“To make a great film you need three things — the script, the script, and the script.”
– Alfred Hitchcock
Everyone has a story ... what's yours?
Screenwriting is where it’s at, or should we say … where it begins. At DIFF, we believe that every great picture starts with a great screenplay, and so we set out to HONOR writers who are committed to the craft — those who work tirelessly to create new worlds, rich characters, compelling conflict, and stories that forever change us.
STORYLINE awards quarterly winners with DIFF’s Vitruvian Award™. These writers will automatically be entered into the annual competition for their shot at The Leo — DIFF’s most prized commendation. In addition to The Leo, our winner will receive an award package from festival sponsors.
Rules & Eligibility
- Submitted scripts must be original, and the sole property of the applicant(s).
- Feature and Short scripts must be in Master Scene Format.
- All entries must be in English.
- Feature screenplays must be between 80-120 pages in length.
- Short screenplays must be under 40 pages in length.
- There is no limit to the number of entries you may submit.
- You may not submit the same script more than once.
- Under absolutely no circumstances will substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entry script(s) be accepted.
- If a submitted script becomes optioned, produced or purchased between the time of submission and the end of the judging period, that script will no longer be eligible.
- All entries must be uploaded in PDF format. Scripts will not be returned.
- Competition judges, readers and employees of STORYLINE or the DaVinci International Film Festival (DIFF) Screenplay Competition, past and present, and their immediate friends and families, are not eligible to enter.
- Previous winners of the STORYLINE Screenplay Competition are not eligible
- Scripts submitted under a pen name will be immediately disqualified.
- Script title cannot be changed after submission under any circumstances.
“Once you crack the script, everything else flows.”
– Ridley Scott
Without the ongoing support from our sponsors and festival supporters, we would not be where we are today.
Below are a few of those who help make STORYLINE possible.

Quick Contact
If you have questions about STORYLINE, submission policy, or any other inquiry, please fill out the form below or email us, and someone will get back to you within 24 hours. Alternatively, you can give us a call for a quicker response. Thank you for your interest in STORYLINE at DaVinci International Film Festival.