We are excited to open for submissions for our $50,000 Curated Short Film Production Grant Program. Stowe Story Labs will award a grant of $50,000 to support the development, production, and distribution of a narrative short film with a total run time of approximately 10 minutes. Please read on to learn more.

Benefits

This is a $50,000 curated grant to support the production of a narrative short film with a total run time of approximately 10 minutes. Mentoring will be available to support the winning project through all aspects of its development and production, including:

• Development, Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production, and Festival Submission mentoring by Stowe alum and mentor Liz Cardenas (bio below), who will serve as lead mentor and as a producer on the project. Liz will also manage the grant with the filmmakers.
• Festival submission support, advice, and post-festival run distribution on groundbreaking short film distribution platform WeShort
• Consult with Seed&Spark on crowdfunding, pitching, and distribution
• Discounted ARRI camera package
• A meeting with Joe Jeffreys, Acquisitions Manager for HanWay Films for the finalists and winner
• Festival benefits, including Pittsburgh Shorts and Script Competition (2026 submission fee waiver for finalists and free entry for Pittsburgh Shorts and Script Film Competition for the produced film resulting from the winning script), and Seattle International Film Festival (submission fee waiver for the winning project in the 2026 or 2027 festival)
• Invitation to join the Portrait community, a networking platform connecting filmmakers, department heads, funders, distributors, and more
• A complimentary Film Fatales membership for qualifying filmmakers

Application and Selection Process

In the first stage of the process, applicants need only submit a properly formatted narrative short film script of roughly 10 pages or less for consideration. We are agnostic on genre.

Initial script reviews will be conducted by the team at the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards. Top applicants will be asked to submit additional information about the project, including a statement of intent, any attachments or developed materials, other works, and applicant bio. PLEASE NOTE: prior production work or experience is not required (but is welcome) to be selected. As with all of our programs, we look for people demonstrating the capacity to do the work and to work collaboratively, regardless of film or TV experience.

The Stowe Team will select the finalists for consideration.

The Jury (listed below) will select the project to be awarded the $50,000 grant.

Liz Cardenas will serve as lead mentor and as a producer on the project to administer the grant and to be available to provide mentoring.

The Competition will evaluate industry standard formatted short film scripts of approximately ten (10) pages, and in all instances regardless of page count the script must be designed to produce an approximately ten minute short film.

If the applicant does not have a team assembled to make the film, the Stowe team will inquire during the application process about applicant’s intent to build the team to make the film.

International applicants are welcome (scripts must be submitted in English).

The winning project will be:

• A well-presented and written short film script with
• Ideally, a total run time of approximately 10 minutes or less and
• Few characters and locations, and
• Similarly, given the expense involved, we are ideally looking for scripts avoiding serious stunt, animation, or effects needed. Such stories are welcome if the applicant has a plan to make the film given this concern.

Applicants (and teams) must demonstrate a collaborative nature and capacity to do the work.

Any questions please inquire at info@stowestorylabs.org