After receiving over 5,000 scripts this season from writers across the globe, Slamdance is honored to recognize the following writers as official Winners of the 2026 Slamdance Screenplay Competition. These screenplays are divided into four submission categories: Feature, Horror/Thriller, Pilot, and Shorts.
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
James Oxyer
Termite
When a lonely teenager discovers a homeless man has sought refuge within the walls of his upper-middle class home, he decides to let him stay. But as their bond intensifies, the balance of power starts to shift…
Bio: James Oxyer is a filmmaker based in Los Angeles. His horror films and dark comedies follow grounded characters as they navigate hazy, nightmarish worlds where the absurd and horrific intermingle, and often explore themes of masculinity, self-destruction, loneliness, and confronting pessimist ideology. His short film “HEY MAN” screened at several film festivals across North America and his screenplays have placed in competitions like Slamdance, the Austin Film Festival, Final Draft Big Break, and Screencraft Horror.
FEATURES
1st Place
Wes Andre Goodrich
Citizens
A burned-out social studies teacher at a failing high school must decide whether to protect a troublesome student from being seized by immigration officers or allow the young man to be taken into custody.
Bio: Wes Andre Goodrich is a Brooklyn-bred writer & director and one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 2023 New Faces of Independent Film. His short film Palm Sunday was an Oscar Qualifying Short for the 2024 Academy Awards. He recently directed a short film: “Meal Ticket,” for Hillman Grad’s Rising Voices Fellowship, which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival last June. Meal Ticket was an Oscar Qualifying film for the 2025 Academy Awards. Wes is managed by Redefine Entertainment.
2nd Place
W. Alex Reeves
They All Died Happy
A hospice nurse must reconcile with her estranged family when a dementia patient claiming to be her from the future unearths long-hidden secrets from her past.
Bio: W. Alex Reeves is a writer, director, and sound designer living in Los Angeles. Born in New York and raised in Chicago, Alex began his career in television in 2006, crafting modern classics like The Real Housewives of New York and BBQ Pitmasters. His short film The Automaton won Best Short Film at Twin Cities Film Fest in 2019. Alex lives with his wife Nicole and three cats, Fran, Elliott, and Milo. They All Died Happy is his first feature screenplay.
3rd Place
Zane Bhansali
Participation Award
When the National Spelling Bee witnesses a historic 8-way-tie for first, one kid is left with the worst runner-up trophy of all time. Humiliated, 14-year-old Jai Reddy rejects his past and turns to high school wrestling, where he starts passing as white—unbeknownst to his former coach, his Indian father.
Bio: Zane Bhansali is an Indian-American writer and producer whose work centers on false identities and characters who can’t bear their own reflection. In addition to screenwriting, he also brings over a decade of experience producing esports tournaments and broadcasts. His writing has appeared in The Washington Post and ESPN, earning him micro-celebrity status—and the occasional death threat.
HORROR / THRILLER
1st Place
James Oxyer
Termite
When a lonely teenager discovers a homeless man has sought refuge within the walls of his upper-middle class home, he decides to let him stay. But as their bond intensifies, the balance of power starts to shift…
Bio: James Oxyer is a filmmaker based in Los Angeles. His horror films and dark comedies follow grounded characters as they navigate hazy, nightmarish worlds where the absurd and horrific intermingle, and often explore themes of masculinity, self-destruction, loneliness, and confronting pessimist ideology. His short film “HEY MAN” screened at several film festivals across North America and his screenplays have placed in competitions like Slamdance, the Austin Film Festival, Final Draft Big Break, and Screencraft Horror.
2nd Place
Jo Garrett
Bah Humbug
A Jewish teen in a Christmas-obsessed town discovers mind- controlling parasites, cocooned in Christmas trees, have taken over the locals. With the annual tree-lighting ceremony set to unleash them on tourists, he must fight to contain the infestation before it spreads to all of humanity.
