Austin Fest Names Script Competition Finalists

Recognized from more than 12,500 overall submissions, 78 scripts are are still in consideration to win the esteemed bronze typewriter trophy or an industry fellowship.

DRAMA SCREENPLAY AWARD PRESENTED BY WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA, EAST FINALISTS
Dreamlight by Sarah Jane Gold
Jaanem (My Love) by Alana Saab
Racing Time by Naomi Sheridan
Safe Space by Brian Goodheart and Matt Klaus Esolda
SISTERS by Zenas Cao
The Last Boys on Block by Cameron Kic

COMEDY SCREENPLAY AWARD FINALISTS
Escape Velocity by Xiao Ding
I WANT MY PRESENT BACK by Haley Mancini
Pure Intentions by Sarah Peele
SAVE THE DATE by Nick Pappas
Tengu by Ai Ebashi

CHRONOLOGY SCREENWRITING AWARD FINALISTS
DYSCOPIA by Bobby Marino
METHOD by Matt Foss and Cora Vander Broek
The Man. The Monster. The Sea. by Avi Glick
THE NEVERLANDS by Aaron Williams
The Skars-Guård by Jake Duerden

THE DONNERS’ COMPANY SCREENWRITING AWARD FINALISTS
Filthy by Lisa Cole
HOW I UNLEASHED MAYHEM AND SAVED THE FREE WORLD by Lynn Esta Goldman
In Good Standing by Matt Campanella
Le Bon Temps by Eileen Dennehy
Redo by Jacob Marx Rice

ENDERBY ENTERTAINMENT AWARD FINALISTS
Helicopter by Keith Rubin
Le Bon Temps by Eileen Dennehy
Silent Shout by Chris Callister
Swing States by Joshua Lawlor
The BackDoor by Kristian Mercado

HORROR SCREENPLAY AWARD FINALISTS
Crash Out by Aaron Dehn
DYSCOPIA by Bobby Marino
Take Two by Max Bell
They’re Killing Hoarders by Nathan Allen

SCI-FI SCREENPLAY AWARD FINALISTS
Here, The World Entire by Aaron Bleyaert
Louis & PUCK by Parker Rawlins and William Cowser
The Hexer Society by Homer Hsieh
They’re Killing Hoarders by Nathan Allen

WILLIAM N. COLLAGE SCREENWRITING AWARD FINALISTS
Helicopter by Keith Rubin
Safe Space by Brian Goodheart and Matt Klaus Esolda
Silent Shout by Chris Callister
Transgression by Charles Schneider

YMH STUDIOS COMEDY FELLOWSHIP FINALISTS
DEREK DARLING by Robert Barker and Jim Russo
i need your kidney, bro by Drew McInturff
I WANT MY PRESENT BACK by Haley Mancini
The Last Trick by Samuel Algrani

VALHALLA ENTERTAINMENT AWARD FINALISTS
Achievement Inc. by Carol Garcia
Devilish by Eric Goldberg
METHOD by Matt Foss and Cora Vander Broek
THE NINETY-YEAR LIE: MAGENTA by Paul Lawrence Kitson
Unprecedented Times by Spencer Channell

DRAMA TELEPLAY PILOT AWARD FINALISTS
Gay Harlem by Erin Williams
Hawaii by Yousif Nasr
Jubeliene by Ethan Wellin
Masterpiece by Girault Seger
The International School by Nelson Downend

AMC ONE-HOUR PILOT AWARD FINALISTS
Do No Harm by Mason Gersh
Efficiency by Zackary D. Hill and Matthew D. Riffle
House of Devlin by Michael Connors
Jubeliene by Ethan Wellin
Spano by Thomas Maher

COMEDY TELEPLAY PILOT AWARD FINALISTS
Arkadelphia by Mac Alsfeld
Clicks by Ross Schneiderman and Nick Kendrick
Clucky’s by Lauryn Bedford
Served by Sebastian Hunt
Wild Child by Conor Reid

ADULT COMEDY ANIMATED SERIES FELLOWSHIP PRESENTED BY STARBURNS INDUSTRIES FINALISTS
Amusing Park by Santiago Bukovsky
Evolved by Chase Norman
Jizz Wiz by Dominic Abeyta and Sara White
Officium by Phoebe Zimmerer
RABBIT HOLE by Laurie Hartung

ROADMAP WRITERS REPRESENTATION FELLOWSHIP FINALISTS
Achievement Inc. by Carol Garcia
Helicopter by Keith Rubin
I WANT MY PRESENT BACK by Haley Mancini
Le Bon Temps by Eileen Dennehy
Safe Space by Brian Goodheart and Matt Klaus Esolda

DRAMA TELEPLAY SPEC AWARD FINALISTS
A Knight of Seven Kingdoms: A Squire’s Worth by Philip Cooney
Dexter: Resurrection: The Gamblers by Laura Hunter Drago
Heated Rivalry: Polina by Cynthia He

COMEDY TELEPLAY SPEC AWARD FINALISTS
Abbott Elementary: Snow Day by Kamodjia Williams
Hacks: Chicken and Egg by Dawn Cowle
St. Denis Medical: Missing…or stolen? by Nathan Johnson and Ashley Lauren Jones
What We Do in the Shadows: The Double Coffin by Dane Hanson

SHORT SCREENPLAY AWARD FINALISTS
CEREAL NOIR by Austin Steinmetz
The Semicolon by Aaron Roman
The Spaces Between Us by Kevin Nguyen
Virgin Margot by Jennifer Prediger

SCRIPTED DIGITAL SERIES AWARD FINALISTS
Old Bogus Massacre by Matthew McFadden, Dawn Cowle, and Baylor Knobloch
The Decalogue: I. Thou Shalt Not Worship False Idols, V. Thou Shalt Not Kill, VII. Thou Shalt Not Steal by Christian Banda

SCRIPTED FICTION PODCAST AWARD FINALISTS
Cloudbreaker – Pilot – “Zugzwang: Parts 1 and 2” by Brandon Carbaugh
The Cold Plunge by Sunny Bleckinger

STAGE PLAY AWARD FINALISTS
Backstroke by Katelyn Seyl
Body of Work by Rigel Harris
KIDLAR by Taylor Gonzalez The Darwins by William Leavengood

Updated: 10/07/2026

Additional Contest Info: Austin Film Festival Script Competition