New Hope Film Festival Script Competition

Overview

The 12th Edition New Hope Film Festival Script Competition will take place from April 16-25, 2027. A hybrid event with a combination of physical and virtual events, the New Hope Film Festival offers many opportunities for industry networking and script feedback. The NHFF Script Competition is a fully integrated extension of the New Hope Film Festival, a format that offers writers an exciting and meaningful chance to meet producers and directors and bring their visions closer to production. Opportunities for collaboration with filmmakers and feedback from the same people who curate a film festival are some of the benefits of submitting. Each script project accepted is awarded two (2) complimentary Festival passes that offer screenwriters a valuable opportunity to learn about the process of moving a script into production. The prestige of gaining Official Selection status can help screenwriters open doors to producers, investors and other people who can help a writer achieve the screenwriting dream. Under extraordinary circumstances beyond the Festival's control, such as a pandemic or significant problems with a venue, screenings may take place online. However, even during the COVID pandemic, films were scheduled and later screened in a physical venue. About the Festival Touted as the "Sundance East" in a Huffington Post article, this internationally respected indie fest was founded by D. F. Whipple, an author screenwriter and long-time resident of the New Hope, Bucks County area. Whipple formed New Hope Film Festival with a group of artists who shared his passion for discovering and nurturing independent artists, especially those who’ve been overlooked by established festivals. What Makes the Script Competition Different The primary objective of the script competition is to advance the careers of competition finalists. Every work submitted is read with a keen perspective on quality and artistic expression. Artistic standards are extremely high, but neither intended budget nor prior notoriety is a determining factor—the art must shine through. This approach brings significant prestige, satisfaction and credibility to writers whose works are accepted as finalists. The organization's strong publicity and marketing program historically included an annual awards announcement in Variety until the dailies went out of print, as well as press coverage in mainstream outlets such as NBC, ABC, The Huffington Post and more. Mainstream and alternative news media press continues to be an area of focus, making NHFF Script a powerful bridge between indie obscurity and the mainstream. Script finalists and filmmakers are equal peers during the annual event, making this competition a golden opportunity to meet and gain advice from producers, directors and other industry professionals. Script finalists are offered two (2) all-Festival passes and share the awards ceremony with filmmakers. Submission fees are non-refundable for any scripts not accepted. Scripts accepted are also subject to the no refund policy except in the highly unlikely event that no Program Guide listing for the script is offered. The Festival's organizers avoid the sweepstakes model of many other competitions. Instead of offering prize money and trips, the Festival focuses on assisting the immediate and long-term careers of its finalists through recognition of talent and interaction with successful filmmakers. The Location Over the years, New Hope has attracted and been home to many talented producers, screenwriters, actors, playwrights, and performance art enthusiasts. Home of the Bucks County Playhouse, where actors such as John Travolta, George C. Scott, Robert Redford, Helen Hayes, Andrea McArdle and Colleen Dewhurst have graced the stage, the village is centrally located less than an hour from Philadelphia and an hour and a half from New York.

Last updated Sep 13, 2026

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• Filmmaker

  Thank you, New Hope Film Festival! We were delighted to participate in this year's Feature Screenplay Competition. Meeting the team director and the other winning contestants was amazing. You helped us to see that our hard work truly paid off. An excellent experience!

• Filmmaker

  I had an excellent experience with NHFF!! —Thank you sooo much for selecting PREACHER’S DAUGHTER; GIANT SLAYER as BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE SCREENPLAY! I’m totally honored to be a part of the Festival, special shout out to Doug and Thom for their encouragement! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🔥🔥🔥✍🏾✍🏾✍🏾📽🎬

• Filmmaker

  A lovely festival! Thank you so much!

• Filmmaker

  This seemingly small film festival packs a big punch. Even the Zoom-based awards ceremony was well-organized to allow for discussion and networking. The festival runners were enthusiastic and supportive and encouraged personal engagement that emphasized sharing and communication. Will definitely be entering future projects to NHFF!

• Filmmaker

  So wonderful. Very professional. Great opportunities to network with other writers and filmmakers.

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