Storyline℠ - DaVinci Film Festival Screenwriting Competition

YOUR SCRIPT. OUR STAGE.

A CINEMATIC SHOWCASE: FINALISTS' SCRIPTS BROUGHT TO LIFE BY PROFESSIONAL ACTORS FOR AUDIENCES.

EVERYONE HAS A STORY, WHAT'S YOURS?

The DaVinci International Film Festival (DIFF) is built on a simple conviction: the screenplay is the soul of the film.

We are passionately committed to celebrating the talented writers who work tirelessly, giving form to the characters and narratives that profoundly move, challenge, and inspire us.

The pinnacle of this celebration is DIFF’s Writers’ Corner, where our Storyline Finalists compete for the prestigious Leo Award. This highly anticipated two-hour event is designed to give your writing maximum exposure. Lottery Finalists receive an unparalleled opportunity: professional actors bring your scenes to life through dramatic readings and detailed scene breakdowns, showcasing your vision to industry professionals, peers, and press.

For the emerging voice and the seasoned master alike, submit your screenplay to DIFF’s Storyline competition—it’s time to be recognized. Experience the DIFF.

Rules & Eligibility

Submitted scripts must be original, and the sole property of the applicant(s)*
Feature and Short scripts must be in Master Scene Format (grading rubric)
All entries must be in English
Feature screenplays must be between 80-120 pages in length
Short screenplays must be under 40 pages in length
There is no limit to the number of entries you may submit
You may not submit the same script more than once
Under no circumstances will substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entry be accepted

If a submitted script becomes Optioned, produced or purchased between the time of submission and the end of the judging period, that script will no longer be eligible
All entries must be submitted in PDF format at FilmFreeway. Scripts will not be returned.
Competition judges, readers and employees of STORYLINE or the DaVinci Intl Film Festival screenplay competition, past and present, and their immediate friends and families, are not eligible to enter
Previous winners of the STORYLINE competition are not eligible
Scripts submitted under a pen name will be immediately disqualified
Script title or file cannot be changed after submission

*Original Works: Script is wholly based on the writer’s own, unique imagination and is not adapted from outside material. The ONLY EXCEPTION is if the writer currently holds exclusive rights/Option to the source material.

AWARDS

“Once you crack the script, everything else flows.”
– Ridley Scott

Selection

Official Selections (“Finalists”) are in competition for The Leo Award and participate in live readings at DIFF’s Writers’ Corner event annually.

The Leo Award

The Leo is DaVinci Film Festival’s most coveted award and is given to the best screenplay among our Official Selections at the live showcase event.

Honorable Mention

Every year, we’re deluged with fantastic scripts. While we can’t honor all submissions, Storyline occasionally awards Honorable Mentions.