Anonymity
Blind-read file required
2026 Script Competition
AFF's categories reached capacity before the 2026 late deadline. The reviewed rules require a blind-read PDF under 5 MB and category-specific lengths.
Direct answer
Austin Film Festival's 2026 Script Competition is closed after categories reached capacity before the late deadline. For online screenplay and teleplay entries, the reviewed rules required a PDF under 5 MB, a title-only cover page, and no writer-identifying information anywhere in the script. Category and length matter: feature, short, and teleplay entries do not share one page range.
Freshness contract
State
Awaiting next cycle
Timezone
America/Chicago
Review again by
Dec 15, 2026
All 2026 script categories are closed. AFF says categories reached their caps before the May 27 late deadline; 2027 rules are not yet published.
Before the file check
Anonymity
Blind-read file required
AI policy
Policy varies by opportunity
Accepted script type
Feature, Short screenplay, Original or spec teleplay
Emerging writer categories
Feature, short, and teleplay competitions were limited to writers who did not currently earn a living writing for film or television or have WGA writing credits.
Rights
Original work was required; adaptations required the necessary underlying rights before entry.
Prior placement
Scripts that previously reached AFF's Semifinalist level or above were not eligible for resubmission.
Online file
PDF under 5 MB.
Blind read
Title only on the cover page; no writer name, contact, or identifying information in the script.
Feature length
Approximately 90–120 pages in the reviewed 2026 rules.
Short length
5–40 pages in the reviewed 2026 rules; teleplay ranges depend on format.
Format
12-point Courier, current industry format, with pages numbered at top right.
The reviewed 2026 script rules do not state a general generative-AI policy. Do not infer permission or prohibition; review the next cycle's rules and entry certification before submitting.
The 2026 rules state that revisions or missing pages are not accepted after an entry is received.
After the draft is frozen
Private browser check
Catch file, page-setup, and identity issues before you enter the official portal. Your PDF stays in this browser, and every automated result is clearly separated from what you still need to verify yourself.
This is an extra search, not proof of anonymity. You should still inspect the title page, headers, footers, and PDF properties.
PDF only, up to 25 MB. Nothing is uploaded.
Choose a PDF to begin
Use the exact export you plan to submit after your screenplay revisions are frozen.
Reasonable boundaries