Bio: Jo Garrett is a screenwriter and multidisciplinary artist whose background in art and music shaped a distinctive cinematic voice. As a storyboard artist, she developed strong visual storytelling skills, while years as a singer-songwriter taught her to use imagery and emotion to create connection. Jo writes high-concept, character-driven stories across comedy, thriller, and horror, exploring themes of diversity, resilience, and belonging.
3rd Place
Jennifer Levinson, Nicholas Woods, & Almog Avidan Antonir
Aeternum
A couple tries spicing up their strained marriage by inviting a stranger for threesome, only to discover that their guest has dark ulterior motives.
Bio: Jennifer is a Cinequest programmer and former Epic Pictures marketing lead whose viral videos have earned over 500 million views. Almog Avidan Antonir is a writer/director whose debut feature, Trust, won top jury and audience awards at Cinequest. Nicholas directed Echoes of Violence and The Axiom, which earned over one million streams worldwide.
PILOTS
1st Place
Madeline Brestal
The Wild Life of Archer Dagwood
After a decades long stint in witness protection, world-famous zoologist Archer Dagwood returns to discover his wife has remarried, his brilliant children have become dysfunctional adults, and the world has moved on without him — forcing him to choose between reclaiming his spotlight or finally being the father his children need.
Bio: Inspired by a childhood steeped in rural Midwestern Gothic, Madeline Brestal writes queer, neurodivergent-led stories where the odd and extraordinary become a lens for exploring identity and belonging. She was previously a writer on Starz’s Outlander, and her scripts have been recognized by ScreenCraft, Script Pipeline, and The Black List. In her free time, you can find her suggesting books to customers at Book Soup even though she does not work there.
2nd Place
Kat Folker
Alfie and Friends
When a beloved children’s puppeteer discovers his best friend and creative partner has been having an affair with his wife, it upends his life and ignites a battle for the future of his critically acclaimed children’s TV show, Alfie and Friends.
Bio: Kat is a screenwriter from New England. Strapped for friends, Kat was forced to make her own and stumbled into the art of puppeteering. As a puppeteer, Kat has written, fabricated, and performed in everything from stage shows and touring projects to film work. Kat is a graduate of Columbia University’s MFA Film program. Her work features over-the-top worlds contrasted against grounded emotions, following earnest weirdos reckoning with their passions, loyalties, and relationships with others.
3rd Place
Angela Wong Carbone
Do I Know You From Somewhere?
Facing her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and the crushing cost of care, struggling actor Kimmy takes a clandestine, lucrative side gig impersonating strangers’ loved ones. As her mother’s symptoms and the dangers of her job escalate, Kimmy must decide who she’s willing to become to keep her mother safe.
Bio: Angela Wong Carbone is a decorated actor and writer. Her projects have been supported by AT&T’s HelloLab, Tribeca Studios, Hillman Grad, The Gotham, Slamdance, and NYFA. Born and raised in New York to an immigrant Chinese mother and Brooklyn-bred Italian-American father, Wong Carbone’s quest to explore identity saturates her work. As an actor, Wong Carbone was selected for ABC Talent Showcase in 2020. Wong Carbone earned her Bachelor’s in Architecture from Cornell University.
SHORTS
1st Place
Robert Pierosh
The Ashtray
When Marilyn Monroe’s possessions go up for auction in Manhattan, an anxious shut-in ventures out to bid on the one piece he believes is within reach — her ashtray.
Bio: Robert Pierosh is a writer and artist whose work blends dark humor, queerness, and emotional truth. His screenplays, plays, and essays are about complicated people trying to make sense of themselves, each other, and the things they can’t quite let go of. His writing has appeared in The New York Times. He finds comedy in the uncomfortable and meaning in the mess—usually while trying to sleep.
2nd Place
Hongyu An & Hadley Rose
YOYO
An AI sex doll begins to experience love after a lonely grandmother takes her in as a surrogate granddaughter, forcing her to choose between her own survival and the woman who taught her what it means to care.
Bio: Hongyu An is a film producer and storyteller from Changchun, China, with degrees from Peking University, Duke University, and AFI. She is passionate about amplifying Asian women’s voices and fostering authentic representation on screen. Hadley Rose is a data scientist and writer with an MSBA from UT Dallas and an MFA from AFI. She combines analytical and creative thinking to uncover meaningful stories through data and writing.
