Sequoia, 15min., Switzerland Directed by Michelle Künzler Sequoia, a diligent AI maid, works for the captivating yet mysterious Mrs. Terrance. Although not designed to harbor any emotions, Sequoia starts developing sentience, when a certain sound triggers a feeling inside her that feels oddly familiar – and human. Forced to conceal her newfound emotions to evade shutdown, Sequoia embarks on a dangerous quest for truth, tearing at the seams of her own identity and re-evaluating the intricate power dynamics that govern her place within the household.
FLÜGGE, 25min., Germany Directed by Leopold Schraudolph, Dani Rose Cortés In an Austrian mountain village in 1914, the determined Amelie (20) must defy her father’s wishes of running the family sewing business to pursue her own dreams of flight and seize her only chance at finding true freedom.
This festival has a guaranteed 4-tier set up for each accepted script. (No matter what, all screenplays submitted receive FULL FEEDBACK on their work.)
1) Full Feedback on your script
2) Actors performance video reading of your script
3) Blog interview promotion.
4) Podcast interview on the Film Festival ITunes show
SPORTS Short Story Festival (guaranteed acceptance):
Submit your SPORTS Short Story to the Festival here and we will automatically have it performed by a professional actor and turned into a promotional video for yourself.
Home is a short film about the fragility of life and the virtue of solitude. A faceless figure attempting not to resist the endless waves of pointlessness.
Review by Andie Kay:
Home. It’s one word that means different things to different people. It could be a house, a town or just a feeling. Maybe even a state of mind. The stunning cinematography takes you from lush, green rolling hills to a vast desert and then the tranquil, sandy beaches with the rhythmic ocean waves.
Hanne Schillemans and Ralph Timmermans created this film that was brought to us by Spin Echo. Hanne is also the lead in the film and she did an incredible job. The emotion within her dancing was present and it embodied something very fragile. Her athletic quadrupedal movements were not only impressive but gave you a sense of something primitive. The physical demands and flexibility of her dancing was striking and I have to commend her for filming the entire thing nude. This wasn’t gratuitous, it had a purpose and it was done artfully.
The score was something that really intrigued me. I loved how it started with just an enigmatic tone that was layered upon, it ebbed and flowed until it slowly changed into a piano. Really well done and it fit this film so perfectly.
Shesafella, a modern twist on Cinderella, is about a kind-hearted teen forced into servitude by a ruthless stepmother and closeted stepbrothers, who defies the odds with help from her butch fairy godmother. At a Ball, she wins Princess’s heart but vanishes, leaving behind a single Doc Martens shoe. Princess’s Instagram posts spark a citywide search, and Shesafella must outsmart her family, reclaim her true self, and fight for her happily ever after.
What genres does your screenplay fall under? Fantasy, romance, fairy tale, LGBTQ
Why should this screenplay be made into a movie? Cinderella movies (Ever After, Ella Enchanted, A Cinderella Story) are beloved for their timeless themes: rags to riches, kindness over cruelty, and finding one’s voice. But they’ve all followed the same blueprint—a girl meeting a boy. Shesafella flips the script. It’s a girl meeting a girl, in a joyful, queer reimagining that feels both long overdue and perfectly timed. This is the inclusive fairy tale audiences have been waiting for.
Submit to these exciting festivals today. Festivals that offer feedback from the industry, plus performance videos.
FANTASY/SCI-FI Screenplay Festival:
This festival has a guaranteed 4-tier set up for each accepted script. (No matter what, all screenplays submitted receive FULL FEEDBACK on their work.)
1) Full Feedback on your script
2) Actors performance video reading of your script
3) Blog interview promotion.
4) Podcast interview on the Film Festival ITunes show
Submit your MYSTERY Short Story to the Festival here and we will automatically have it performed by a professional actor and turned into a promotional video for yourself.
History is a narrative that describes, analyzes, and questions past events, and examines the patterns of cause and effect. It’s a collection of stories told by many different people, and is subject to constant revision and reinterpretation.
3 options to submit: 1st chapter. full novel. performance reading.
