Lexus launched its short film competition back in 2013 with the goal of supporting and nurturing a new generation of emerging filmmakers. The aptly named "Lexus Short Films" competition is now in its fourth season and seeking the submissions of writer/directors from around the world.
There is no monetary component to this competition; instead, you'll have the opportunity to partner with one of the most powerful studios on the planet. Four filmmakers will be selected to each write and direct a short film produced by The Weinstein Company. Each film will receive the full backing of legendary American studio The Weinstein Company, home of Lion, Fruitvale Station, and dozens of other indie favorites. The package includes promotional theatrical screenings, a global film festival campaign, and promotional support for its ultimate release. Filmmakers will also receive a First Look Commitment courtesy of The Weinstein Company, as well as an IMDb Pro account subscription for one year and a digital download of Final Draft screenwriting software.
Harvey Weinstein
Credit: Stephen Fellows
Entry is free and you can submit any short you've completed in the past as an entry into the competition. There is one rather large caveat, however. You must have written & directed at least one short film that has been accepted to a film festival or must currently be a film student enrolled in film school to be able to apply.
If your submission passes the first cut, you'll be sent a creative brief and invited to submit a two-page treatment for consideration. A second round of filmmakers will then be chosen to develop their treatments into full scripts, and the final four filmmakers will have their scripts produced.
The four finalists will be announced at the Napa Valley Film Festival in November 2017 and production of the films will begin in December 2017.
This year’s theme is "Transformation" and the selection judges is quite impressive. Taylor Sheridan (Sicario, Screenwriter, 2015), Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman, Director 2017) and Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Director 2001 ) will be in charge of whether or not your film passes muster.
For a full list of rules, check out the submission form on Withoutabox and to see examples of past winners click here.
