TONY COX SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
Over the past 30 years, NFF has helped give life to thousands of stories … and story matters more than ever right now.
Tony Cox Screenplay Competitions recognize emerging writers in four unique categories as the best from the pool of submissions each year. Finalists in each competition are read by prestigious juries, receive top industry recognition, and participate in a Festival focused specifically on screenwriting. These four awards total $5,000 in cash, in addition to several other prizes including a Mentor Brunch with a prominent screenwriter (past mentors include Noah Baumbach, Oliver Stone, Robert Towne, David O. Russell, and Nancy Meyers). The winner of the Feature Screenplay Competition is invited to participate in a month-long writer's retreat on Nantucket in October through our sister organization, Almanack Screenwriters.
Film Screenplay Competition
This prize recognizes an emerging feature screenwriter with a unique voice and a compelling story who demonstrates a commitment to writing for the screen. The winner will be selected by a jury led by Almanack Screenwriters.
FEATURE SCRIPT WINNER RECEIVES:
- A position in the October Colony, Almanack Screenwriters’ month-long, all-expenses-covered writer’s retreat on Nantucket;
- $2,500 cash prize from the Nantucket Film Festival;
- Admission to 2026 Screenwriter Sessions;
- VIP 2025 Festival Pass to all events;
- An awards reception during the Festival in the winners’ honor;
- Custom-bound copy of the script;
- Name inclusion in a press release and on the Festival website as a competition winner and finalist.
SHORT SCRIPT WINNER RECEIVES:
- $500 cash prize from the Nantucket Film Festival;
- Admission to 2026 Screenwriter Sessions;
- A pass for the 2025 festival;
- A reception during the festival in the winners’ honor;
- Name inclusion in press release and on festival website as a competition winner and finalist.
Our finalists are recognized as one of the top three screenplays from the pool of submissions each year. The top three finalists are selected from a pool of 10 semi-finalists and determined by the programmers and executive staff of the Nantucket Film Festival, in conjunction with our partner, Almanack Screenwriters.
FINALISTS RECEIVE:
- An invitation to the awards reception during the Festival
- Festival Pass
- Name inclusion on the Festival website as a competition finalist
Our semi-finalists are recognized as one of the top 10 screenplays from the pool of submissions each year. The top 10 semi-finalists are narrowed down from all submissions by our reader committee, comprised of industry professionals, alongside the programmers and executive staff of the Nantucket Film Festival.
SEMI-FINALISTS RECEIVE:
- Name inclusion on the Festival website as a competition semi-finalist
QUARTER-FINALISTS RECEIVE:
All initial submissions undergo a blind review process conducted by a committee of experienced readers. Quarter-finalist scripts and complete applications are then evaluated in an open review by a selection committee comprised of Nantucket Film Festival and Almanack Screenwriters staff. Finalists will be judged by a jury of industry professionals.
Our finalists are recognized as one of the top three screenplays from the pool of submissions each year. The top three finalists are narrowed down from all submissions by our reader committee, comprised of industry professionals, alongside the programmers and executive staff of the Nantucket Film Festival.
FINALISTS RECEIVE:
- An invitation to the awards reception during the Festival
- Festival Pass
- Name inclusion on the Festival website as a competition finalist
ALL FINALISTS IN EACH CATEGORY RECEIVE:
A pass for the 2025 Festival; Access to industry and writer events during NFF; An invitation to the awards brunch during the Festival; Name inclusion on the Festival website as a competition finalist.
Episodic Screenplay Competitions
This prize recognizes emerging episodic screenwriters with unique voices and compelling stories who demonstrate a commitment to writing for the small screen. The winners will be selected by a jury comprised of current industry leaders.
(60 MIN) SCRIPT WINNER RECEIVES:
- $1,000 cash prize from the Nantucket Film Festival;
- Admission to 2026 Screenwriter Sessions;
- A pass for the 2025 festival;
- A reception during the festival in the winners’ honor;
- Custom bound copy of the winner’s script;
- Name inclusion on the Festival website as a competition finalist and winner.
(30 MIN) SCRIPT WINNER RECEIVES:
- $1,000 cash prize from the Nantucket Film Festival;
- Admission to 2026 Screenwriter Sessions;
- A pass for the 2025 festival;
- A reception during the festival in the winners’ honor;
- Custom bound copy of the winner’s script;
- Name inclusion on the Festival website as a competition finalist and winner.
Our finalists are recognized as one of the top three screenplays from the pool of submissions each year. The top three finalists are narrowed down from all submissions by our reader committee, comprised of industry professionals, alongside the programmers and executive staff of the Nantucket Film Festival.
FINALISTS RECEIVE:
- An invitation to the awards reception during the Festival
- Festival Pass
- Name inclusion on the Festival website as a competition finalist
Our finalists are recognized as one of the top three screenplays from the pool of submissions each year. The top three finalists are narrowed down from all submissions by our reader committee, comprised of industry professionals, alongside the programmers and executive staff of the Nantucket Film Festival.