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Plastico, 5min., UK, Documentary Directed by David Harriman, James Bettney In Almeria Province in Spain, a sea of plastic sheeting covers the land creating the the largest collection of greenhouses in the world. The invernaderos (as they are called in Spanish) cover upwards of 150 square miles and are visible by the naked eye from space. A large proportion of Europe’s vegetables and fruit is intensively farmed here.
CHAIN, 5min,. Taiwan, Animation Directed by Ling Han “Chain,” directed by Ling Han, is a 3D animated short film featuring charming characters and a sophisticated environment. It uniquely tells the story of the mantis catching the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
TENDU, 2min., USA, Dance Directed by Sophie Power, Michelene Mallard Billy What happens when you grow up in a world where there was only one projected image of what a ballerina “should look like” – down to the pink nude pointe shoes?
Under the Waterfall – The Avener, 3min., France Directed by Sebastien Caudron This video clip shows an explosive passion between two lovers, punctuated by an elegant and a contemporary choreography in the streets of Paris where buildings are changing into real waterfalls. It is an hymn to love that uses the metaphor of water for its fluidity.
FIGHTERS, 4min., USA, Sci-Fi Directed by Sam Hall A deep space research station is under attack from an overwhelming force. Hope arrives in the form of an elite squadron of fighters.
(PLASTIK), 3min,. Mayaysia, Drama Directed by Philip ROm View the plastic pollution crisis through the eyes and imagination of a child in South-East Asia, a major hotspot for plastic pollution. (PLASTIK) is the first short film made in Asia for audiences in Asia that uses creative storytelling and live action drama to raise awareness and catalyse action to end plastic pollution in the region. It pulls on the heart strings and is both wrenching and warming in equal measure. Witness how a child can take individual action to influence their family to say no to single-use plastic.
LVCI, 3min,. USA, Fashion Directed by Brock Newman A woman wanders the desert in search of a connection to her spiritual self and is transported to another realm where she embraces the dark and untamed.
Look Into a Whale’s Eyes, 5min., Ukraine, Documentary Directed by Andrii Andreiev The sperm whale stands as one of the most remarkable cetaceans on our planet. Its brain, touted as the largest among all living beings, underscores the complexity of its cognitive abilities. Similar to humans, sperm whales exhibit qualities of empathy, affection, future planning, and communication. Their mode of communication is articulated through a series of clicks.
FOUR MOM, 2min., Israel, Animation Directed by Itay Semo “FOUR MOM” is a short animated film displaying an ordinary morning in the life of a single working mom of 4.
Struggle, 5min., Armenia, Family/Comedy Directed by David Babasiev In the remote mountains a family facing intense challenges as the mother and their prized cow approach childbirth simultaneously.
AUTUMN LEAVES, 3min,. Canada, Animation Directed by Elizabeth Lewis Autumn brings bitter sweet memories. A woman, missing her husband, struggles to control the leaves and her emotions in this fully animated hilarious take on the classic song.
Skate Fast Turn Left, 1min., USA, Documentary Directed by Mary Hawkins Two friends, Fifi Fleshwound and Little Mary Switchblade, have a quick conversation about their roller derby years…
GETHSEMANE, 5min., Canada, Music Video Directed by Saccha Dennis Gethsemane: Black Jesus is a reimagining from the musical Jesus Christ Superstar told through the lens of Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton. A leader for his community but seen as a threat to the FBI. He was shot and killed in a pre-dawn raid in December, 1969.
BLOOD ON MY HANDS, 5min,. Austria, Romance Directed by Martin Kober “… you’ll always be apart of me” (Songtext) – cinematic drama love story without dialogue
Little Issues, 5min., USA, Comedy Directed by Jerah Milligan Mid-coitus, Andy discovers a blip in her new relationship that sends her running to her roommates to help her overcome this Little Issue.
*”Don’t Stare, See me”, 5min., USA, Documentary Directed by Steven Speliotis Naomi was born with a facial difference, and growing up she fell victim to the bullying of her peers because she looked different.
