Kairos Prize 2026
Movieguide's faith and values prize wants uplifting features and pilots built on biblical principles, with one track for beginners and one for working professionals.
closes today
Competition United States
13th Annual Search for New Blood Screenwriting Contest
Run by Stage 32
A horror contest for features and pilots, run by Stage 32 for the 13th time. Its judges are named managers and producers at companies including Alibi Management, Phoenix Pictures and PBR Streetgang. Prizes are meetings and career packages rather than cash. The regular tier closes November 11, 2026, and the extended tier December 7.
Early deadline Oct 21, 2026 (closes tomorrow)
The listed dates have passed. We check the organizer's page every day and add the next dates once they are published.
Dates
| Deadline | Date | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Super early bird | Oct 1, 2026 passed | USD 49.50 |
| Early bird | Oct 21, 2026 | USD 59.50 |
| Regular | Nov 11, 2026 | USD 69.50 |
| Final | Dec 2, 2026 | USD 79.50 |
| Extended | Dec 7, 2026 | USD 84.50 |
Deadlines are as the organizer states them. Check the time zone on the official page.
At a glance
- Entry fee
- From $60Early bird tier, until October 21, 2026; scripts over 120 pages cost USD 20 more
- Formats
- Feature, TV pilot
- Language
- English
- Where
- United States (enter online)
- Who can apply
- Writers 18 or over, from any country. Original horror scripts in English, not produced, optioned or sold. Friends and immediate family of the judges and their companies cannot enter.
- Prizes
- No cash prize. The winner gets a career package that Stage 32 values at USD 5,000 (another part of the page says USD 4,000), with mentor meetings and script and career development; finalists get a USD 2,500 package and general meetings; semifinalists and quarterfinalists get smaller packages.
What to send
- Length
- No maximum; scripts over 120 pages pay USD 20 extra
- File
- Title page
- Optional; contact details may be included or left off
- Your name on the script
- Allowed
- Also asked for
- Standard industry format; upload within 72 hours of paying; paid add-ons for coverage, resubmission and a mentor read
Need your pages in standard screenplay format first? The free screenplay formatter lays them out and saves a PDF.
What it gives besides money
All finalists are set up on general meetings. A paid add-on sends the logline to a horror mentor, who picks one writer for virtual development meetings.
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