The Nashville Film Festival (NaFF) announced the creation of the Nashville Film Festival Screenwriting Competition with over $55,000 in cash and prizes. The competition opens October 1st closes January 31st with the Official Award Ceremony at the 45th Annual Nashville Film Festival, April 17 – 26th in downtown Nashville.
Cash prizes will be awarded for winners of feature and short screenplays in 13 categories including drama, comedy, music inspired, action/adventure, family, inspirational, animated, historical, science fiction, thriller/horror, and Tennessee Screenwriters. A separate competition will be held for teleplays in drama pilot and comedy pilot categories. Young screenwriters, under 19 years, are encouraged to enter the Young Screenwriting Short Screenplay Competition.
In addition to cash, winning scripts will be read by celebrated industry executives and studios. Already signed on to read the winners are: Tom Pollock, President of the Montecito Picture Company, and former Chair of Universal Pictures Motion Picture Group and Vice Chair of MCA, Inc. (Star Wars, Schindler’s List); Blossom Films, Nicole Kidman’s Academy-Award nominated production company (Rabbit Hole, In the Cut, Monte Carlo); noted casting director, Laray Mayfield (House of Cards, Benjamin Button); famed limit-breaking director/producer Harmony Korine (Spring Breakers); and Rich Peluso, Senior Vice President of AFFIRM Films, the faith/family and inspirational label of Sony Picture Entertainment (Soul Surfer and Courageous).
Finalists and semi-finalists will win NaFF Silver Laminates, giving them all-festival access, with $5 film tickets, to NaFF’s 250+ film screenings, VIP tent, and special events.
“We are thrilled to announce this competition,” said Ted Crockett, executive director of the Nashville Film Festival. “This is a major competition that will draw entries from all over the world. We are especially proud that we will be able to help emerging screenwriters get the recognition they deserve. As Silver laminate holders they’ll be able to steep themselves in the NaFF experience – meeting filmmakers, producers and professionals from around the world in the VIP Tent. Also, many winning scripts will be read by some of the world’s most celebrated studios and executives.”
Cash awards to winners: Feature Drama $1,000; Feature Comedy $1,000; Feature Action/Adventure $500; Feature Thriller/Horror $500; Feature Family Film $250; Feature Inspirational Film $250; Feature Animated Film $250; Feature Science Fiction $250, Feature Historical Film $250; Feature Music-Inspired $250; Short Drama $250; Short Comedy $250; Short Action/Adventure $250; Short Thriller/Horror $250; Short Family Film $250; Short Inspirational Film $250; Short Animated Film $250; Short Science Fiction $250; Short Historical Film $250; Short Music-Inspired $250; TV Drama Pilot $250; TV Comedy Pilot $250; Young Screenwriters $250; Tennessee Feature Screenplay $500; Tennessee Short Screenplay $250. NaFF names a winner and runner-up in each category. Winners receive cash awards. Runners-up win an exclusive certificate award printed at Hatch Show Print. Semifinalists win a NaFF Silver Laminate, valued at $250. Finalists win two NaFF Silver Laminates worth $500.
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