Judges are tally the scores - stay tuned for the 2010 quarterfinalist announcement early next week.

This year’s fall retreat will be held from September 25th to September 28th in the glorious mountain town of Idyllwild, California. For four days, twenty one aspiring screenwriters will meet and mingle with over a dozen Hollywood professionals for one-on-one mentoring sessions as well as over 20hrs of small group sessions, filmmaker presented screenings, meals and other events.

Missed out on the January 31st deadline for the CineStory Screenwriting Awards? Don’t worry, you have one more chance to enter. From now until Feb 15th submissions can be made through WithoutABox. Just click here.

Ever wanted a peek inside the CineStory Retreat? Well now you can see what the CineStory experience is all about from the comfort of your own home.

Check out our YouTube Channel: CineStory TV

2008 CineStory Fellow Nino Del Pesco has optioned his winning script ‘The Third Realm’ to producer and CineStory Mentor, Michelle Sy.

Michelle first became aware of Nino’s script through our competition. Now she and Nino are working together to develop a new draft. Hearty congratulations to Nino and best of luck to you both!

The late deadline for the 2009 competition is January 7th. See the contest page for entry forms and guidelines,

Each year CineStory runs a screenwriting competition like no other. It’s unique because each of the semifinalists are invited to the CineStory Writer’s Retreat - four days of heaven in the beautiful mountains of Idyllwild, California.

Whether winner, finalist or semifinalist, all retreat attendees get four 90-minute one-on-one sessions with CineStory mentors and staff, all of whom are practicing and respected industry professionals. During these meetings attendees can discuss everything from the script(s) they submitted for feedback to jumpstarting their writing careers.

When not meeting in one-on-one sessions, writers participate in mentor moderated “informal rooms”, which cover everything from pitching like a pro to the state of filmmaking in the digital age. In addition, mentors and writers gather for meals, drinks, film screenings and other special events.

There’s no better prize and no other way to get there. So enter today.

Earlybird Deadline: November 16th, 2008 ($40)

Congratulations to Nino Del Pesco of Saint Paul, Minnesota for his winning script ‘The Third Realm’.

Nino wins the grand prize of $2000, free entry to the CineStory Retreat in October and a mentor for a year.

Thank you to all who entered this year. We know that every script is a labor of love and appreciate having the opportunity to read each one.

The 2009 competition will open on October 1st.

(In alphabetical order according to title)

AMUSEMENT PARK, Neil Reynolds, Cambridge, MA
CANARIES, Craig Cambria, Atlanta, GA
CHALK, Weiko Lin, Los Angeles, CA
DARKNET, Mark Kratter, Los Angeles, CA
ENCRYPTION, Sean Corrigan, Austin, TX
GINGER AND JACK, Clint Hutchison, Sherman Oaks, CA
HUNGER, Michael Hogan, Conifer, CO
JACK OF HEARTS John Arends, Saint Charles, IL
PICK YOUR POISON, Neil Gaughan, Los Angeles, CA
SONNET, Veronica DiPippo, Los Angeles, CA
SUGAR & EDDIE, Bess Wiley, Solano, CA
THE AFTER EFFECT, Jude Roth, Los Angeles, CA
THE BAKA, Maurice Brown, Culver City, CA
THE FACULTY OF SPEECH, Maria Kabanova, Los Angeles, CA
THE NIGGA, Derek Lively, New York, NY
THE PIPER, Greg Daubenspeck, Los Angeles, CA
THE THIRD REALM, Nino Del Pesco, Saint Paul, Minnesota
TRASH, Timothy Armstrong, Glendale, CA

Congratulations!

(listed alphabetically by title)

A WELL ADJUSTED BOY, Jason Seth Latshaw, Pacific Palisades, CA
ABILENE, Michael Raymond, Seattle, WA
AMUSEMENT PARK, Neil Reynolds, Cambridge, MA
AY! CHILITO, Judy Chaikin, Studio City, CA
BLOOD ANGEL, Kyle Michel Sullivan, West Hollywood, CA
BONNEVILLE, John Lew, Los Angeles, CA
CANARIES, Craig Cambria, Atlanta, GA
CANEBREAK, Andrew B Smith, Tarzana, CA
CAUGHT INSIDE, Rachel Long & Brian Pittman, Oxnard, CA
CHALK, Weiko Lin, Los Angeles, CA
DARKNET, Mark Kratter, Los Angeles, CA
DEVIL’S LURE, Marjory Kaptanoglu, Belmont, CA
ENCRYPTION, Sean Corrigan, Austin, TX
FOOTPRINTS, Tracy King-Sanchez, Miller Place, NY
GINGER AND JACK, Clint Hutchison, Sherman Oaks, CA
GODS AND TOURISTS, Mark Milinich, Venice, CA
HUNGER, Michael Hogan, Conifer, CO
I, CHIHUAHUA, Gay Studebaker, Alpine, TX
JACK OF HEARTS John Arends, Saint Charles, IL
MAD & BAD, Angela Berliner, Culver City, CA
MARY, Darren Koons, Raleigh, NC
MISTRESS OF THE SEA, Rebecca Howland, Silver Spring, MD
ONCE UPON THIS PLAYGROUND, Anne Kruse, Fullerton, CA
ONE LAST SHOT, John Ryker O’Hara, Santa Monica, CA
PAST IMPERFECT, Sandra Chwialkowski, Los Angeles, CA
PICK YOUR POISON, Neil Gaughan, Los Angeles, CA
PLAN C, Julie Mullen, Los Angeles, CA
REBIRTH, Teresa Lewis, Port Orange, FL
SIZZLEAN, Scott Keiner, Los Angeles, CA
SONNET, Veronica DiPippo, Los Angeles, CA
SUGAR & EDDIE, Bess Wiley, Solano, CA
THE AFTER EFFECT, Jude Roth, Los Angeles, CA
THE AMAZING DR. O, Marc L. Ellis, Encino, CA
THE BAKA, Maurice Brown, Culver City, CA
THE FACULTY OF SPEECH, Maria Kabanova, Los Angeles, CA
THE NIGGA, Derek Lively, New York, NY
THE PIPER, Greg Daubenspeck, Los Angeles, CA
THE REFLECTION, Joe Bright, Studio City, CA
THE THIRD REALM, Nino Del Pesco, Saint Paul, Minnesota
THE VILLAGE IDIOT, Adam Balsam, Los Angeles, CA
THE WIZARD, THE FARMER, AND THE VERY PETTY PRINCESS, Daniel Fox, Ontario, Canada
THINK PRETTY, Lynea Diaz-Hagan, Santa Monica, CA
THREE ON A MATCH, Scott Ritchie, Los Angeles, CA
TRASH, Timothy Armstrong, Glendale, CA
TYTICLEEZ, Halli Lorentz, Los Angeles, CA
UNDERGROUND EMPIRE, Rachel Long & Brian Pittman, Oxnard, CA
WHERE THE DEAD GO, Mark Kratter, Los Angeles, CA
WITHOUT CAUSE, Hollan Peterson & Kevin Peterson, Winston Salem, NC
WOUNDED KNEE 73, Richard Keehn, Boulder, CO
YOU LIKE CHINESE FOOD, Ryan Sager & Jacob Gershman, Brooklyn, NY

Congratulations to each of you! And a great big thank you to our readers.

Check back on June 18th for the Semi-finalists.