The Canadian Short Screenplay Competition

About

The Canadian Short Screenplay Competition (CSSC) is the premier competition dedicated to celebrating and promoting the art of short screenwriting. Founded in 2008, our mission is to discover and nurture emerging talent, providing a platforms for writers to gain recognition and advance their careers. The CSSC is the single-most competitive, prestigious, short screenplay festival in Canada, a champion for screenwriters everywhere, a financier and producer of short form content, founder of the #WriterWednesday hashtag on X (formerly Twitter) and serves as a launching pad for writers’ professional careers.

Our History

The CSSC was established in 2008 by International Emmy Award-nominated Producer, Screenwriter and Showrunner, David Cormican (ShadowHunters, Tokyo Trial). The festival was quickly considered a top-destination script writing contest for short film screenplays worldwide and has, to-date, produced from page-to-screen five winning scribes work which have gone on to premiere at esteemed festivals and networks, generating official selections, special presentations, nominations, accolades and awards at esteemed venues such as Festival de Cannes, CFC’s Worldwide Short Film Festival, BravoFACT!, CBC and Yorkton Film Festival, among countless others up until the last awarded edition in 2013.

After a 12 year hiatus, the Canadian Short Screenplay Competition re-launched in 2025 with renewed vigour, rekindling its legacy of championing emerging screenwriting talent from across Canada and abroad, and recently wrapped production on its 6th short film script from amongst the winning screenplays. Since 2011, the CSSC has partnered with the Yorkton Film Festival—the first and longest running film festival in North America—and awards the celebrated Writers’ Block Crystals to the top-three screenplays and their respective screenwriters as part of YFF’s Golden Sheaf Awards gala.

OVER $10,000+ IN PRIZING

In accordance with the terms and conditions of the CSSC, the organization will select one, or more, of the top three winning screenplays to be produced by a production company. Any resulting short film will be premiered at film festivals worldwide and made available to global audiences through international distributor Screen Wizards Pictures.

BEST IN FEST — GRAND PRIZE
The best overall screenplay deemed by the panel of competition judges will be awarded the 'Best in Fest' title and the Writers' Block Crystal Award with an option and purchase agreement for One Thousand Canadian Dollars (CAD $1,000.00).
All-Access Accreditation to the 2026 Yorkton Film Festival ($350.00 Value)
1 Year Writer Duet Pro License ($107.88 Value)
1 Year Scriptation Industry Pro ($99.99 Value)
1 Copy of DramaQueen Pro ($297.00 Value)
1 Copy of Fade In Pro ($110.00 Value)

GOLDEN CINEMA — FIRST RUNNER-UP
The 1st runner-up deemed by the panel of competition judges will be awarded the 'Golden Cinema' title and the Writers' Block Crystal Award with an option and purchase agreement for Five Hundred Canadian Dollars (CAD $500).
All-Access Accreditation to the 2026 Yorkton Film Festival ($350.00 Value)
1 Year Writer Duet Pro License ($107.88 Value)
1 Year Scriptation Industry Pro ($99.99 Value)
1 Copy of DramaQueen Plus ($99.00 Value)
1 Copy of Fade In Pro ($110.00 Value)

SILVER SCREEN — SECOND RUNNER-UP
The 2nd place prize deemed by the panel of competition judges will be awarded the 'Silver Screen' title and the Writers' Block Crystal Award with an option and purchase agreement for Two Hundred and Fifty Canadian Dollars (CAD $250).
All-Access Accreditation to the 2026 Yorkton Film Festival ($350.00 Value)
1 Year Writer Duet Pro License ($107.88 Value)
1 Year Scriptation Industry Pro ($99.99 Value)
1 Copy of DramaQueen Plus ($99.00 Value)
1 Copy of Fade In Pro ($110.00 Value)

THE TOP 13
The subsequent top 10 screenplays will be awarded as 'Finalists'.
All-Access Accreditation to the 2026 Yorkton Film Festival ($350.00 Value)
1 Year Writer Duet Pro License ($107.88 Value)
1 Year Scriptation Industry Pro ($99.99 Value)

1. Entry into this competition confirms each Applicant’s acceptance of these rules and regulations and the terms as set forth on this page.

2. The Canadian Short Screenplay Competition (CSSC) is open to writers of any nationality from any country worldwide.

3. Multiple authorship screenplays are acceptable.

4. The entered screenplay must not have been previously optioned, sold or produced and the non-exclusive publishing rights and all other rights must remain available. The submitted screenplay must be wholly original work, not based on or adapted from any other works not in the public domain and must be the sole property of the Applicant(s).

5. If the submitted screenplay becomes optioned or purchased between the time of submission and the end of the judging period, that screenplay will no longer be eligible (entry fees are non-returnable).

