The Nashville Film Festival is proud to present the NashFilm Pitch Competition, an opportunity for emerging and established writers to showcase original concepts for episodic series and feature films. If you have a compelling idea for the next breakout project, we invite you to share your story.

Projects originating from the NashFilm Pitch Competition have gone on to successful production, underscoring the competition’s role as a launchpad for new work. A cash prize of $500 will be awarded to the top pitch in both the episodic and feature categories. In addition, winners will receive ongoing developmental support, including mentorship designed to help advance their projects toward realization.

Finalists will be invited to present their pitches live in Nashville as part of the festival’s Creators Conference. This culminating event offers participants the opportunity to present before a live audience and a panel of industry jurors, who will provide up to five minutes of direct, constructive feedback on each project. All advancing participants will receive a festival badge.

Please note that in-person participation is required to remain eligible for the final prize; projects from applicants unable to travel to Nashville will not be considered for the top award.

Awards & Prizes

Finalists in each category will receive a full festival badge for the 2026 Nashville Film Festival and an entry fee waiver for the 2027 Nashville Film Festival Screenwriting Competition.

Winners from each category will receive a one-on-one coaching session from an industry professional post-festival. The winning episodic pitch and the winning feature pitch will receive a cash prize of $500.

Rules & Terms

NARRATIVE PITCHES ONLY, Documentary pitches are not eligible for this competition.

How to Enter:

Submit a Word or PDF document with your logline of approximately 30 words or less for the opportunity to pitch in either the feature or episodic category. You may enter both categories, and you may enter as many loglines as you choose. Each logline must be a SEPARATE entry.

You DO NOT need to include a script, lookbook, or other documentation. The Word/PDF logline document is what you will upload when it prompts you to upload the script.

Loglines can also be entered in the logline field on FilmFreeway.

Note: If you DO NOT attach your logline as a PDF/Word Doc on FilmFreeway, it will show the entry as "incomplete." As long as the logline is in the field that is designated by FilmFreeway, the entry will be updated to "in consideration" as soon as that is verified. If your logline is missing, we will contact you.

Selection Process:

A logline is essentially your sales pitch for any project. If your logline does not contain the necessary information to command the time of an industry professional, they will never request more information. The logline should showcase your main character and the story elements that will make it interesting to an audience. Pitches for derivative material (i.e. stories we have seen before) should include elements that differentiate the story from previous work.

Twenty-five (25) loglines will be selected in each category to pitch via Zoom. Selections are made based on multiple elements including:

Originality - is this a memorable story?
Stakes - will the audience want to keep watching?
Character - is this a character we will want to root for (or against?)
Market relevance - is this a project that streamers/network/studios want now?

From the recorded Zoom Pitches an industry panel will select the eight (8) finalists from each category based on:

Market relevance (are there companies looking to make this project now)
Originality (will we remember this project after reading the logline)
Pitch Content (did the pitch include the elements needed to request the script/pitch deck)
Pitch Execution (did the pitch finish on time, was the pitcher prepared, was the pitch engaging)
Budget (projects that require significant financial investment are difficult for writers looking to break in - those include stories that require significant special effects, animation, and settings that require props, costuming and sets that differ from what is easily available today)

All pitches must be original work. No loglines for existing property other than what is in the public domain will be accepted. Loglines should be 30 words or less. Pitches must be two minutes or under. Any pitches that run over will be stopped at the expiration of two minutes.

25 semi-finalists in each category will be chosen to move to the next round and pitch their ideas to the industry panel virtually. 8 finalists that are able to make the trip to Nashville will be chosen by the panel to participate in the live Pitch Competition on September 26th at the Nashville Film Festival Creators Conference in front of a live industry panel and audience. Each live pitch will have two minutes with five minutes of feedback from the panel.
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  • Rachael Camp

    Such a great experience and a truly fun event! Absolutely worth the entry fee—such a great networking opportunity and the judges gave such positive and constructive feedback. Will definitely submit again in the future! Thank you to Cat, Lindsay, Zach, and the whole team!

    September 2025
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  • Rolando Zee

    Thanks for a wonderful Pitch Competition at the Nashville Film Festival. All aspects of the competition were extremely well run. From the event entry, to the zoom semi finals, and the finals all the communication was expertly handled. Thanks Cat and the entire NFF team.

    October 2024
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  • Mike Tyre

    100% World Class in every step of the process! Cat Stewart and the organizers of Nashville Film Festival are making us better creators regardless of placement. Thanks again for the semifinal placement. See you next year!

    October 2022
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