays.

You've worked hard on your screenplay, and our staff and industry judges are excited to read your work. All accolades will be announced by May 15, 2026.

* Quarter-Finalist, Semi-Finalist, 10 Finalist, and 1 Overall-Winner accolades will be awarded.

EXPOSURE AND CONNECTIONS ARE KEY TO GETTING YOUR WORK NOTICED AND PRODUCED...

• $1000.00 Cash to the Overall Winner

• Lit manager Guest Judge and Winner Consultation

• ALL ENTRANTS! receive invites to the 16th annual Filmmatic - Sundance Film Festival networking event (Monday on Main Street)!

• Final Draft Software for our Winner

• Inktip Membership/Listing Packages for all Finalists

• Feature Story spotlighting the Overall Winner published on Filmmatic.com e-zine

• Press/Exposure - incl. direct-contact producer/manager list and 65k industry list

1) Judges and employees who work for Filmmatic.com, Final Draft, InkTip and Screenwriting Staffing are not eligible to enter the competition, nor are their affiliates or immediate family members.

2) All scripts must be submitted in English, and entry fees must be paid in U.S. dollars. Entry in the competition is void where prohibited by law.

3) All writers' names should be listed in the online entry. By submitting online to the Filmmatic Screenplay Awards Competition, entrant warants that all writers have authorized the submission. If a screenplay is written by multiple authors, all cash and awards will be remitted to the entrant of record, with all proceeds to be divided at the writers' discretion.

4) To enter your script electronically, you must submit in one of the following formats: .PDF (preferred), Final Draft, Movie Magic Screenwriter, Microsoft Word, Rich Text Format, or Text.

5) Entries will not be returned. Be sure to retain a copy of all material submitted.

6) Entrants to the Filmmatic Screenplay Awards Competition retain all rights to their screenplays.

7) You may submit your entry and payment either online through this website (see homepage) or through FilmFreeway. No preference will be given to either method of submission.

8) Entries must be received by the applicable Entry Deadline.

9) Once a script has been entered into competition, we will not accept substitutions or revised drafts. If you wish to submit a revised draft of your script, you must enter it as a new submission.

10) The Filmmatic Screenplay Awards will not share your screenplay with anyone except the official judges of the competition without prior permission.

11) By entering the Filmmatic Screenplay Awards Competition, you represent that your entry is your original work, and does not infringe on the copyright or other rights of other people or legal entities. Entrant indemnifies Filmmatic.com and its employees and subsidiaries and holds them harmless from any claims regarding infirngement or dissemination of materials.

12) Entry fees are non-refundable.

13) For environmental reasons, we no longer accept hardcopy submissions my mail.

14) Entrants can include author and/or contact information on their entry's cover page at their own discretion, but it is not required.

15) The decisions of the judges are final.

16) The Filmmatic Screenplay Awards reserves the right to make any necessary changes, postponements, or cancellations to competition scheduling at our discretion.

17) Notification of winners and official finalists will be sent by email and posted on our website. It is the responsibility of the winners to redeem any prizes allotted to them by the Filmmatic Screenplay Awards or our sponsors. Applicants will be responsible for providing current contact information and mailing addresses for prize redemption purposes.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Great competition! We are honored that our screenplay MONTY was selected as a finalist. Many thanks!

    May 2026
  • Carole Ryavec

    What an honor it was for me that Filmmatic Drama Screenplay Awards awarded my noir crime script Kings Canyon as Semifinalist.

    May 2026
  • Johnny Zizic

    Very grateful to the Filmmatic Drama Screenplay Awards for selecting 'Maroon By Day' as a Quarter-Finalist. It’s been wonderful seeing the script continue to resonate with readers.

    May 2026
  • Wonderful to be a quarter finalist with my script On That Beach - what a film it would make - the secret US rehearsals on Slapton Sands for landings on D-Day just 5 weeks later . Have you read the book The Kid on Slaptpn Sands? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhlBx-GJe_k

    May 2026
  • Michael Layne

    I am so excited to be able to submit something in the festival! Best of luck to everyone involved.

    May 2026