Our aim is to forge an independent screenwriting competition that will launch the careers of cinema's next generation of great writers and artists. We want our competition to be a bridge between up and coming artists and the talent agents and managers that will ultimately put them in front of studio executives in both Canada and the US.
Our city has a long history of nurturing and showcasing the most talented filmmakers in the entertainment industry. We want to give screenwriters the same level of exposure. We want to develop writers to work on studio films as well as high end independents. We are an independent screenwriting competition that wants to inspire, support, and develop writers at all levels to make great films that leave others touched, moved and inspired. And we love all kinds of scripts and stories from studio blockbusters to art house fare. No two paths are the same and no two stories are either. We accept scripts from all over the world not just the US and Canada and from artists of all shapes and sizes from anywhere in the world as well.
The Toronto Metropolitan Int'l Screenwriting Competition is a Cinema Public House production. Toronto is home to several prestigious film festivals. We, however, are an independent festival. We are not affiliated with any other film festival, production company, conference, awards ceremony, or government organization located in our city. We are an independent festival company.
Our aim is to open doors for aspiring writers in all genres the same way Sundance, Edinburgh, and Cannes opens doors for filmmakers.
We reward our grand prize winning screenwriter with various prizes including a consultation package through Roadmap Writers with at least three top industry executives in New York, LA, or Toronto. Our top two finalists also receive at least one consultation as well. These introductions can be invaluable to writers. These are not just introductions, they are consultations in which our winners receive valuable feedback on their work.
In 2017, Brian Andrews, one of our finalists signed with Management 360, one of Beverly Hills most prestigious talent management companies as a result of our personal introduction. Our grand prize winner is also given one hour worth of script notes from a top Hollywood development executive and or talent manager. In 2020 our grand prize winner received consultations with talent managers and executives at Empirical Evidence, the Cartel, and Artistic Vision Productions. Our finalists received consultations with talent managers at Kersey Management and Storyline.
2019's grand prize winner was personally introduced to six talent managers and producers and was given a one hour consultation with the top manager at Fictional Entity.
Please note that we do not advertise who we will be introducing our grand prize winner to as we prefer to tailor the introduction to the individual writer's style so as to get them the most benefit. For example, if our winner wrote a drama, we wouldn't be connecting them with people who specialize in comedy.
Only the Grand Prize Winner and top two Finalists receive consultation packages and prizes while Semi-Finalists are only rewarded with laurels and online recognition like in most screenwriting competitions. Prizes and recognition will not be given to any other entrants.