Do you have the vision to captivate, the story to inspire, and the voice to stand out? The $10,000 Haydenfilms 2.0 Screenwriting Competition is your stage. This prestigious competition invites screenwriters from around the world to showcase their talent, ignite their careers, and join a legacy of creative excellence.

The Haydenfilms Institute (HFI) proudly presents the Haydenfilms 2.0 Screenwriting Competition, designed to empower the next generation of storytellers. Open to both represented and independent screenwriters, this competition celebrates the craft of screenwriting across all genres, offering an unparalleled opportunity to break into the industry.

Finalists will converge in the greater Philadelphia, PA area for a three-day, in-person pitch elimination event, where they will present their work to a panel of industry professionals. The event, featuring live-stream and VOD replay powered by Cemboo, brings together writers, producers, and decision-makers in a dynamic celebration of storytelling.

This is more than a competition—it’s a platform for screenwriters to gain industry exposure, build connections, and take a step closer to bringing their scripts to life.

Awards & Prizes

Grand Prize:

- $10,000 Cash Award
- Industry Development Meeting: A one-on-one session with top industry professionals to discuss your script and potential opportunities for production.

Runner-Up Prizes:

- $1,000 Cash Award for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place finalists.

Semi-Finalists:

- The top 20 semi-finalists will be invited to Philadelphia, PA, to compete in a three-round pitch elimination event.
- Gain exposure through live-stream and VOD replay, allowing your pitch to reach a global audience of industry insiders and film enthusiasts.

The Haydenfilms 2.0 Screenwriting Competition offers not only career-changing prizes but also the chance to showcase your work on an international stage.

Rules & Terms

Eligibility:

- Open to screenwriters worldwide, including represented, non-represented, and student writers.
- Writers under the age of 18 must submit with a parent or guardian’s consent.

Accepted Categories:

- Screenplays: 90-140 pages.
- Pilots: 60-75 pages.
- All genres are welcome.

Submission Guidelines:

- Scripts must be original works and the sole property of the submitting individual or group.
- Foreign-language submissions are welcome but must be translated into English.
- Submissions are accepted exclusively via FilmFreeway.
- Once submitted, no revisions will be allowed.

Event Details:

- The pitch fest will be held in-person only in Philadelphia, PA. There is no virtual pitching permitted. Semi-finalists will compete in a three-round pitch elimination event.
- Judges’ decisions are final, and individual feedback on scripts will not be provided.

Why Enter the Haydenfilms 2.0 Screenwriting Competition?

For over two decades, the Haydenfilms Institute has empowered filmmakers and screenwriters to bring their visions to life. From hosting one of the world’s first online film festivals to awarding over $75,000 in prizes to independent filmmakers, HFI has been a launchpad for creative talent globally.

With the Haydenfilms 2.0 Screenwriting Competition, you’ll not only compete for a $10,000 prize and an exclusive industry development meeting but also become part of a thriving creative community.

This is your opportunity to be seen, be heard, and make your mark. Submit your screenplay or pilot today and take the first step toward transforming your story into reality.
11 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • PJ Palmer

    Haydenfilms 5.0 Film Festival is one of the most important festivals in the world for short films. This is the only festival that I know of that provides short filmmakers with substantial awards - and this is speaking from experience! The online and in person experiences for filmmakers is top notch. The festival communicates clearly and goes above and beyond to celebrate and take care of the filmmakers in the festival. This is a filmmaker-forward festival. The entire staff is passionate about film, about storytelling and about showcasing new works to the world at large. The in-person festival includes workshops and panels from the best creatives and leaders in the film industry, giving those in attendance unparalleled access to network, learn and showcase their work. I came away from the festival with new life-long connections and opportunities for new creative collaborations - and that was before we even found out we were the top award winner! The films that were screened at the festival are beautifully curated and showcased in a state-of-the-art theater for an engaged and excited audience. And the hospitality provided by the festival rivals the world's top festivals. If I could give 10 stars for this review, I would. Haydenfilms is an incredible and important experience for filmmakers.

    November 2024
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  • Ryan Fenson-Hood

    Thanks, Hayden for a great fest here in 2024! Great communication from the festival team and thanks to the fest for covering our hotel and having a fun red carpet, media, and catering. It was great to see our film on the bigscreen!

    November 2024
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  • Shadow C. LaValley

    Truly thankful and grateful to have our film be a part of this festival!

    November 2023
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  • Johnny Zito

    Do yourself and your screenplay a big favor and enter NOW. They are very supportive and give a lot of online presence to writers. You'll reach a big audience. I was also given time to pitch as a prize. Well-worth it, thank you very much, Haydenfilms!

    February 2022
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  • Dabney Jackson

    Honestly among the best if not the best experience I've had with a screenwriting festival. Communication and transparency were excellent, and the judges were more than accommodating. I received feedback and praise for my work (which my ego enjoyed) as well as some great pointers and advice (which my studious mind enjoyed). I'm always trying to grow as a writer, and I felt like this was a great milestone in my own personal journey; despite not quite winning ;)

    I was apprehensive and nervous about pitching my script to the judges at first, but they were so great and the experience so smooth I'm very glad to have partaken in it. For comparison sake the Austin Screenwriting Festival promises feedback on every submitted script, and the feedback I received was two paragraphs summarizing the events of the script. They don't need to tell me what happens, I wrote the d*** thing! This was not the case with the Haydenfilms Screenwriting Competition, I actually felt like the judges had read my script and more importantly thought about it and let it simmer. If I could give it six stars I would but I guess we live in a world were five is the magic number of rating a competition's excellence. Oh well Taco Bell, FilmFreeway needs to add a sixth star for special cases; this festival being that case. I tend to ramble, my apologies if this is tedious. If you've gotten this far into my review then have an excellent day. Strike that, have an excellent life. Oh yeah.

    January 2022
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