Between Wings and Swings, 3min., Canada, Animation Directed by Yuyang Yan Through an unexpected turn of events, a young girl must learn to let go.
REEF, 4min., Canada, Dance Directed by W.E. Overton It is a simple, beautiful dance film performed by hands alone.
Takeaway, 2min., UK, Comedy Directed by Joe McGowan A couple can’t decide what takeaway they want for dinner.
My updated version of Shakespeare’s classic has the “cool” factor; it is 2023 and Tony, the Merch King of the Kappa House, will do anything for his favourite Frat Bro Baz, even if it means a sketchy business loan with someone he loathes, the brilliant, scholarship student, Shai. The much needed funds will finance Baz’s elaborate journey to Belmont, Italy, where he will attempt a Casket Challenge, a bizarre game designed by Sorority Sister Pia’s late father to ensure his control, beyond the grave, over his wealthy and attractive daughter. Pia, who is an exchange student at the university, finds herself back in Belmont after her Father’s passing and becomes a pawn in his strange Game, which will dictate her entire future. Equally strange are the specifics of the business loan between Tony and Shai. Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, this troubling narrative, set in present day on an American university campus and off the coast of Italy, takes the reader on a wild ride and conveys that things aren’t always as simple as they appear on the surface and that hate is a divisive and toxic force that threatens to destroy us all. The overarching concept of the book is to convey that human beings are flawed and that we all need to be and do better, irrespective of race, religion and social class.
2. What genres would you say this story is in?
YA
Shakespeare Adaptation
3. How would you describe this story in two words?
Shakespeare Reimagined
4. What movie have you seen the most in your life?
The Shawshank Redemption
5. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
Probably “Hotel California” by the Eagles
6. Do you have an all-time favorite novel?
Too many to count, but I’m pretty obsessed with The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
7. What motivated you to write this story?
Sadly, antisemitism has been on the rise and an update of the Bard’s controversial text about a Jewish moneylender, set up in opposition to his community, seems long overdue. As an experienced High School English Teacher, I have always felt like the students need more Young Adult book options, rich in depth, but not too long or difficult, to get them hooked on reading. Every time I teach The Merchant of Venice to grade 9 students, I am struck by its modern and relatable vibe; the friend groups and social hierarchies, the nuanced romances, the morally ambiguous characters, the divisive nature of hate, the objectification of women, and of course, the prejudice, exclusion and bullying, really resonate with young people.
8. If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
That’s an easy one. William Shakespeare.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
I love teaching English Literature to High School Students and I love travelling with my family.
10. What influenced you to enter your story to get performed?
Audio book readings are a great way to bring literature to life and to take the words off the page.
This recording is only a sample of the full novella, but I figured why not have the opening chapters performed?
11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
Write when inspiration strikes. Don’t worry if the writing is “good enough”. Just put the words on the page and see what happens. Take risks.
– The theme of my poem is how the environment around us changes over time, and so does society. They correspond and intertwine with each other.
2) What motivated you to write this poem?
– This poem was spanned from listening to a song called *Nameless Station*, and writing lyrics that came to mind while listening to this song. Hence the name of my poem, “Accolade to Nameless Station.’
3) How long have you been writing poetry?
– Officially, I’ve been writing poetry since 3rd grade when I was introduced to Haikus in school. Thank you Amy J.!
4) If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
– I have no idea! There are so many interesting people to choose from – William Wordsworth, Elizabeth Barrett, Edgar Allan Poe, Louis Armstrong, those are just a few examples.
5) What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?
– I like to submit my poetry to as many publications and opportunities as possible. “Accolade to Nameless Station” is one of those poems that seemingly has a different effect on people based on the voice they use while reading it. It’s intriguing to listen to my poem performed by a voice entirely different from my own.
6) Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
– I do write short stories as well. I have some long books in mind too.
7) What is your passion in life?
– Creative writing is my main passion. Writing poems, sharing them, and finding people who also enjoy poetry is one of the greatest joys in my life.
