3rd Annual Palm Springs Women in Film & Television + Stage 32 Short Script Competition

Our 3rd Annual Palm Springs Women in Film & Television + Stage 32 Short Script Competition!

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The Grand Prize Winning Script is guaranteed production, with a production value of $10,000!

Great short films captivate audiences with concise storytelling, compelling characters, and emotional resonance in a brief yet impactful narrative. Getting your short script produced is the quickest way into the industry. Many famous writer/directors have started with short films like Damien Chazelle with WHIPLASH, Wes Anderson with BOTTLE ROCKET, Taika Waititi with TWO CARS, ONE NIGHT, Christopher Nolan with DOODLEBUG, Jane Campion with PEEL, and Martin Scorsese with THE BIG SHAVE. The list goes on... and with this competition, we hope the same success for you.

That is why our Grand Prize is your Short Screenplay is guaranteed production, with a production value of $10,000 - just like these films!

In honor of screenwriters everywhere, Palm Springs Women in Film & Television (PSWIFT) has partnered with Stage 32 to launch our one-of-a-kind Short Script Competition open to filmmakers from all countries from around the world, centered on the theme of Sports, the Outdoors, and Mental Health.

The competition is open to writers of all backgrounds and experience levels, the competition invites bold, original short scripts that explore how physical activity, nature, and teamwork impact mental wellbeing. Stories may address themes including resilience, healing, identity, burnout, grief, trauma recovery, inclusion, and the power of human connection—set in any sport or outdoor environment worldwide.

“Storytelling has the power to heal, connect, and create understanding,” said Kim Waltrip, Founder of the Filmmakers Lab. “This competition is about amplifying stories that show how sports and the outdoors can play a meaningful role in mental health, resilience, and hope. We’re excited to partner with Stage 32 to give writers a platform to share these important and deeply human stories.”

Stage 32 CEO Richard Botto added, “At Stage 32, we believe in storytelling that creates impact. Partnering with PSWIFT on a competition focused on sports, the outdoors, and mental health allows us to support writers who are tackling vital conversations through universally relatable experiences. These stories have the power to resonate far beyond the page.”

The winning script is guaranteed production, with a production value of $10,000, and will receive a premiere at the HollyShorts Film Festival, screen at the Garden State Film Festival, and air on ZPTV, a ROKU channel, offering filmmakers a rare opportunity for both high-profile festival exposure and broadcast distribution.

The winning script will be produced by PSWIFT’s Filmmakers Lab. The Filmmakers Lab has produced five short films, four are award-winning and the fifth is in post production, and a season of a variety talk show, “PS After Dark” starring Tristan Rogers.

The members of the Lab will judge the projects and the winner will be announced July 10th. The winning script will be produced in the Winter of 2026.

Let last year's winner, Katy Dore tell you why you should enter!

Our Grand Prize Winner will:

• Have your short screenplay produced by Palm Springs Women in Film & Television for a guaranteed production value of $10,000!
• Have your completed project screened alongside the Stage 32 Short Film Program at our partner festival Hollyshorts Film Festival and the Garden State Film Festival!
• Have your completed project streamed on Roku's ZPTV
• Receive a free membership to the Stage 32 Writers’ Room, a private, virtual community of writers from around the world the meet and learn from industry professionals like Meg LeFauve (INSIDE OUT, CAPTAIN MARVEL) and Aimee Riviera, VP of Motion Picture Production at Skydance Media (TOP GUN: MAVERICK), Tripper Clancy (STUBER) and managers & agents from WME, CAA, Gersh, Circle of Confusion, Zero Gravity & more!
• Free access to Stage 32’s educational webinar library, which includes over 3,000 hours of content featuring top industry professionals

All 10 Finalists will:

• Receive an exclusive, one page of written coverage from one of Stage 32's professional industry readers.
• Get a free one month membership to the Stage 32 Writers’ Room,a private, virtual community of writers from around the world the meet and learn from industry professionals like Meg LeFauve (INSIDE OUT, CAPTAIN MARVEL) and Aimee Riviera, VP of Motion Picture Production at Skydance Media (TOP GUN: MAVERICK), Tripper Clancy (STUBER) and managers & agents from WME, CAA, Gersh, Circle of Confusion, Zero Gravity & more!

About Palm Springs Women in Film & Television

Palm Springs Women in Film & Television (PSWIFT) is a nonprofit organization, founded in 2001, dedicated to empowering, promoting, educating and nurturing its members – both women and men – involved in the entertainment, communication and media industries. PSWIFT is also focused on educating, inspiring and bringing in more production work to the Coachella Valley.

About Kim Waltrip's Filmmakers Lab

Rules & Requirements

Submitted scripts must be narrative in genre (drama, comedy, family, thriller, or inspirational).

