Submissions are open now through November 15.
Get your screenplay in.
Kinolime NXT · Fall 2026
Your script. Real judges.
Real money.
NXT FAQ
Submissions Period
Sep 7, 2026
Submission Closed
Nov 16, 2026
Public Voting
Nov 23, 2026
Judges Panel
Dec 7, 2026
Public Voting
Dec 14, 2026
What is the NXT High School Screenplay Competition?
Is NXT free to enter?
Does NXT happen every year?
How many students enter NXT?
Who can enter NXT?
Can students outside the U.S. enter?
What if my school isn't on Kinolime, or I'm homeschooled?
Do I need a parent's permission?
How do I enter NXT?
What kind of script can I submit?
When is the deadline?
How is the winner chosen?
Is NXT a real scholarship? What do winners get?
Will my script actually be made into a film?
Can I list NXT on my college application?
Do I keep the rights to my script?
How can I bring NXT to my class?
For Student Screenwriters
More than a prize.
A real start.
Real short-film production experience. Portfolio-ready recognition. Professional feedback from working screenwriters and producers. Hands-on practice in storytelling and collaboration. This isn't a contest for a trophy. It's your first producer credit.
For Teachers, Schools & Districts
A national scholarship program
your students can enter for free.
National recognition for your program. A platform to showcase student work and creative curriculum. Project-based, curriculum-aligned, and easy to fold into your semester. Free to enter. No funding request, no cost to your department.
Spring 2026 Winner · Northfield Mount Hermon
Kaija Adler won NXT
Her father started researching AI the same year she started screenwriting. She turned that tension into Art Official Intelligence.
"I think art is the most human thing in the world right now, and it's being taken away by our parents' generation."— Kaija Adler
SPRING 2026 RUNNERS-UP
Two more stories that made the top three.
Maya Bourak's Ice Cream Apocalypse and Suzy Shah's The Version I Was both fought their way to the top three.
MB
I'm really proud of the journey I gave her, how she grows by facing her pain.
SS
I have a sister, and I wrote about how I see myself in her, how we help each other.
Reminder
Submissions close November 15
Ten weeks. That's all you get. Get your script in before the window closes.
The Process
Write it. Rally votes.
Make the cut.
High school storytellers can submit a 5–15 page short script through their school. Kinolime NXT showcases the strongest stories and the audience chooses which script wins the grand prize. Every vote counts.
Fall 2026 Schedule
Six weeks to submit.
Your community decides the rest.
Submission: Sep 7 – Nov 15
Review week: Nov 16 - Nov 22
Round 1 (Public Voting): Nov 23 - Dec 6
Round 2 (Judges Panel): Dec 7 – Dec 13
Round 3 (Final Vote): Dec 14 – Dec 22
Winner Announcement: Dec 23
What You Win
$5,000 to make your film.
Plus scholarships for runners-up and a grant
for your school's arts program.
Every tier of NXT pays out real money, straight to you.
Winner Receives:
$5,000 Grant
$2,500 Scholarship
Two Runner Ups: $1,000 + $500 scholarship each
Seven Semi-Finalists: $250 grant for their school’s arts program.
Note:All funds go directly to student writers and their guardians.
Currently Live
1. Schools Submit
Original Scripts
Each school may submit up to ten original student-written short scripts (5–15 pages) via their verified profile.
2. Kinolime NXT
Showcases All Scripts
After a contextual review, scripts advance to the voting round and are posted on the Kinolime NXT platform.
3. Round 1 - Public Read & Vote for Top 10
Read any script and vote. Every vote earns Lime$, and the more you read and vote, the more you earn.
4. Round 2 -
Judges' Panel
Industry professionals and Kinolime judges review the top-ranked scripts and select 3 finalists.
5. Audience Decides
The Winner
From the three finalists, the audience reads and votes on which story Kinolime finances. Only those who voted in Round 1 can cast a final vote.
From Finals Week to Final Draft
The winning story secures a $5,000 production grant to begin its journey from script to screen + $2,500 scholarship for the winning writer of the script.
