***NOTICE***
***This is an ONLINE EVENT! There will not be an in person event.***

We're Back! Well we never really left but we're going back to our roots. We no longer have sponsors since the companies we have partnered with in the past, either chose to no longer partner with us or they were unable to continue to do so.

We will be kicking off the 2026 campaign in January 2026. All award winners will still receive a trophy at no cost to them but unfortunately we will no longer be offering a copy of Final Draft to our overall winner. We will continue to look for other partnerships that will benefit, you the screenwriters, as this is our ultimate goal with the contest.

With all that being said, welcome to the best little screenwriting contest not out west! We accept feature screenplays, short screenplays and television pilot screenplays.

In the awards section below you will see our winners for the 2025 season.

To be eligible for each category a script will need to be entered in each category. There is no separate entry required for Screenwriter of the Year Award, Sandhill Crane Award, Alligator Award or Hurricane Award.

The prizes below are what will be given in those categories, along with the special prizes, for the 2026 season, with the top prize being the Hurricane 'Hew' Award, named in honor of our 2025 winner: Hew Brown.

Awards & Prizes

2025 FSC RESULTS

2025 Award Winners

Hurricane 'Samuel' Award
Adieux by Hew Brown

Screenwriter of the Year
Akelarre Under the Sun by Shane Hallawa

Alligator Award
Grandma Dee and the Lost Continent by Mark Perlick

Sandhill Crane Award
The Influencer by Tamara Shane Kagel

'Tampa Award' - Feature Screenplays:
Of Gentle Lions by John Christopher Klauder & Christine Berardo Klauder

'Miami Award' - Pilot Screenplays:
Billy's Singing Bass by Nathan M. Scrivens

'Orlando Award' - Short Screenplays:
Our Team by Joshua Holtzman

2024 Award Winners
Hurricane 'Sue' Award Winner:
At the Mercy of Faith - Terror Version - Samuel Lee Taylor

Screenwriter of the Year Award:
The Yellow Sea Lioness - Kelly Ann Guglietti

Short Screenplay Category:
1st Place - The Pirate's Wife - Laurance Davis
2nd Place - Mayhem & Mahalo - Bethany Maines
3rd Place - Donor - Wesley Boone

Feature Screenplay Category:
1st Place - Silence of Fury - D. Hunter Fein
2nd Place - What Momma Wants - Mark Clark
3rd Place - The One-Eyed Monkey - Adam Poulos

2025 Awards:
Hurricane 'Samuel' Award
Screenwriter of the Year
***NEW*** Sandhill Crane Character Award (Given to the script with characters that move us.)
***NEW*** Alligator Story Award (Given to the script with a story that really sinks its teeth in!)
Tampa Award - 1st Place - Feature Screenplay
Miami Award - 1st Place - Television Screenplay
Orlando Award - 1st Place - Short Screenplay

All Finalists and winners will receive a certificate.

Rules & Terms

Short screenplays, Television Pilot and Feature Screenplays of any genre will be accepted. Screenplays submitted must be writers original work. Short Screenplays must be NO LONGER than 30 pages. Television Pilot Screenplays must be between 30 and 60 pages. Feature Screenplays must be between 60 and 120 pages in length. All submissions must be in English.

Only projects submitted through FilmFreeway will be considered in the Challenge.

Screenplays will be judged on originality, plot, character development and story. There is no limit on number of submissions per writer but each submission will require its own entry fee.

Works in progress will NOT be considered. Work must be completed before submission.

Official Selections will be announced on or before November 7, 2026.
Semi-Finalists will be announced on November 14, 2026.
Finalists will be announced on November 21, 2026.
Winners will be announced on November 28, 2026.

* By submitting your screenplay, take note that:

All Entry Fees are non-refundable.
Submitter grants us authorization to share and promote information for projects submitted. Submitter will be given credit for all material submitted as it is their own intellectual property and will remain so.

Submitter agrees they have read and understood all the terms and conditions, rules and guidelines before submitting a project.

All determinations and decisions are made solely by the Florida Script Challenge directors and jurors.

All decisions are final.

60 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Shane Hallawa

    Thank you for making "Akelarre Under The Sun" a winner!

    December 2025
    Helpful
  • Nathan Scrivens

    Woohoo! So happy that my project Billy’s Singing Bass won the Miami award! Many thanks to you guys for taking the time to read our work! Thank you for all you do and for an epic contest!
    Update: I’m kinda bummed. It’s been over a month since finding out I won the award and I have not received it yet. :( I emailed the festival runners a few times and I have not gotten an update on when I’ll be getting my award. Rather disappointed as I’ve been dying to show it off to some of my friends.

    November 2025
    Helpful
  • Nelson Beltran

    Great for first time screenplay writers and short film directors. I highly recommend this amazing film festival~!

    June 2024
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you Nelson! We appreciate you and are glad you enjoyed your experience with us!

  • Concepcion Santiago

    It was a good experience for me.

    June 2024
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    We are glad you enjoyed your experience Concepcion! Hope to see more from you soon!

  • Kelly Ann Guglietti

    Entering was very straight-forward. Communication throughout the duration of the contest was clear and on time.

    June 2024
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you Kelly! We enjoyed your work and hope you'll think of us again in the future!