Competition United States

BlueCat Screenplay Competition 2027

BlueCat has been running since 1998 and returns written notes on every script entered, so a writer gets feedback whether or not the script places. It takes English-language features and shorts from anywhere, with a separate award for writers outside the US. The late tier closes November 10, 2026; winners are named February 16, 2027.

Late deadline Nov 10, 2026 (closes in 21 days)

Dates

DeadlineDateFee
OpeningJun 23, 2026 passedUSD 59 (short USD 25)
EarlyJul 21, 2026 passedUSD 65 (short USD 30)
RegularAug 18, 2026 passedUSD 75 (short USD 35)
FinalSep 22, 2026 passedUSD 85 (short USD 40)
LateNov 10, 2026USD 95 (short USD 50)
ResubmissionNov 10, 2026USD 65 (short USD 30)
Late resubmissionDec 15, 2026USD 80 (short USD 45)

Deadlines are as the organizer states them. Check the time zone on the official page.

At a glance

Entry fee
From $95Feature, late tier; shorts USD 50
Formats
Feature, Short
Language
English
Where
United States (enter online)
Who can apply
Open to all ages and all countries; scripts in English, original and owned by the entrant. Excluded: past BlueCat winners, scripts that have already won a contest, grant or lab, scripts entered in any competition before December 13, 2023, and scripts optioned, sold or produced before judging ends.
Prizes
USD 3,000 for the best feature and USD 3,000 for the best short. The Fellini Award adds USD 2,000 for the top script, in either category, by a writer living outside the US.

What to send

Length
Features 65 to 125 pages; shorts 1 to 29 pages
File
PDF
Also asked for
No new drafts or replacement pages once uploaded; one entry per script, any number of scripts

Need your pages in standard screenplay format first? The free screenplay formatter lays them out and saves a PDF.

What it gives besides money

Every entry, resubmissions included, gets a written analysis, sent on a fixed schedule after each deadline (late-tier entries by December 10, 2026).

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