Festival dossier

Chicago Script Awards

Chicago, United States · Est. 2020 · Multiple structural red flags — exercise caution before submitting

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Chicago, United States
28
Legitimacy Score

Overview

The Chicago Script Awards is a screenplay competition based in Chicago that promotes emerging writing talent rather than a conventional film screening festival. It is notable for attracting more than 5,000 screenplay submissions from 70+ countries and for awarding winners in feature, television, short, and super short categories with industry recognition and services. Its significance in the film festival circuit comes from its role as a launchpad that connects finalists with producers, directors, and agents and gives scripts international exposure.

Last updated Aug 27, 2026

Legitimacy Analysis

Positive Indicators (+14 pts)

  • 6 years of verifiable history
  • 2 verified pro signals

Red Flags (-36 pts)

  • Name follows 'award mill' pattern (ends in 'Awards')
  • No physical screenings
  • 1 documented risk signal
  • On watchlist — negative reputation signals detected

Trust Signals

Risk Flags

  • AWARD_MILL_NAME

Positive Signals

  • FF_GOLD_BADGE
  • FF_RATED

Festival Details

Founded

2020

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Research

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At a glance

Legitimacy Score28/100
TierWarning
Reviews0
Community Reports0

How scoring works

Scores are calculated from structural indicators: accreditations, physical screenings, award category count, submission frequency, and acceptance rate. Higher scores reflect more verifiable legitimacy signals.

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