Please make sure that your entry adheres to the following requirements:

• Short Scripts should be within 3 - 15 pages.
• All scripts must be written in English.
• Story location must be conducive to the Palm Springs Area.
• We welcome submissions from screenwriters and filmmakers from all countries around the world.
• Material submitted must be written and owned by the person submitting.
• All entries must be original, with writers retaining full rights to their work.
• There is no age limit. All ages can enter.
• There is no limit on the number of scripts a writer may submit. You are allowed to submit as many entries as you like with a respective fee for each entry.
• Palm Springs Women in Film & Television claims no ownership of your work. All ownership and rights to the scripts submitted to this competition remain with the original rights of the person(s) that submitted.
• Palm Springs Women in Film & Television will act as a Production Company for a Short Film project. Therefore Palm Springs Women in Film & Television will have the final call on funding, cast, crew, and edit of the Short Film.
• All decisions of Palm Springs Women in Film & Television are final. By applying to this competition each participant agrees to hold Palm Springs Women in Film & Television our judges and sponsors immune from any competition disputes, claims, liabilities, and expenses

Important Dates to be Aware Of

Super Early Bird Deadline: February 5th, 2026

Early Bird Deadline: February 26th, 2026

Regular Deadline: March 18th, 2026

Final Deadline: April 15th, 2026

Quarterfinalist Announcement: May 29th, 2026

Semifinalist Announcement: June 12th, 2026

Finalist Announcement: June 26th, 2026

Winner Announcement: July 10th, 2026

If you have any questions regarding this contest, check out frequently asked questions here or email contests@stage32.com.

Our 2nd Annual Winner Katy Dore (PERFECT)

Last year's winner, Katy Dore had her script PERFECT produced by Malia Botello, Alan Gitlin, Laurilie Jackson, Janice Lopez, and Kate Spates. The short was co-directed by Gina Kartsonis and Laurilie Jackson. It stars Tonya Peregrin as Ramona and Aubrey Trujillo as Sasha. PERFECT premiered at 2025 Hollyshorts Film Festival as part of the Stage 32 Short Film Program!

Logline: RAMONA adores her quirky bestie SASHA, but today's obsession is just too much. Sasha used an AI App to design her dream man, and now she's convinced their server, CRUX, is her perfect partner. Ramona admits the server DOES look a lot like the image the App generated. And it's sweet that he's concerned about Sasha's health. But wait. He also speaks Portuguese!? Sasha is smitten, but Ramona suspects Crux might just be a little too perfect.

Our 1st Annual Winner Patricia Semler (EXIT INTERVIEW)

EXIT INTERVIEW by Pat Semler, our winning script from 2023, released in 2024, and was directed by Kate Spates and Carolyn Moloshco! The film had a full festival run and screened at Hollyshorts 2024 as part of the Stage 32 Short Film block!

Logline: A young woman discovers freedom of choice has consequences during her exit interview at a gene center.

Kim Waltrip - Founder, Palm Springs Women in Film & Television (PSWIFT)

Kim Waltrip's Filmmakers Lab

"Educating filmmakers one frame at a time"

A program of Palm Springs Women in Film & Television (PSWIFT), our Filmmakers Lab was created in February 2020 when our then President, the amazing Kim Waltrip, had the idea to develop a committee with a concept of creating an environment where our seasoned members with a ton of experience in making films could teach those with a desire to explore that world while actually making films.

At our first meeting, an idea was born and a final script for “ACCIDENTAL DATE” was locked on March 18, 2020 right as COVID-19 hit.

In July 2020, “AFTERMATH” production began with Eileen Davidson signing on to star. The Filmmakers Lab was able to make both films in the middle of the pandemic using all proper precautions.

Following both films, a talk show series "PS AFTER DARK WITH HOST TRISTAN ROGERS" was added in Summer of 2021 and is currently on YouTube. In late 2022, our third project, "THE SPLENDOR OF YOU" was shot and released in the summer of 2023.

In the Spring of 2023 we partnered with Stage 32 to host a Screenwriters Contest to find our fourth project and "EXIT INTERVIEW" was selected and shot in December 2023, and premiered in Spring 2024.​

In 2024, our second screenwriters contest revealed "PERFECT", which will be entering festivals in the summer of 2025.

In May 2025, a special project was presented to the group and self funded by writer, director & producer Malia Botello. Stay tuned for more information about "THE LAST TEAR".​

All films are entered into short festivals around the world. Our first film, "ACCIDENTAL DATE" received ten accolades. All involved receive IMDB credits.

The PSWIFT Filmmaker’s Lab exists to empower aspiring and emerging filmmakers by providing hands-on learning opportunities through real-world film production. We believe in learning by doing, and in the power of collaboration to bring stories to life.