6. Screenplays must be: written in industry standard screenplay format; not more than 15 pages in length; numbered and without the inclusion of headings or footnotes on pages; and written in the English language (ie. must not contain more than 5% foreign language dialogue(s), of which any foreign language included within the screenplay must be subtitled/translated into English using dual dialogue at each instance of use). Failure to adhere to the above will mean that the screenplay may be disqualified (entry fees are non-returnable).

7. The screenplay must be no more than fifteen (15) minutes screen time (max. 15 pages).

8. Screenplays of any genre will be considered and must be the original work of the Applicant(s) submitting such. Where the screenplay is based upon another piece of work it is the sole responsibility of the Applicant(s) to demonstrate the copyright if in the public domain or that the Applicant(s) has obtained permission/copyright clearance from the original author of the adapted work(s). Proof of chain of title will be required before any script can be announced as a top three winning script as part of the competition.

9. Screenplays based upon another work must be clearly marked as such.

10. Screenplays must be submitted by the deadline and all entries must be submitted through FilmFreeway.com and/or Stage32.com.

11. Submitted screenplays will only be accepted in .pdf format.

12. Submissions must include a title page that clearly indicates the title, the writer’s name, address, phone number and email address.

13. No additional materials should be attached to the screenplay.

14. Entering the competition constitutes permission to use the winners’ name(s) and licenses for publicity and promotions without any additional compensation.

15. The winners will be selected by a panel of industry judges. The decision of the judges and the CSSC will be final and no appeals, correspondence nor discussion will be entered into.

16. Prizes will be awarded on an as is basis. In the event of multiple authorship on a selected winning entry, the prize will be awarded to the applicant named on the corresponding FilmFreeway and/or Stage32 account.

17. No cash alternatives to any of the prizes or additional payments shall be made.

18. All entrants acknowledge that neither the judges nor the sponsors or any partners mentioned here on this site or in any other publication will be held responsible for any and all disputes between you and the CSSC.

19. All entrants acknowledge that the final top three winners will be expected to make a standard form of assignment of all rights in and to the submitted work including a waiver of all so-called “moral rights” to a production company of the CSSC’s election which will have the right, but not the obligation, to produce the winning screenplay.

20. The CSSC is known for producing short films from amongst the winning entries received by Applicants. While reasonable commercial efforts will be made to produce one of the top three winning screenplays from this competition and round of Applicant submitted screenplays, the CSSC is under no obligation to do so and reserves all rights to make such a decision in its absolute discretion, even if such a decision is made following any announcement or commencement of production on a winning screenplay.

21. By entering this competition all Applicants understand their script may be selected by the judges as a winning entry. In the event an Applicant’s script is selected as a top 3 winner, each Applicant understands that they may be called upon by the CSSC to perform rewrites and revisions to their script without further remuneration, in a timely manner, if deemed necessary and requested by the CSSC and/or their designated Production Company and/or Producer.

22. The CSSC reserves the right to reject any entry for any reason at any time at their absolute discretion.

23. The CSSC reserves the right to appoint any production company, director, producer, cast, crew or other personnel, including additional screenwriter(s), as may be deemed necessary to further develop and/or produce the winning screenplay(s).

24. Once submitted, no substitution or new drafts and/or corrected pages for screenplay entries will be accepted from Applicants for judging under any circumstance.

25. Multiple entries by the same author(s) will be accepted, provided they are all individual entries and separately submitted through FilmFreeway and/or Stage32.

26. Each Applicant indemnifies the CSSC, its affiliates, sponsors and judges of and from any and all claims, loss or liability that may be asserted against you or incurred by you or any associates, at any time in connection with your screenplay and/or submitted material.

27. The burden of obtaining copyright, or otherwise protecting any proprietary interests in the material, rests entirely with the Applicant.

28. As a courtesy, notification of competition results will be made via FilmFreeway, Stage32 and the CSSC website and/or social media channels in a timely manner.

29. The Early Bird deadline is December 28, 2025 at 11:59PM EST. The Early Bird standard fee is USD $50.00. The Regular deadline is January 25, 2026 at 11:59PM EST. The Regular standard fee is USD $55.00. The Late deadline is February 22, 2026 at 11:59PM EST. The Late standard fee is USD $60.00. The Final deadline is March 22, 2026 at 11:59PM EST. The Final standard fee is USD $65.00. The I-Missed-The-Deadline deadline is April 12, 2026 at 11:59PM EST. The I-Missed-The-Deadline standard fee is USD $75.00.

30. Submissions made after the respective deadline(s) are subject to the corresponding fee with the next appropriate deadline that has not yet passed. Submissions made or received after April 12, 2026 at 11:59PM EST will be disqualified. All entries must be received on or prior to the corresponding deadline in order to be eligible for the reduced rate(s). The CSSC, FilmFreeway and/or Stage32 will not be responsible for lost, late, missing, incomplete or misdirected submissions. Late or incomplete submissions will be disqualified (entry fee is not returnable).

31. The CSSC reserves the right to amend these rules and regulations at any time without notice.

Entrant also agrees to Stage32.com terms and conditions.