• The new edition's theme is "Write a ScreenPlay for... Crime Drama".
• Submissions are open until April 1st, 2024.
• The contest consists of two sections: one for TV mini-series and one for feature films, with scripts to be developed during interactive training workshops.
• The mentors for the 6th edition are Marietta von Hausswolff von Baumgarten (film and television screenwriter), Gabriela Iacob (Head of Scripted Development, PRO TV), and Cristian Mungiu (director).

The American Independent Film Festival (AIFF) launches the 6th edition of the WRITE A SCREENPLAY FOR (WSF) contest, organised by Cinemascop Association with the support of PRO TV.

This year's edition has the theme "Write a ScreenPlay for… Crime Drama".The contest is looking for scripts for TV mini-series (with stories structured over 6 or 8 episodes) and for feature films.

Participants in the competition do not need to have finalised scripts at the time of registration. Both professional screenwriters and debutant writers are eligible to participate.International applications are accepted.

The finalists will then have the opportunity to develop their scripts in interactive training workshops, guided by the consultants of this edition, including Marietta von Hausswolff von Baumgarten (film and television screenwriter), Gabriela Iacob (Head of Scripted Development, PRO TV), and Cristian Mungiu (director).

The winning projects will then be developed with the support of the contest organizers. PRO TV will select the winning TV mini-series project, while Cinemascop Association will select the winning feature film project.

"The goal is to find the next original, local show, that tells a story to which the audience can directly relate. The theme of the edition was chosen based on the data we have about audience preferences, both in Romania and internationally. 'Crime Drama' is a versatile genre. It ranges from police procedurals to gangster or true crime, the latter being a current favourite, both among podcast listeners and TV series enthusiasts.

Regarding TV, in addition to the cash prizes, the winners sign a development contract with Pro TV for the series. The cash prizes should provide financial stability for several months of dedicated writing work, states Gabriela Iacob, Head of Scripted Development, PRO TV."

Theapplicationforregistrationshould be senttotheaddress This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by April 1, 2024, 23:00 (Romania time). Itmustinclude a loglineofthestory (up to 3 sentences), a storydescription, anartisticstatement, a detailedsynopsisforthemini-series, anoutlineforthefeature film and/or a pitch deckof up to 3 pages, a conflictscenewith dialogue fromthe script (up to 2 pages), and a professional CV.

"This competition is the most direct way to get the attention of a producer. With a simple format where it doesn't cost to apply. In return, you have the chance to be among those who then receive guidance to develop their projects, finalize the script, and team up with a producer. Regarding feature films, Cinemascop Association will present the winning project to production companies to identify the most suitable producer. Typically, there is only one winner for each section of the competition, but multiple projects have been retained in each edition. No script with potential is overlooked," adds director Cristian Mungiu.

The regulations for the 6th edition - Write a Screen Play for Crime Drama and complete information about the registration procedure are available at: https://filmedefestival.ro/wsf/

Over 1000 projects have been analyzed in the previous 5 editions of Write a Screenplay For... Among the winners of the competition was the screenplay that was later chosen and developed into the HBO Europemini-series - Spy/Master. The film was presented in 2023 at the Berlinale Series, a first for a Romanian project in this section.