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1. Schools Submit Scripts

Students submit one 5–15 page script along with a short reel that introduces their school through the official verified school profile.

2. Kinolime NXT Showcases All Scripts

After a contextual review, scripts advance to the voting round are posted on the Kinolime NXT platform.

3. First Round of Public Voting Selects Top 10

Readers must review at least two scripts to vote and earn rewards — the more you read/vote, the more rewards you can earn.

4. Judges’ Panel

Industry professionals and Kinolime judges review the top-ranked scripts and select 3 finalists.

5. Final Public Vote.

The three finalists are open for public voting. Only those who voted in Round 1 can cast a final vote.

6. 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 winning writers of the script.

Prize

$7,500

Winner Receives:
- $5,000 Film Production Grant
- $2,500 Scholarship fund shared among all student writers on the winning script.
Two Runner Ups: $1,000 film production grant + $500 scholarship fund shared among all student writers on each finalist script
Seven Semi-Finalists: $250 grant for their school’s AV/arts program.
Note: All grants and scholarship funds are awarded to schools (not to individual minors). Schools administer distribution of funds for participating writers.

OUR HIGH SCHOOL SHORT SCRIPTWRITING CHALLENGE

How It Works

High school storytellers can submit a 5–15 page short script through their school for a chance to win $5K in production funding and the opportunity to develop their script into a movie + $2,500 scholarship for winning writers of the script. Kinolime NXT showcases the strongest stories and the audience chooses which script wins the grand prize.

Competition Calendar

Announcement Date: September 15, 2025

Training Date: October 15, 2025

Submission: January 5 – January 11, 2026 [11:59 pm PST]

Round 1: January 12 – February 1, 2026 [11:59 pm PST]

Round 2: February 2 – February 9, 2026 [11:59 pm PST]

Round 3: February 10 – February 17, 2026 [11:59 pm PST]

Winner Announcement: February 18, 2026

Why Enter?

Winner gets a $5,000 film production grant
Scholarship funds for all participating winning writers
National recognition and industry exposure
A platform to showcase creativity and school spirit

A competition that develops talent, creativity and 21st-century skills - while giving students a real opportunity to turn their script into a film

Eligibility

Open to accredited U.S. high schools at $0 cost of entry. Entries must be submitted by a teacher/mentor on behalf of the student(s).

From Homeroom to Hollywood