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40 Days & 40 Nights Short Film Challenge

The challenge begins February 2, 2024, and ends at midnight on March 12, 2024.     

Challenge Goal:  Based On or Inspired By a True Story

Award:  

The top selected film will receive an automatic selection and screening at the 11th Annual Playhouse West Film Festival-Philadelphia, August 16-18, 2024.

FILM CHALLENGE REQUIREMENTS & INSTRUCTIONS

Please download and read.

REGISTER A PRODUCTION TEAM

For the 5th year, the members of Playhouse West-Philadelphia are engaged in a 40 Days / 40 Nights Film Challenge.  Productions teams have 40 days/nights to write, produce, cast, shoot and edit a short film (2 to 30 minutes in length).   This challenge is open to current or former members of all Playhouse West branches.

COMPETITION GOAL:

Based On or Inspired By a True Story

This year we are challenging filmmakers to dramatize a story that is based on or Inspired by a true event, or events that really happened to someone.

 

The true event(s) can be based on or inspired by any source, i.e. directly from the filmmaker's life, events they know from their life or human experience, or it can come from the news or other media source such as an article, a post, etc.. 

 

Though we want the film to be inspired by or based on a true event(s), there may be other story elements, such as characters, locations or other events that are changed or fictionalized for the purpose of dramatizing the story.

 

We will ask the filmmakers to let us know what the source of their story is based on.  The more personal and real the story is, the better.

There will also be several added elements/requirements in the Final Instructions, revealed on the first day of challenge.

Accepted Genres: Comedy, Romantic Comedy, Drama, Romance Drama, Suspense/Thriller, Horror

 

Genres not Accepted: Sci-Fiction, Mockumentary/Pseudo-Documentary, Animation.

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