Contest · Slamdance
Slamdance Screenplay Competition 2027
Next call not out yet. Usually closes in June
Screenplay contest from the Slamdance festival with feature, TV pilot, horror and thriller, and short categories. The 2026 round opened 18 March with deadlines from 4 May to 3 August and winners on 31 October. The 2027 round is expected on a similar schedule.
- Who can apply
- Emerging writers only; writers earning over $50,000 a year from screenwriting are excluded. Unproduced scripts; original TV pilots only; adaptations only with rights or public domain source. Scripts that won over $2,500 elsewhere, or written with AI, are not accepted.
- Fee
- 2026 rates: 35 to 120 dollars per script depending on category, length and deadline
- What you get
- Awards for category winners, split equally among co-writers. Every entrant gets short reader feedback.
- Formats
- Screenplay, Feature, Series, Short
- You hear back
- Winners announced 31 October (2026 cycle)
- Apply through
- FilmFreeway, Coverfly or Slamdance direct form
- Languages
- English
What to send
- Script in English, 12-point Courier
- Cover page with title
- Note on the cover if based on a true story
- Optional show bible up to 5 pages (pilots)
How to apply
- Pick a category and check the page limits.
- Format the script in 12-point Courier with a title cover page.
- Submit early for the lowest fee.
- Use FilmFreeway, Coverfly or the direct form.
Worth knowing
- Drafts cannot be replaced after submission and fees are not refunded.
- Scripts written or rewritten by AI are not accepted.
Checked against Slamdance's own page on October 24, 2026. Dates and fees can change, so read their call before you apply.