Do you have a story to tell? THE SOHO CINEVERSE SCREENPLAY COMPETITION is on the hunt for fresh, compelling voices from around the world. Set in the heart of London's bustling arts district, this unique competition celebrates emerging writers and champions diversity in cinema.

We welcome scripts of all genres from writers around the world. Submissions can include short films, feature-length scripts, and pilot episodes, up to 120 pages in length.

Selected works have the opportunity to win a variety of awards, accolades, distribution opportunities, and prizes (see below). Our awards are IMDb certified!

THE SOHO CINEVERSE SCREENPLAY COMPETITION is the perfect platform to launch your writing journey.

Don't wait! Submit your screenplay today and let your voice be heard in Soho!

Proudly Sponsored by:

CinéCiné / SCREENCRAFTS / Film Local / Filmfestivalplaybooks.com / Distrø.

Films submitted to our competition are eligible for a variety of awards and prizes.

Each award-winner receives a laurel, and those who attend our in-person gatherings are presented with a certificate for their achievement (Hosted by CINEVERSE Europe). We also offer a variety of prizes - depending on the month - from a range of national and international sponsors.

The awards you could win include:

1 Platinum Screenplay
2 Gold Screenplay
3 Silver Screenplays
4 Best Genre Screenplay
5 Jury Prize

Select top projects will go to the SCREENCRAFTS Writer of the Year Compeition.

(Visit our website for details on benefits and conditions).

This document is proprietary and confidential. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited. © CINÉCINÉ 2025. All Rights Reserved.

CINÉCINÉ TERMS & CONDITIONS:

1. TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1.1 General Rules and Regulations
The following rules and regulations (“Rules & Regulations”) govern the submission of various project types, including but not limited to posters, related artwork, short films, trailers, feature films, featurettes, music videos, web series, reality show pilots, demo reels, short animations, sizzle reels, documentaries, short screenplays, and feature screenplays (collectively referred to as the “Project”) for consideration in any CINEVERSE film festival (hereinafter referred to as the “Festival”).

All information contained in this document supersedes any prior information regarding submissions to the CINEVERSE Festival. By agreeing to the Terms and Conditions found here, the person submitting the Project (hereinafter referred to as the “Applicant”) acknowledges that they have obtained consent from all relevant owners, creators, writers, producers, and/or other authorized representatives of the Project (collectively referred to as the “Project’s Owners”), whose consent is required to submit the Project to the Festival, and have read and understood the submission rules and regulations set forth below.

1.2 Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with international contract law. The Applicant agrees to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New Zealand for any disputes that may arise.

1.3 Force Majeure
The Festival shall not be held liable for any delay or failure to fulfill its obligations due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control. This includes, but is not limited to, natural disasters, pandemics, governmental restrictions, strikes, or any unforeseen events that hinder the Festival’s ability to perform as required.

1.4 Severability
Should any provision of these Terms be deemed invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, such provision will be severed or limited to the minimum extent necessary. The remaining provisions of these Terms shall continue to remain in full force and effect.

2. SUBMISSION

2.1 Eligibility Criteria. All projects submitted must be the original work of the Applicant. Submissions must not infringe on any intellectual property rights or be subject to ongoing legal disputes. Projects that promote hate speech, unlicensed content, explicit pornography, or any material deemed offensive or inappropriate by the Festival will be disqualified.
2.2 Submission Platforms. Submissions must be made exclusively through approved platforms, such as FilmFreeway. Each submission must be accompanied by the applicable non-refundable submission fee. The Applicant is responsible for ensuring all required materials are complete and submitted before the submission deadline. Incomplete submissions may be disqualified.

2.3 Selection Process. The selection of projects for screening is conducted by the Festival's programming team and/or jury panel. The decision is final and based on a combination of artistic merit, originality, and technical quality. The Festival reserves the right to withdraw selections if deemed necessary, at its sole discretion. Feedback on individual submissions will not be provided, and the Festival will not engage in discussions regarding the reasons for selection or non-selection. Additionally, the Festival will not disclose review dates, evaluation metrics, or the methods employed by the team in the selection process.

2.4 Withdrawal of Submission. Applicants may request to withdraw their project by submitting a written notice to the Festival. However, submission fees are non-refundable under any circumstances. The Festival will not accept withdrawal requests based solely on changes to event dates, location, or Applicant’s decision to release the film online. Withdrawal requests for such reasons will not be considered valid, and the Applicant will not be entitled to a refund or alternative compensation.

