Big Apple Film Festival and Screenplay Competition (Spring Edition) takes place in the heart of NYC. BAFF presents selected films as a live in person event, as well as additional selections presented virtually.

BAFF, named one of MovieMaker Magazine's top "25 Film Festivals Worth The Entry Fee,” top "25 Coolest Film Festivals,”, CBS New York's "Best Film Festivals in New York...,” and FilmFreeway's "Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals", is dedicated to showcasing, highlighting and supporting the most innovative, purposeful and influential filmmakers and screenwriters.

Credits of our screenplay competition readers/judges include:

• Script analyst who has provided coverage for outlets including HBO, Sony International, Amazon and Sundance Feature Lab, instructor for UCLA MFA program, as well as mentor for CineStory TV writers program
• Script analyst providing coverage for Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Academy Nicholl Fellowship, NBC/Universal Studios Writers Program, Writers Guild of America-West, Final Draft Big Break Screenplay Competition
• script reader previously for Warner Brothers, assisted in creative development at New Line Cinemas and NBCUniversal, consulted writers who have placed as Academy Nicholl Fellowship semifinalists

• writer/producer who has had films released by Disney, Starz Network and Warner Home Video
  
• writer for ABC, who has previously written and developed projects for Spike TV and The Weinstein Company
  
• writer/director who has had films released by Warner Brothers, Paramount and HBO
• script reader previously for Tri-Coast Worldwide and Rocksalt Releasing
• Tribeca Film Festival award winner
  and more...

PREVIOUS SCREENPLAY COMPETITION WINNERS AND FINALISTS INCLUDE: Shia LaBeouf (SAG Award, People's Choice Award and Independent Spirit Award nominee), Ron Friedman(Emmy nominee and WGA Award winner), Jyllian Gunther(Emmy Award winner, producer for NBC, ABC, A&E), Henry Sarwer-Foner(Directors Guild of Canada Award nominee),  Daniel Talbott (writer ABC's "The Conners", "The Mist" produced by The Weinstein Company and Spike TV), Michael Vaynberg (writer/director Cannes Film Festival selection "9.8 m/s²"), Shruti Tewari (member of the Sundance Collab Directing Program), Bill Brock (Semi-Finalist - Stage 32 Feature Screenwriting Contest), Ken Krauss (writer "Tom, Dick, & Harriet" - Hallmark Channel), Kevin Emerson (author of over twenty novels published by HarperCollins, Random House, Scholastic), Linda Shayne (writer/director "Undercover Kid" released by WARNER BROTHERS, HBO Family, "Little Ghost,” distributed by PARAMOUNT video airing on HBO), Chris Phillips (Finalist - Sundance Institute Development Track, Award for Overall Excellence in Playwriting-New York International Fringe Festival), Maia Henkin (Second Round Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition, repped by Abrams Artists Agency), and many more...

ABOUT OUR INDUSTRY NETWORKING CONFERENCES:

All submitters to the festival, whether their project is selected or not selected, will receive COMPLIMENTARY admission to the Big Apple Film Festival Networking conferences, taking place in conjunction with the Big Apple Film Festival (spring edition), taking place May 25-27, 2021.

The purpose of the conferences is to provide an opportunity for filmmakers and screenwriters to receive valuable information from industry professionals through a series of panel discussions, as well as an opportunity for attendees to participate in Q and A’s, networking sessions and nightly receptions.

Past speakers include: representatives from HBO, NBCUniversal,  staff writers from CBS, ABC, and Lifetime, Academy Award winning Killer Films, Film Rise(distributor of numerous Oscar Award winning and Emmy Award winning films), Emmy Award winning Gigantic Productions, Cinepointe Advisors(legal counsel on numerous Oscar nominated films), StoneStreet Studios, Endeavor Content, Academy Award nominated and Emmy Award winning filmmakers, Academy Award and Emmy Award winning screenwriters, Filmmakers with projects released through Sony Pictures, Disney, LionsGate, Warner Brothers, Showtime, Amazon Studios, Netflix and Hulu, Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW alumni and more…

SPEAKERS TO BE ANNOUNCED IN MAY...

Screenplay winners in each category will receive complimentary membership to BAFF Year-Round Industry Networking and Mentorship Conferences. These seminars and workshops are designed to provide attendees with direct access and live interaction with industry professionals. The goal is to provide strategies, guidance and mentorship to emerging screenwriters and filmmakers. Conferences take place regularly throughout the year, and are presented virtually allowing participants to join remotely. For information on our networking conferences visit bigapplefilmfestival.com/networkingevents.

In partnership with WeScreenplay, winning screenplays will be reviewed by readers who have read for agencies, studios, management companies, and/or production companies. Each review will include: 4 pages of detailed notes, Character, Plot, Structure, Dialogue, and Concept Analysis, A Pass, Consider, or Recommend rating, An overall impression that will highlight extra factors like voice, Qualitative scores to help compare your progress, Your analyst’s bio. WeScreenplay has been featured in Entertainment Weekly, IMDb, TheWrap, and IndieWire.

Screenplay Competition winners will receive an all access badge to Big Apple Film Festival events, including screenings, networking conferences and receptions.