We’re excited to announce the winners and finalists from this year’s SYS’s Six-Figure Screenplay Contest. A big thank you to all the screenwriters who entered. We found lots of fantastic screenplays this year making our final decision very tough. It’s never easy trying to apply objective criteria to something as subjective as screenwriting, but that’s what we must do. As a screenwriter myself, I want to really emphasize the fact that this is in no way a “best of” or that any script is “better” than any other. Our process involves a lot of people reading a lot of scripts. All the scripts entered this year were read by numerous first round readers, and the scripts that made it into the later rounds were all read by numerous industry judges and the results here today simply reflect the response from those first round readers and industry professionals.
A big congratulations to both the winners and the finalists.
FEATURE SCREENPLAYS
2025 Winner:
Title: Reverie
Writer: Giada Curiale
Genre: sci-fi
Type: feature
Log Line: After receiving an experimental chip that lets him rewrite his memories, a grieving nurse alters his past — but each change pulls him further from reality.
Readers’ Comments:
“Its a great concept and the piece is well written in terms of craft. There is a continuing desire to see how events unfold.”
“The screenplay is very well written. The writer has strong skills in world-building, character development, pacing, and setting up scenes in the action lines. The tension is maintained throughout the story, and all three acts will keep the audience engaged.”
“The structure is strong. The ending is satisfying but sad. The script is easy to read and understand.”
2025 Runner Up:
Title: Underneath the Daffodils
Name: Isaiah Mouw
Genre: drama
Type: feature
Log Line: A quiet, reserved man in his 70s, who spends his days gardening, has his life turned upside down when a true crime podcast reignites the painful rumor that he was responsible for the unsolved disappearance of his teenage daughter 20 years ago.
Readers’ Comments:
“The concept is intriguing. The writer has crafted an original and emotional story featuring authentic characters.”
“The characters are greatly developed – particularly Richard and Meryl, though every supporting player comes to play a key role.”
“Suspenseful. The storylines weave together well. The podcasts do propel the story. Great story, believable dialogue.”
SHORT SCREENPLAYS
2025 Winner:
Title: ULIS
Writer: Fabiana De Bellis
Genre: drama
Type: short
Log Line: On a remote island, Gaia, a hard-of-hearing girl, shocks her classmates by auditioning as Ulysses in the school play. As laughter ripples through the class, Gaia sets out to prove she can face her demons and pass the rocks without falling under the spell.
Reader’s Comments:
“The concept is beautiful. There are many things to enjoy from this script, and is amazing how it can achieve so many things in such a short length.”
2025 Runner Up:
Title: Lluvia De Peces
Writer: Andrés Mejia and Jonah Ocuto
Genre: horror
Type: short
Log Line: In a surreal dystopia where asylum seekers compete on a game show for the chance to win citizenship, a Honduran mother is forced to relive the traumas that brought her to the U.S.—and make an impossible choice between her daughter and her sister.
Reader’s Comments:
“This narrative is very moving for those with a conscience and a feel for humanity.”