Sundance Film Festival
Park City, United States
100
Tier AOscarScreenings
Festival dossier
Chicago Script Awards
Chicago, United States · Est. 2020 · Multiple structural red flags — exercise caution before submitting
WarningWatchlist
Chicago, United States
28
Legitimacy ScoreShould I submit?
Pause before you pay
Warning-tier means structural red flags in our data — not a confirmed scam, but submit only with eyes open.
- Name follows 'award mill' pattern (ends in 'Awards')
- No physical screenings
- 1 documented risk signal
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 Oct 4, 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
- FilmFreeway Gold festival
- Has FilmFreeway community ratings
Festival Details
Founded
2020
FilmFreeway communityGold festival
Avg. rating
4.8/ 5
Reviews
294
Synced 19 days ago
- Andri EliaDec 2025
Thank you! It's been an honor!
- Lisa SheridanDec 2025
I cannot say enough about the outstanding communication and hospitality show Shown by the Chicago script awards. I have gotten very picky about which festivals I submit to and this was a no-brainer since my screenplay on Mike Todd entitled Todd is Chicago centric. I appreciate the host's kind words and encouragement which really mean a lot to me as a screenwriter.
- Fabiola MediciDec 2025
Sono stata molto felice di essere stata selezionata come finalista per la sceneggiatura breve. La comunicazione del festival è stata davvero ottima.
- Tracy GardenerDec 2025
The festival had clear communication and was professionally run, making it a positive experience.
- Amber HendersonDec 2025
My very first screenplay competition and my script was selected as a Semi-finalist. Great! Can’t wait to continue this journey.
FilmFreeway reviews are filmmaker opinions, not our score. Cross-check red flags before paying fees.
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Research
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At a glance
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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