Congrats to Our 2025 Feature Contest Semifinalists!

Photo by Belinda Fewings on Unsplash

We’re excited to announce our 2025 Feature Contest semifinalists! The creativity of these scripts was inspiring. We’re thrilled to recognize the achievements of these wonderful writers.

Many thanks to our dedicated judges, who spent so many hours reading and evaluating our submissions.

WHAT’S NEXT

Semifinalists and quarterfinalists will receive an invitation to this year’s feature retreat soon. Retreat spots will be released first to semifinalists on a first come, first serve basis and then to scholarship winners. Any remaining retreat spots will be released to quarterfinalists on a first come, first serve basis.

Attendees receive three 90-minute one-on-one sessions with CineStory mentors. When not meeting in one-on-one sessions, attendees participate in mentor-led panel discussions and group writing exercises as well as cocktail parties, meals, and other events. Click here for more information about the feature retreat.

Congratulations to this year’s feature semifinalists, and please check back in early September, when we’ll announce our finalists!

THE 2025 FEATURE RETREAT & FELLOWSHIP SEMIFINALISTS

(listed alphabetically by title)

24 HOURS FROM TULSA by Louisa Rorschach

ANTON SUCKS by Gabriel Ozaki

ARTEMIS ONE by Nic Cohen

CAROLINE by Aaron Edwards

DANCE MASTERS by Tania James

DOGCATCHERS by Darren Moran

ECHOES OF A GATHERING by Regina Junior

ESCAPE FROM APE CANYON by Jarrod Tallman

FAIR GAME by Jacob Marx Rice

FEHU by Thomas Ronca

THE FIREDOGS by Lit Kilpatrick

FROM RUSSIA WITH METAL by Kevin Caruso

GOWER GULCH by Morgan Sloane

HALIFAX by Noah Miller

HIATUS by Elizabeth Logan

I NEED YOUR KIDNEY, BRO by Drew McInturff

JAANEM (MY LOVE) by Alana Saab

JANE by Kathryn Prescott

KICK by Karlyn Gibson

THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FIELD GUIDE TO LESBIANS OF NORTH AMERICA (1953 EDITION) by James Wright

NGUYEN OR LOSE by Kathy Li

THE NINTH CONSPIRATOR by Joe Tremba

OATH by Paul Frank

OPERATION MOM by Reenita Hora

POSTPONED by Maren Hill

RANGER DANGER by Hayley Nash

RED RAIN by Amanda Kowalski

SEPTEMBER GURLS by Karen McDermott

SPIRIT LINES by Cephra Stuart

THE SUNSHINE by Jeremy Merrifield

THIS END UP by Mike Ackerman

THREE DAYS IN NIGHTCREEK by Danielle Tjoelker

TOPHER & NATE & THE INVADERS FROM MARS by Ryan Dooley

THE VALLEY OF HINNOM by Jacob Marx Rice

WALK WITH ME INTO WINTER by Sophia Khan

WHICH WAY TO LOVE by Rebekah Reaves

ZANDER THE GREAT by Allison Orr Block