Congrats to Our 2026 Feature Contest Semifinalists!

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We’re excited to announce our 2026 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 2026 FEATURE RETREAT & FELLOWSHIP SEMIFINALISTS

(listed alphabetically by title)

AYAT by Samina Saifee

BARON VON STEUBEN by Jamie Benson

BEYOND THE PALE by Christian Hearn

BLANK by Shiva Ramanathan

BLUE ON BLUE by Sam Robson

BOYSIE by Daniel Higley

BROKEN by Phillip Roquemore

THE BUCKET HIT LIST by Karen McDermott

THE CHEMISTRY OF ICE by Lisa Hickey

COLD DESERT by James Wright

COPAGANDA by David Erickson

CUTTHROAT GAMES by J.J. Spaulding

DEADBEAT DICK by Heather Davis

DRY LAND by Oscar Rodríguez Górriz

FELT by Ran Jing

FIRST PERSON VIEW by Jason Pates

THE GEORGE WASHINGTONS by Paul Schutte

GREEN RIVER BLUES by Charlie Anderson

HEARTMAN by Tiffany Yarde

HURT PEOPLE by LaDarrion Williams

INTERREGNUM by Mason Gersh

THE INTESTINES by Drew Lichtman

IRIS WRITES POEMS by Nicole Reinert

THE ITALIAN LOVER by Suzanne Griffin

JANET’S WORLD by Kemari Bryant

JUST SAY YES by Christine Hoang

THE LANDLORD by Joel Michalak

THE MAN. THE MONSTER. THE SEA by Avi Glick

MESA VERDE by Sean Jourdan

MY KARATE BAT MITZVAH by Merridith Allen

THE NIGHT CAN’T FIND ME by Michael Kimber

NULLIPARA by Megan Spatz

ORANGES IN THE WINTER by Leanne Milech

PIETRA FREDDA by Matthew Nicholson

PIPE DREAMS by MojẹRi Coker

RUNT by Dave Kagno

THE SEVENTH by Jasper Rashwood

SHAVED ICE GIRL by Jack Aupperle

SOLVE FOR X AND WHY by Marianne DiMascio

SPACE by Leila McCall

STAN by Dre Larivée

SUBSTRATE DEPENDENCE by Kevin Sterling

TESSA, GRANDE by Zoey Sidwell

THERE IS NO LOVE IN THE UNIVERSE by Kate Mellors

THE UNHAPPIEST DAY OF HER LIFE by Hayley Nash

UPSTANDING CITIZENS by David McMahon

VOLUNTEER-ISH by Sarah Showfety

WILD GODS by Gina Manola

WOMAN’S BEST FRIEND by J. Gabriel

ZOETROPE by Nick Hurwitch