Announcing Austin Film Festival 2023 Script Competition

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Entering its 30th year, Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference (AFF) continues to be the premier film festival recognizing the writers’ contributions to film, television, and new media. AFF consistently shepherds’ newcomers at the beginning of their storytelling journey into the bustling world of the visual and written mediums. In this spirit, AFF is pleased to announce that it is now accepting submissions for the 2023 Screenplay, Film, and Digital Series Competitions.

AFF’s Screenplay Competition provides emerging writers a launching pad for their careers. The competition has proudly partnered with companies such as Enderby Entertainment, AMC Networks, WarnerMedia, Rooster Teeth, and Josephson Entertainment to provide new opportunities. The 2022 winners were selected by a distinguished panel of industry judges including, James V. Hart (Hook, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Contact), Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel, Pokémon Detective Pikachu), Tripper Clancy (Stuber, I Am Not Okay With This, Die Hart), & Kelly Edwards (Our Kind of People).

As one of the largest and most respected screenplay competitions, AFF entrants receive benefits beyond the accolades of possible placement. In addition to registration discounts to attend the Festival, all entrants receive personalized attention regardless of placement, multiple reads throughout the process, and can opt-in for free “reader comments,” which are a brief, overall summary of the reader’s notes.

Austin Film Festival’s Film Competition has continued to grow year after year, making concerted efforts to pave the way into the ever-evolving entertainment industry, and championing visual storytelling. Accepted films are shown in front of eager audiences and industry professionals in distinctive venues throughout Austin.

“I had heard such amazing things about the Austin Film Festival and was lucky enough to have a semi-finalist feature-length screenplay in competition and a marquee feature film play at the State Theater. It was a spectacular experience all the way through. … Loved every minute of the festival and plan to continue submitting in the future. Thanks AFF!”

– Nick Richey, Director of 2022 Marquee Film 1-800-HOT-NITE & Semi-Finalist Writer of The Banana King

As an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences qualifier, the Jury Award winners for the Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short categories are eligible to be nominated for an Academy Award®. 2022 competition films were judged by an esteemed panel of jurors, including Roy Lee (Barbarian, It, The Ring), Jameel Saleem (Bob’s Burgers, South Park, Disenchantment), Missy Laney (Director of Development, Adult Swim), and Tierney Branda (Senior VP of Physical Production, MGM). Furthermore, after showing at the 2022 Festival, Gravitas Ventures picked up two selected films, Matt Bauer’s The Other Fellow and Nathan Scoggins’ What Remains for distribution.

For information on deadline dates, prices, and to submit, visit: https://austinfilmfestival.com/submit/

Tickets and passes for the 30th Annual Austin Film Festival, happening October 26, 2023 – November 2, 2023 are currently on sale at www.austinfilmfestival.com.

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