ABOUT US

The Canadian Short Screenplay Competition (CSSC) was established in 2008 by International Emmy Award-nominated Producer, Screenwriter and Showrunner, David Cormican. The festival was considered the top destination script contest for short film screenplays and produced five winning screenplays into short films which went on to premiere at festivals such as Cannes, Worldwide Short Film Festival, among countless others up until the last awarded edition of the competition in 2013. The CSSC is re-launching in 2025 for it’s 6th edition to award the next winner of the Writers’ Block Crystal Top Prize in partnership with the Yorkton Film Festival.

The CSSC is the single-most competitive, prestigious, short screenplay festival in Canada, a champion for screenwriters everywhere, a financier and producer of short form content, founder of the #WriterWednesday hashtag on X (formerly Twitter) and serves as a launching pad for writers’ professional careers.

PRIZES

BEST IN FEST — GRAND PRIZE

The best overall screenplay deemed by the panel of competition judges will be awarded the ‘Best in Fest’ title and the Writers’ Block Crystal Award with an option and purchase agreement for One Thousand Canadian Dollars (CAD $1,000.00).

GOLDEN CINEMA — FIRST RUNNER-UP 

The 1st runner-up deemed by the panel of competition judges will be awarded the ‘Golden Cinema’ title and the Writers’ Block Crystal Award with an option and purchase agreement for Five Hundred Canadian Dollars (CAD $500).

SILVER SCREEN — SECOND PLACE PRIZE

The 2nd place prize deemed by the panel of competition judges will be awarded the ‘Silver Screen’ title and the Writers’ Block Crystal Award with an option and purchase agreement for Two Hundred and Fifty Canadian Dollars (CAD $250).

THE TOP 13

The subsequent top 10 screenplays will be awarded as ‘Finalists’ with additional prize packs (TBA).