3. SCREENING & STREAMING:

3.1 Screening Rights. By submitting the Project, the Applicant grants the Festival a non-exclusive right to screen the Project as part of the event, in both physical and virtual formats. This grant includes the right to use excerpts or stills from the Project for promotional purposes in connection with the Festival but does not transfer copyright or ownership of the Project to the Festival.

3.2 Exclusivity Disclosure. Applicants are required to disclose whether their Project has premiered elsewhere, is under exclusive distribution contracts, or has been previously screened at other festivals. Failure to provide accurate and complete information may result in disqualification.

3.3 Festival’s Selection Rights. The Company reserves the sole and exclusive right to choose which works will be shown during the Festival. This includes the right to disqualify any Project with a submission form that is deemed delinquent due to non-payment of submission fees. No refund of submission fees will be made in the case of disqualification.

3.4 Streaming. The Festival retains the right to compile selected films for inclusion in a Video-On-Demand (VOD) or streaming compilation, subject to the Applicant’s prior permission. In years when this occurs, the Festival will seek written consent from the Filmmaker before including the Project in any such compilation.

3.5 Duration, Withdrawal, and Monetization. The Festival may stream the compilation for a period mutually agreed upon with the Filmmaker. The Filmmaker retains the right to withdraw their Project from the compilation at any time after agreeing to its inclusion. The Festival reserves the right to monetize and generate profits from the streaming compilation. Unless otherwise agreed, the Festival is not obligated to provide any compensation or remuneration to the Filmmaker for the inclusion of their work in the VOD compilation.

4. OWNERSHIP:

4.1 The Applicant is solely responsible for clearing all content of the Project from any and all actual or potential legal claims or issues. These may include, without limitation, claims based on libel, defamation, slander, invasion of privacy, violation of rights of publicity, theft or misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of confidence, breach of a confidential relationship, and breach of expressed or implied contract (“Third Party Claim(s)”).

4.2 The Company expressly disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held liable for, the unauthorized inclusion of any trademarked content or materials within the submitted Project. This includes content that may lead to Third Party Claims based on the aforementioned legal theories or others. The Company reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously paid by the Applicant, any Project that is or may become the subject of Third Party Claims. In the event that any Third Party Claim(s) are asserted by any person or entity, the Applicant shall fully indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Festival, and their representatives and affiliates from any liability arising in connection with such claims, including any fees and expenses, such as attorneys’ fees, incurred as a result.

4.3 Insurance Requirements. The Applicant is solely responsible for obtaining and maintaining appropriate insurance coverage for their Project, including liability, theft, or damage protection. The Festival disclaims all liability for any damage, loss, or destruction of submitted materials.

4.4 Non-Return of Materials: All submitted materials, including but not limited to hard drives, digital files, or physical media, will not be returned to the Applicant. The Festival is not obligated to return any materials submitted during the Festival process, and all such materials become the property of the Festival once submitted.

4.5 Liability for Property Provided: The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that the Festival, Company, or its affiliates shall not be held liable for any damage, loss, theft, or destruction of submitted materials, including hard drives, digital files, or any other property submitted to the Festival. This applies to all items submitted, whether physical or digital, and the Applicant assumes full responsibility for the condition and security of their materials.

4.6 No Obligation to Maintain or Search for Materials: The Festival is not obligated to take specific action to protect or store any submitted materials. The Festival does not assume responsibility for the storage, upkeep, or tracking of any materials. In the event of lost or misplaced materials, the Festival is under no obligation to search for or retrieve any submitted content, nor is the Festival responsible for the costs associated with such actions.

5. FESTIVAL RIGHTS:

5.1 The Festival, Company, and its affiliates reserve the sole and exclusive right to change the dates, times, or schedule of viewing for Officially Selected Projects, or any dates related to the Festival. The Applicant acknowledges and accepts that the Company, Festival, and its affiliates have no control over natural disasters, acts of nature, or emergency circumstances that may lead to changes in the Festival schedule. The Company, Festival, and its affiliates will make good faith efforts to inform Applicants of any date or time changes in advance, if possible.

5.2 The Company is under no obligation to provide comments, feedback, or any other information to the Applicant or any representative of the Project regarding the submitted Project. This includes any information about the manner in which the Project was reviewed, the views held by the Company or its reviewers, the reasons for non-acceptance of the Project, or any other information regarding the Festival’s review, consideration, and/or selection process beyond what is set forth in these Rules and Regulations.

5.3 The Company and Festival expressly deny responsibility for any promises, offers for distribution, options, or other offers made by attendees, Festival staff, or third parties. The Festival serves solely as a platform for Applicants to submit projects for exposure and viewing by audiences. The Festival is not responsible for facilitating any distribution deals, options, or other commercial agreements.

