For Screenwriters in Grades 8 – 12
2027 Emerging Screenwriters Competition submissions will open on November 2026
Congratulations to the 2026 Emerging Screenwriting Competition Winners!
The fourth annual Emerging Screenwriting Competition was held on May 16 at Cinema505. Our finalists were treated to a red carpet reception and the Grand Prize Winners received a professional “table read” of their scripts in front of friends and family.
Grand Prize Winners
Logan Corea Hinojosa, Bloomfield High School
Sleeper Agent
Viren Abroal, South Brunswick High School
Praise Seahorsia
Horror
Winner: Logan Corea Hinojosa, Bloomfield High School
Sleeper Agent
Kristina Chotai, Pope John XXIII Regional High School
Melon
Angelo Gonzalez, Bayonne High School
What Lies Within
Romance
Winner: Yanco Alvarez, Pompton Lakes High School
When You Already Know
Ryle Navarro, Passaic County Technical Institute
Our Iridescent World
Sofia Sanchez Camargo, Kinnelon High School
One Last Time
Comedy
Winner: Viren Abroal, South Brunswick High School
Praise Seahorsia
Benjamin Fertig, Glen Ridge High School
Forgive Me Father, For I’ve Killed Jesus Christ
Thomas Plaskon, Bayonne High School
To Be A Villain
Drama
Winner: Alec Potolsky, New Providence High School
Across The Straits
Sofia Mazzarelli, Moorestown High School
Cross Examination
Eliana Rose Stawicki, Ramsey High School
Lithium
MJ Wilson, Sparta High School
Parallel Hex
Lindsey Xelhua, Westwood Regional High School
To Say I Miss You
Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Winner: Rho Epstein, Newark Academy
Mourn The Living
Sea Malave, Passaic County Technical Institute
Swords In The Bush
Ryle Navarro, Passaic County Technical Institute
Voynautical
Montclair Film’s EMERGING SCREENWRITING COMPETITION celebrates the work of screenwriters who are in the 8th through 12th grades. The emerging screenwriters’ screenplays represent a wide range of styles and voices that showcase the diverse talents of young people who are using story to express themselves.
The screenplays can be submitted in a variety of genres including Comedy, Drama, Action/Adventure, Sci-fi/Fantasy, and Horror, and will be adjudicated by a jury of screenwriting and filmmaking professionals.
The Perks
- The Grand Prize Winning script will be performed at a table read by actors at the award ceremony.
- Winners will be celebrated at our annual ESC Award Ceremony
- Winners will be acknowledged in a Montclair Film press release and on their website
- Winners in each category receive emailed script consultation from an experienced screenwriter
The Rules
- Short Film or Web Series Pilots will be accepted up to a length of 12 pages (not including the title page).
- Submissions must be submitted as a PDF
- Formatting: 12-point Courier font. 1.5 inch left margin. 1-inch right margin.
- Scripts must be formatted correctly to be considered. If you did not write your screenplay in screenwriting software (Final Draft, Movie Magic, etc.), consider re-writing it using Writerduet.com or Celtx.com, both of which have free options.
- Each writer may submit no more than two screenplays.
- Scripts may be submitted with multiple genres including Comedy, Drama, Horror — or a genre not listed.
- Awards are determined by the ESC Jury.
For more information contact: [email protected]