Ojai Film Festival Screenplay Competition

Overview

The Ojai Film Festival Screenplay Competition is a feature-screenplay contest within the annual Ojai Film Festival in Ojai, California, where the winning script receives a live professional table read at the festival and recognition at the awards ceremony. The festival is known as an intimate, multi-day event that showcases world-class independent films from around the world, and its screenplay competition extends that reputation by highlighting strong storytelling and supporting emerging writers. It is significant in the circuit as part of a long-running festival with a reputation for helping launch careers and drawing films and scripts from an international field.

Last updated Sep 12, 2026

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Festival Details

FilmFreeway communityGold festival

• Filmmaker

  I have entered multiple screenwriting contests across the country and nobody comes close to Ojai. This is a contest that is professionally run. They do an outstanding job of maintaining communication with contestants. I can't recommend this contest highly enough.

• Filmmaker

  Bruce Novotny and the team at Ojai Film Festival 2022 provided great communication and personal feedback to me as a semi-finalist with my screenplay, Gravel Road. Ojai itself is a wonderful town and this festival is run with sincerity and respect to the artists that participate. Well done.

• Filmmaker

  Bruce Novotny and his team at the Ojai Film Festival have created an amazing opportunity for any screenwriter. They go above and beyond! As part of the winning screenplay, they produce a zoom reading for your screenplay complete with director, cast and top notch editing job. It's invaluable for any writer! Highly highly recommend this screenplay competition and film festival. They are very impressive and really encourage screenwriters to develop their voices!

• Filmmaker

  I got to the semifinals and received kind and thoughtful feedback on my work. Great email communication from Bruce Novotny -- it's clear that he and everyone involved with the fest care deeply about filmmaking and filmmakers/writers. I appreciate that the contest entry fee is so reasonable.

• Filmmaker

  I loved my experience as a finalist in the screenwriting competition and attending the film festival. It was my first film festival and I was completely taken aback by the passion and commitment of the films and the filmmakers. Plus I made so many helpful connections with like-minded artists. I found my community and can’t wait for next year.

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