5.4 Data Collection. The Festival collects personal data solely for operational purposes, including communication and coordination related to the event. Personal data will not be sold or shared with third parties without the Applicant’s explicit consent. The Festival complies with all relevant data protection laws and ensures that the Applicant's information is handled responsibly and securely.

6. ADVERTISING:

6.1 By submitting the project, the Applicant agrees that the CINEVERSE Festival, the governing film body CinéCiné, and the Umbrella Company, The Ziggurat International Media Group Limited, may award the project finalist, official selection, or category winner status. The Festival, CinéCiné, and The Ziggurat International Media Group Limited may use extracts of the project for Festival-related advertising both online and in print, for a period of 50 years from the date of submission.

6.2 The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that by submitting the project, they transfer all necessary rights to the Festival to use imagery and extracts from the project for advertising purposes. This transfer of rights includes, but is not limited to, promotional use in online and social media campaigns (including, but not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), Vimeo, YouTube, and Squarespace), as well as print campaigns such as posters, advertisements, and media publications, for a period of 50 years from the date of submission.

The Applicant affirms that they have the legal authority to grant such rights and that no third-party rights (including but not limited to music, footage, and images) are infringed by such use. The Festival is not responsible for any claims arising from the use of any third-party materials and the Applicant shall indemnify the Festival against any such claims.

7. COMMUNICATION:
7.1 Upon completion of the Festival selection process, the Festival will attempt to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form to notify the Applicant of the Project’s acceptance status. The Festival is not responsible for, and will not be held liable for, any failure to contact the Applicant if the contact information provided is incorrect or outdated. It is the Applicant's sole responsibility to ensure that the contact information remains accurate throughout the selection period. Applicants must also ensure they are subscribed to FilmFreeway's emails to receive the latest updates regarding their Project's status.

7.2 Applicants may access up-to-date results via FilmFreeway at any time, regardless of direct email communication. Should an Applicant fail to receive updates due to incorrect contact information or failure to check FilmFreeway, the Festival will not be held accountable. Additionally, leaving a low review based on an inability to gain access to email updates will result in disqualification, removal from any position attained (such as Finalist), and the project will be marked as Not-Selected. FilmFreeway results will be available on the notification date as per FilmFreeway’s code of conduct.

7.3 Harassment, Discrimination, and Disruptive Behavior. The Festival maintains a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, discrimination, or disruptive behavior, whether in-person, via email, or through any other written correspondence. All participants, including Applicants, attendees, and staff, must act respectfully and professionally at all times. Violations of this policy, including inappropriate or offensive communication, may result in removal from the event, disqualification from future participation, or legal action.

7.4 Public Listings and Promotion. The Festival reserves the right to list selected projects and related information on the Festival’s official website, FilmFreeway, or other promotional platforms, without the need for individual reference or prior approval from the Applicants. This may include, but is not limited to, titles, genres, or other project details. The Festival may choose to display project images without including the film’s name or the Applicant’s identity for promotional purposes. By submitting to the Festival, Applicants grant the Festival permission to use such materials as part of the Festival’s promotional efforts.

8. PRIZES:

8.1 The Company reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God, or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation, or any other event outside the Promoter’s control. Any changes to the competition will be communicated to the Applicant as soon as possible by the Promoter. The Festival is not responsible for any inaccurate prize details supplied to any Applicant by any third party connected with this competition. No cash alternative to the prizes will be offered under any circumstances; this decision is final and not negotiable. The prizes are non-transferable and must be accepted as awarded.

8.2 Prizes are subject to availability, and the Festival reserves the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value at its discretion and without prior notice. The Festival will notify the winner of when and where the prize can be collected. The Festival’s decision regarding all matters related to the competition, including the awarding of prizes, will be final. No correspondence will be entered into regarding the competition results or the prize allocation.

9 ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS

9.1 By submitting a Project to any CINEVERSE film festival, the Applicant indicates their acceptance and agreement to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. This includes adherence to all rules, regulations, deadlines, and instructions set forth by the Festival.
The Applicant also acknowledges that they have the necessary rights and permissions for the Project, and that their submission complies with all legal requirements. Additionally, the Applicant agrees to follow any additional requirements or changes communicated by the Festival in the future.

Should any dispute arise related to the submission or participation in the Festival, the Applicant agrees to resolve such issues in accordance with the specified governing laws and jurisdiction outlined in these Terms and Conditions.