RULES, REGULATIONS & TERMS

1. Entry into this competition confirms each Applicant’s acceptance of these rules and regulations and the terms as set forth on this page. 
2. The Canadian Short Screenplay Competition (CSSC) is open to writers of any nationality from any country worldwide. 
3. Multiple authorship screenplays are acceptable.
4. The entered screenplay must not have been previously optioned, sold or produced and the non-exclusive publishing rights and all other rights must remain available. The submitted screenplay must be wholly original work, not based on or adapted from any other works not in the public domain and must be the sole property of the Applicant(s). 
5. If the submitted screenplay becomes optioned or purchased between the time of submission and the end of the judging period, that screenplay will no longer be eligible (entry fees are non-returnable). 
6. Screenplays must be: written in industry standard screenplay format; not more than 15 pages in length; numbered and without the inclusion of headings or footnotes on pages; and written in the English language (ie. must not contain more than 5% foreign language dialogue(s), of which any foreign language included within the screenplay must be subtitled/translated into English using dual dialogue at each instance of use). Failure to adhere to the above will mean that the screenplay may be disqualified (entry fees are non-returnable). 
7. The screenplay must be no more than fifteen (15) minutes screen time (max. 15 pages).
8. Screenplays of any genre will be considered and must be the original work of the Applicant(s) submitting such. Where the screenplay is based upon another piece of work it is the sole responsibility of the Applicant(s) to demonstrate the copyright if in the public domain or that the Applicant(s) has obtained permission/copyright clearance from the original author of the adapted work(s). Proof of chain of title will be required before any script can be announced as a top three winning script as part of the competition. 
9. Screenplays based upon another work must be clearly marked as such. 
10. Screenplays must be submitted by the deadline and all entries must be submitted through FilmFreeway.com
11. Submitted screenplays will only be accepted in .pdf format.
12. Submissions must include a title page that clearly indicates the title, the writer’s name, address, phone number and email address.
13. No additional materials should be attached to the screenplay. 
14. Entering the competition constitutes permission to use the winners’ name(s) and licenses for publicity and promotions without any additional compensation. 
15. The winners will be selected by a panel of industry judges. The decision of the judges and the CSSC will be final and no appeals, correspondence nor discussion will be entered into.
16. Prizes will be awarded on an as is basis. In the event of multiple authorship on a selected winning entry, the prize will be awarded to the applicant named on the corresponding FilmFreeway account.
17. No cash alternatives to any of the prizes or additional payments shall be made. 
18. All entrants acknowledge that neither the judges nor the sponsors or any partners mentioned here on this site or in any other publication will be held responsible for any and all disputes between you and the CSSC. 
19. All entrants acknowledge that the final top three winners will be expected to make a standard form of assignment of all rights in and to the submitted work including a waiver of all so-called “moral rights” to a production company of the CSSC’s election which will have the right, but not the obligation, to produce the winning screenplay. 
20. The CSSC is known for producing short films from amongst the winning entries received by Applicants. While reasonable commercial efforts will be made to produce one of the top three winning screenplays from this competition and round of Applicant submitted screenplays, the CSSC is under no obligation to do so and reserves all rights to make such a decision in its absolute discretion, even if such a decision is made following any announcement or commencement  of production on a winning screenplay.
21. By entering this competition all Applicants understand their script may be selected by the judges as a winning entry. In the event an Applicant’s script is selected as a top 3 winner, each Applicant understands that they may be called upon by the CSSC to perform rewrites and revisions to their script without further remuneration, in a timely manner, if deemed necessary and requested by the CSSC and/or their designated Production Company and/or Producer.
22. The CSSC reserves the right to reject any entry for any reason at any time at their absolute discretion. 
23. The CSSC reserves the right to appoint any production company, director, producer, cast, crew or other personnel, including additional screenwriter(s), as may be deemed necessary to further develop and/or produce the winning screenplay(s). 
24. Once submitted, no substitution or new drafts and/or corrected pages for screenplay entries will be accepted from Applicants for judging under any circumstance. 
25. Multiple entries by the same author(s) will be accepted, provided they are all individual entries and separately submitted through FilmFreeway.
26. Each Applicant indemnifies the CSSC, its affiliates, sponsors and judges of and from any and all claims, loss or liability that may be asserted against you or incurred by you or any associates, at any time in connection with your screenplay and/or submitted material. 
27. The burden of obtaining copyright, or otherwise protecting any proprietary interests in the material, rests entirely with the Applicant. 
28. As a courtesy, notification of competition results will be made via FilmFreeway and the CSSC website and/or social media channels in a timely manner.
29. The Early Bird deadline is January 26, 2025 at 11:59PM EST. The Early Bird deadline standard fee is USD $50.00. The Regular deadline is February 23, 2025 at 11:59PM EST. The Regular deadline standard fee is USD $60.00. Final deadline is March 23, 2025 at 11:59PM EST. The Final deadline standard fee is USD $75.00. The I-Missed-The-Deadline deadline is April 13, 2025 at 11:59PM EST. The I-Missed-The-Deadline standard fee is USD $100.00. 
30. Submissions made after the respective deadline(s) are subject to the corresponding fee with the next appropriate deadline that has not yet passed. Submissions made or received after April 13, 2025 at 11:59PM EST will be disqualified. All entries must be received on or prior to the corresponding deadline in order to be eligible for the reduced rate(s). The CSSC and/or FilmFreeway will not be responsible for lost, late, missing, incomplete or misdirected submissions. Late or incomplete submissions will be disqualified (entry fee is not returnable). 
31. The CSSC reserves the right to amend these rules and regulations at any time without notice.

DEADLINES & FEES

EARLYBIRD DEADLINE — January 26th, 2025

Earlybird Deadline Standard Fee: $50 USD
Earlybird Deadline Student Fee: $30 USD

REGULAR DEADLINE — February 23rd, 2025

Regular Deadline Standard Fee: $60 USD

Regular Deadline Student Fee: $40 USD

FINAL DEADLINE — March 23rd, 2025

Final Deadline Standard Fee: $75 USD

Final Deadline Student Fee: $55 USD

I MISSED THE DEADLINE — April 13th, 2025

I Missed The Deadline Standard Fee: $100 USD

I Missed The Deadline Student Fee: $80 USD

NOTICATION DATE — May 05, 2025

EVENT DATE — May 24, 2025

All thirteen finalists will be invited to the unveiling of the 2025 CSSC Writers’ Block Crystal Awards hosted at the 78th Yorkton Film Festival, the first and longest-running film festival in North America.