Short film scripts up to 15 minutes in length

• Unproduced or produced accepted. (must have been written within the last two years)
• First Prize $500, Second prize $150, third prize, 1 year WFNB membership

The 2024 Judge: Carlos Anthony

Carlos Anthony is a filmmaker and author who writes about the experiences that Black men have historically avoided talking about. He has been recognized for his video web series, short story series, published essays, and short films that explore the themes of Black adolescence, fatherhood, fidelity, provision and work ethic, healthy relationships, sex and intimacy, overcoming addiction, and abuse. Shades of Black, his first novel, was published in April, 2023. With his wife and children, Carlos lives in Windsor, Ontario.

2024 WINNERS

1st Place: "The Bench" – (Author: Tammy Boyer)

Judge's Comment: This script deeply moved me, masterfully revealing that appearances can be deceiving and people too often hastily judge others. It resonated with me as it vividly portrays the struggles akin to those experienced by a family member with Alzheimer's and Dementia.

Author Bio: I have always been a long-time storyteller. From entertaining family when I was a kid by being Cher to making short videos and reels on Facebook, I love to entertain. After ten years in theatre as a seasoned stage manager, I have recently immersed myself in film and have successfully transferred my theatre skills to being an AD on set and producer mentoring emerging filmmakers. As a writer and director, I have found early success with my first script, A Little Light, which won the Jane LeBlanc Filmmaker Award and was nominated for several awards. My second script, A Better Place, was awarded a Short Film Venture/Telefilm Canada grant and has won several awards along with many nominates. I continue to write my own scripts and also co-write with other directors. I have a passion for learning and look forward to making many more films in the future.

2nd Place: "Sleepers" – (Author: Alison Taylor) Was a delightful blend of fun and suspense, "Sleepers" left me eager for more. The pacing was excellently handled by the writer.

Author Bio: Alison Taylor (they/them) is a writer, editor, and filmmaker based in Fredericton. They have edited a hundred-plus hours of television, and their own experimental films have screened at festivals internationally. Their film 1-800-Mutants was purchased by the CBC. Taylor’s short stories have appeared in various journals, and their debut novel Aftershock, published by HarperCollins Canada, received the 2021 Atlantic Book Awards First Book Award. They are an alumnus of the CFC’s Editor’s Lab, and hold degrees in film from Queen’s and York Universities.

3rd Place: "Vertices" – (Louis Anthony Bryan) The script was genuinely humorous, with clever use of dialogue and sarcasm that shone throughout.

2022 - 2023 Judge: Kaitlyn Adair

Winners

First Place: MacKenzie Power (Fredericton, NB) - Gin Soaked Bride

Second Place: Todd Fraser (Fredericton, NB) - One Hundred Thousand Welcomes

Third Place: Jacquelyn Clydesdale (Saint John, NB) - The Wonder of it All

2021 - 2022 Judge: Tracey Lavigne

Winners

First Place: Sue Rose - The Getaway Tree

Second Place: Gordon Mihan - Happy Campers

Third Place/Honourable Mention: Jeremy Bouchard - Two Angels