LA Shorts International Film Festival ranks among the most prestigious and largest international short film festivals in the world.

The festival is accredited by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences OSCAR®, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts BAFTA and the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television (ACCT) presenters of the Canadian Screen Awards and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Spain (Goya Awards).

65 LA Shorts filmmakers have earned Academy Award® nominations.

Now in it's 27th year, LA Shorts is the longest-running short film festival in Los Angeles. The festival screens over 300 films and attracts over 10,000 attendees each year including Hollywood industry professionals and emerging independent filmmakers.

The LA Shorts Screenplay Competition is part of the LA Shorts International Film Festival.

Finalists are invited to attend LA Shorts International Film Festival for a reading of their scripts. The readings are performed by professional actors in front of an invited audience, who will vote on their favorites. These votes, along with the scores of the readers, determine the winner.

- All genres welcome
- Scripts must be under 30 pages
- Original scripts that have not started film production are eligible.

Awards & Prizes

PRIZES: Sponsor Goods & Services TBD

The winning script (if filmed) is guaranteed to screen at the 2024 LA Shorts International Film Festival

Finalists are invited to the 2023 LA Shorts International Film Festival and given All-Access Passes.

Rules & Terms

RULES & AGREEMENT

Please read this agreement carefully before you submit your screenplay. By submitting your screenplay, you expressly acknowledge and agree that you shall be bound by the terms of this agreement.

The LA Shorts Screenplay Competition is intended to foster emerging screenwriters/filmmakers break into the industry. It's NOT for established professional writers.

GUIDELINES:
• Scripts must have been completed after Jan. 1, 2022.
• Scripts must not exceed 30 pages in length, excluding cover page.
• Scripts must be written in English.
• A entry fee must be submitted for each script.
• Scripts must be submitted in PDF format.
• No refunds.

REVIEW PROCESS: LA Shorts will review scripts in their entirety. Scripts will be read and reviewed by members of our selection committee.

AWARDS: The winning script (if filmed) is guaranteed to screen at the 2024 LA Shorts International Film Festival. The winning film must contain on-screen credit “Produced in association with LA Shorts”. All film shooting must take place after the award presentation. If it is discovered that principal photography was begun before the live reading, the screenplay will be disqualified and the screenwriter will forfeit award. Restitution for prizes and associated expenses will be sought from the screenplay submitter.

NOTIFICATION: Letters of acceptance or non-acceptance, will be emailed — please ensure your email address is accurate.

PUBLICITY & MARKETING: All selected films and scripts may be excerpted for LA Shorts publicity purposes.

1 Review
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
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  • Brad Cooper

    The LA Shorts Festival has been around many years and it shows. They attract a ton of great films and talented creatives. The number of films and events are impressive and everything is very well run. Their team is professional and supportive of independent filmmakers. I was honored to have my screenplay, The Last Creation, chosen as a Finalist. With this, the festival also organized a table read performed by professional actors. Through that experience, I was able to refine my script and it won Best Screenplay in the next two festivals! Thank you and keep up the good work LA Shorts Fest! I highly recommend that short film screenwriters and filmmakers consider this festival for their projects.

    August 2022
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