FINALISTS RECEIVE:
- An invitation to the awards reception during the Festival
- Festival Pass
- Name inclusion on the Festival website as a competition finalist
ALL FINALISTS IN EACH CATEGORY RECEIVE:
A pass for the 2025 Festival; Access to industry and writer events during NFF; An invitation to the awards brunch during the Festival; Name inclusion on the Festival website as a competition finalist.
Congratulations to Our 2024 Winners
FEATURE SCREENPLAY:
I DON’T DREAM IN SPANISH ANYMORE by Missy Hernandez
EPISODIC 60 SCREENPLAY:
THE SOLOIST by Daniel Hernandez-Zapata
SHORT SCREENPLAY:
WHO RAISED YOU? by Dani Guzman
An unyielding attachment to the partner he lost in the AIDS crisis of 1980s New York propels a lonely gay man to connect with his estranged family.
EPISODIC 30 SCREENPLAY:
ILLICIT BIDS FOR DYING KIDS by Phillip Roquemore
After being fired by Make-A-Wish Foundation, a man pairs up with the owner of the dark-net’s Silk Road website to start a black market version of Make-A-Wish, for dying kids whose last wishes are either illegal or just kind of fucked up.
PAST FEATURE SCREENPLAY WINNERS
2023: SMOKE AS DIRECTED – GREG SCHARPF
2022: THE RIFT – MICHAEL LEI
2021: THE 84 – SONJA PERRYMAN
2020: MINOR MODIFICATIONS – SHIA LABEOUF
2019: SUNDOGS – ELIZABETH CHATELAIN
2018: CAMBRIDGE – HENRY HAYES AND ZOLAN KANNO-YOUNGS
2017: JOHNNY ACE – MOON MOLSON
2016: TEL AVIV ON FIRE – SAMEH ZOABI
2015: COUNTERINTELLIGENCE – KRISTEN DAVILA
2014: EARLY PLUS INFINITY – CLARK CARROLL
2013: CAKE – PATRICK TOBIN
2012: JEAN OF THE JONESES – STELLA MEGHIE
2011: THE MURPHYS – KAITLIN MCLAUGHLIN
2010: ETOPIA – TOMMY BUTLER
2009: FUTURE WEATHER – JENNY DELLER
2008: ANNA DOWN EAST – FRED M. STRYPE
2007: PECK – MARC ARNESON
2006: COLD SOULS – SOPHIE BARTHES
2005: MINK – WILL LUERS
2004: THE LAST SEDER – JENNIFER MAISEL
2003: BURIED ABOVE GROUND – CHASE PALMER
2002: DOWN TO THE BONE – DEBRA GRANIK
PAST EPISODIC SCREENPLAY (60 MIN) WINNERS
2023: THE CURRENT – JENNY GODDARD-GARCIA
2022: MURDER IN MARSH – ELISABETH HAYWARD
2021: SECOND CROSSING – JAMES HOWELLS
2020: BEING SEEN – ANDI DELOTT
2019: LIVING – KATE LEVITT
2018: LEGACY – KELLEN HERTZ
2017: THE LINE – TESIA WALKER
2016: CLEO – JULIA FONTANA
2015: I.C.E. – ESTELLA GABRIEL
2014: TOMORROWLAND – JAMIE MAYER
2013: THE MESSIAH PROJECT – DAVID BAUGNON
PAST EPISODIC SCREENPLAY (30 MIN) WINNERS
2023: WICKED BAYOU – MORGAN MILENDER
2022: IMPERFECT – DAVID CRANE & NICOLE EVANS
2021: HEAD FIRST – JADE EDWARDS
2020: DRYWALL – ROB ECKARD
2019: FUNDERLAND – SASHA PERL-RAVER
2018: ALL WE DO IS NGUYEN – HUONG NGUYEN
2017: CASEY CAN’T – KAITLIN FONTANA
2016: THE GODMOTHER – WYNDHAM LEWIS
2015: SOLD – JONATHAN SCHWARTZ
2014: STIFFS – STUART FELDMAN
2013: TIME OUT – IAN MCWETHY
PAST SHORT SCREENPLAY WINNERS
2023: FAVORS – AGNES SKONARE KARLSSON
2022: PANCAKE SKANK – SAV RODGERS
2021: THE LITTLE MONSTER OF RAVENSWOOD MANOR – KATHERINE SAINTE MARIE
2020: MARTHA – SARAH SMITH
2019: I KNOW YOUR NUMBER BY HEART – ALEXIS BARZIN
2018: CINDERELLA WAR – MARGARET KANE-ROWE
2017: THE YAO OF TAO – JESSE WANG, ROBERT BERG, & RAJIV SHAH
2016: WAYLAID – MICHAEL KOEHLER
2015: MORE COW BELL – ANDY NELLIS
2014: OPEN ROADS – MIMI JEFFRIES
2013: THE BRAVEST, THE BOLDEST – MOON MOLSON & ERIC FALLEN