Article 1. The MATTADOR Cultural Association organises the 16th MATTADOR International Screenwriting Award dedicated to Matteo Caenazzo, a young talented artist from Trieste who passed away prematurely on 28th June 2009 while studying and working with the aim of embarking on a career as a screenwriter.
The Award aims at discovering and promoting young talents who choose to start a professional and artistic career in screenwriting. It is an invitation to write screenplays able to tell fascinating and moving stories in line with Matteo’s keen perception of the modern world, conveying the idea of ironic, synthetic and razor-sharp art which Matteo freely expressed in his lifestyle and artistic evolution.
Article 2. The Award is open to young Italian and foreign screenwriters, i.e. authors aged 16 and under 30 by 15th April 2025.
The Award includes the following sections.
– MATTADOR Award for Best Feature-Film Screenplay (see Competition Rules below).
– MATTADOR Award for Best Story (see Competition Rules below).
– MATTADOR SERIES Award for Best TV Series Project (see MATTADOR SERIES Award Rules).
– DOLLY Award “Screenwriting with pictures” for Best Story portrayed through pictures (see DOLLY Award Rules).
Article 3. Each applicant may enter only one work and may not register for more than one section with a workshop as a prize (i.e. Subject, Series and Dolly). Only original and unpublished (i.e., never awarded or produced or published) entries made by up to three authors may be submitted. Under this regulation the theme is free.
Article 4. Screenplays shall be written in the American format (see enclosed sample). Scenes and pages must be numbered. The length of the scripts shall be between 80 and 100 pages (character 12), and be drafted with any scripting software (including Final Draft, Celtx, Fade In, or Trelby). Scripts shall include a synopsis of a maximum of one page. Works must be sent in .pdf format. The length of Stories shall be between 5 and 10 pages (character 12, line-spacing 1.5). Stories shall include a synopsis of a maximum of half a page. Works must be sent in .pdf format.
WORKS SUBMITTED IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT WILL BE DISCARDED.
Article 5. Works shall be submitted in the Italian version and/or in the original version with a translation into Italian.
Article 6. Works must be sent exclusively online on the https://iscrizioni.premiomattador.it/ platform starting from 15th February 2025. The delivery deadline is 15th April 2025.
The following application fees are required: 30 Euros for each Screenplay and 20 Euros for each Story.
The digital version must bear only the title with no reference to the author.
The digital work must be accompanied by a signed application form for acceptance, a copy of the ID card and proof of payment, in strict accordance with platform instructions.
NON-COMPLIANT APPLICATIONS WILL BE DISCARDED.
Article 7. By sending the Screenplay or the Story, the author accepts the Competition Rules. The Organising Committee and the MATTADOR Cultural Association disclaim all responsibility or cost deriving from the existence of copyrights owed to any third party. The copyrights of all the works submitted to the MATTADOR Award remain property of their authors. The authors authorise the organisers of the MATTADOR International Screenwriting Award to publish their works in a collection and/or a catalogue or book, on paper and/or online.
Article 8. The Competition will award the MATTADOR PRIZE as follows:
– MATTADOR Award for Best Feature-Film Screenplay: 5,000 Euros (five thousand Euros)*.
– MATTADOR Award for Best Story: 1,500 Euros (one thousand five hundred Euros)*. The top finalists for the best stories will receive a “Training Grant”, i.e. they will be tutored by professional screenwriters who will assist them in developing their stories. At the conclusion of the training, the best developed story will be awarded 1,500 Euros.
Article 9. The Jury, made up of cinema professionals, artists and cultural operators, is entitled not to award a prize and/or to assign one or more special mentions. The Jury’s judgement is unquestionable.
Article 10. The Award Ceremony of the MATTADOR Competition will take place on Thursday 17th July 2025 in the Sale Apollinee at La Fenice Theatre, Venice.
The Organising Committee
*Subject to withholding tax under Article 30 of Presidential Decree DPR 29/9/73 n.600