Using his tech capabilities, Matt puts a team together to help build a virtual reality world that is a mirror if the real world, however, lack of funding needs they need to find some way get the project off the ground. Matt decides to impress the Dean of Engineering by telling him about a special chip and code he has written that has affects in the virtual reality and in the real world.
Get to know the writer:
1. What is your screenplay about?
An outsider graduate student attempts to create a digital mirror of his brain by building a custom VR world. He soon discovers that in order to achieve success, he must believe his VR creation is real life. Which, of course, is ridiculous . . .
2. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
The Fold offers a story about a human/digital melding and the birth of generalized artificial intelligence without resulting in catastrophe for humans or machines. It can be produced as either a stand alone feature or the opening salvo of a limited series exploring stories and conflicts in and between both VR and IRL. I feel this is minimally explored narrative territory.
3. How would you describe this script in two words?
Nerd Action
4. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
I rarely which films more than once, but I asked my wife and she said four: Cassavetes’ “Faces”, Wender’s “Paris, Texas”, Kubrick’s “2001”, and Fellini’s “81/2”. Sounds pretentious, but as usual, she’s probably right.
5. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
Short answer: about 30 years More specifically: In the early 1990’s my unfinished PhD dissertation concerned the necessity of error in creating artificial intelligence and VR worlds. I suggested algorithms based on Rene Thom’s catastrophe theory, ideas about desire from French philosopher Gilles Deleuze, and Star Trek’s Commander Data’s wish to be human could be used to support my argument for the necessity of error in programming. In 2000 I move to LA and worked as the Software Manager for special effects house Digital Domain and had many conversations with programmers about how film “grain” is a beautiful “error” in the image that they referred to as “noise”. I began developing the original story ideas for The Fold during this time. In 2008 I enrolled in the Pepperdine University MFA Screenwriting program and began my first real drafts. Eventually, The Fold was one of my thesis submissions. In the early 2010’s I continued development on the script with professional script analysts. In 2022 I moved away from LA and the movie biz, choosing to quit writing and focus on other pursuits. I even deleted Final Draft from my laptop. On a lark, in 2024 I entered a previous version of The Fold (a 2014 pdf because I couldn’t open the Final Draft file!) into the Sci-Fi Screenwriting Contest, received a positive result and with one more round of consultation, ended up with The Fold’s current version.
6. How many stories have you written?
My guess is around 20 screenplays—only 2 or 3 of which are actually any good.
7. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
Originally as a script to direct. However, I no longer have dreams or any interest in feature directing. Truthfully, I think kept me interested was the challenge of translating abstract ideas into narrative. And a desire for a larger audience. Nerdy dissertation vs compelling Sci-fi action. Which would you rather experience? The story is very influenced by Phillip K Dick narratives in which reality and VR are fluid resulting in conflict for the main character.
8. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Mostly, life. But also, first, wrestling with translating complex intellectual ideas into compelling narrative conflict. Then, what has taken the most time and work—revisions—refining the storytelling so it communicates clearly to others the narrative in my head. I have relied on the input of many people over many years.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
I am an image maker. Began as a photojournalist in high school. I’m also a musician. The last few years I’ve been collaborating with LA artist, Winostrut. We’ve released three albums, so far, as Winostrut & Friends, available on all digital platforms via American Standard Time Records label. I play guitar, lap steel, keys and synths with some great guys resulting in our loosely defined West Coast Psych Country vibe. Links to some of my recent films (shot, directed, edited by) featuring Winostrut & Friends music tracks:
10. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
To be truthful, last year I got annoyed when I received an email offering analysis for hire of The Fold, by title. It irked me because I’d been trying to sell my story about VR and the birth of GAI for many years with no takers, even after many paid revision notes. A few days later I received an email to enter the Sci-Fi Screenwriting contest. I thought, well, if I think the script’s that good, let’s enter it and find out. This was not the script’s first rodeo, and frankly, I expected the usual politely encouraging rejection notice. That turned out not to be the case. The festival directed me to an excellent script analyst and she was very insightful about areas that needed work. I addressed those issues and now have a solid narrative.
Festival Reviews 