3rd Place
Christopher Glass
Subscribe
In a near future where emotions, transportation, vision, and even consciousness require monthly subscriptions, a struggling artist races to remove her neural implant before her services expire. Hounded by invasive ads and mounting paywalls, she journeys into an outlaw community seeking freedom—only to discover that escaping the system may already be impossible.
Bio: Christopher Glass is an award-winning production designer whose film and television credits include The Jungle Book, Ms. Marvel, Batgirl, and I Love Boosters. He has designed campaigns for Apple, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft, earning multiple industry awards, including two Art Directors Guild Awards. Before transitioning to production design, he spent 11 years as a storyboard artist collaborating with acclaimed directors including David Fincher, Wong Kar-wai, and Ron Howard.
MENTORSHIP AWARD
Aisha Amin
The Redeemer
A grieving widow and a struggling young mother form an unlikely bond, until a disturbing request shifts the nature of their relationship, blurring the line between intimacy and control.
Bio: Aisha Amin is a New York native filmmaker working across narrative and documentary. In 2025, she completed her MFA from Columbia in Screenwriting. She makes and writes films about women under pressure, navigating identity, belonging, motherhood and self-determination. Her shorts Simone, Contours, Rumi and Derby have screened and won awards at Slamdance, Palm Springs ShortFest and more, and her screenplays have had support from the Black List and Women in Film. She’s currently developing her debut narrative feature.
Honorable Mention
Jake Allgeier
Ravenous
During a 1950s zombie epidemic, a grieving housewife obsessively reenacts her anniversary dinner with her undead husband until a stranded survivor forces her to confront the horrifying lengths she’ll go to avoid losing him.
Bio: Jake Allgeier (she/her) is an award-winning filmmaker based in Colorado and the founder of HMJ Productions LLC. Her work uses the horror genre to explore universal human emotions and experiences, with an emphasis on practical effects and detailed production design. She is currently in pre-production on her next short film, Ravenous. Beyond her own projects, Jake works in various crew positions and contributes to the independent film community through panels, podcasts, and filmmaking collaborations.
FINALISTS
FEATURES
Wes Andre Goodrich
Citizens
W. Alex Reeves
They All Died Happy
Zane Bhansali
Participation Award
HORROR / THRILLER
James Oxyer
Termite
Jennifer Levinson, Nicholas Woods, & Almog Avidan Antonir
Aeternum
Jo Garrett
Bah Humbug
SHORTS
Christopher Glass
Subscribe
Hongyu An & Hadley Rose
YOYO
Robert Pierosh
The Ashtray
PILOTS
Angela Wong Carbone
Do I Know You From Somewhere?
Kat Folker
Alfie and Friends
Madeline Brestal
The Wild Life of Archer Dagwood
MENTORSHIP
Aisha Amin
The Redeemer
Jake Allgeier
Ravenous
Jared Iversen
Between Two Waves
SEMIFINALISTS
FEATURES
Phillip Alexander
Manzanar
Wes Andre Goodrich
Citizens
Michael Rhine
The Sky’s Edge
Howard Hayes
Soul-Less Ginger
Zane Bhansali
Participation Award
Rebekah Francoz Miskin
DRESS UP
Jared Iversen
Between Two Waves
W. Alex Reeves
They All Died Happy
HORROR / THRILLER
Aisha Amin
The Redeemer
James Oxyer
Termite
Jacob Zorn
Becoming a F*cking Lizard in Top-of-the-World, Arizona
Jo Garrett
Bah Humbug
Talia Shea Levin
Make Me a Pizza
Tsung-Long Wu
The Permanent Collection
Sara Caldwell
The Pale Ones
Jennifer Levinson, Nicholas Woods, & Almog Avidan Antonir
Aeternum
SHORTS
Thadeus Kevin Brown
A Small Living Thing
Jake Allgeier
Ravenous
Christopher Glass
Subscribe
Jonathan Clancy
Just A Joke
Robert Pierosh
The Ashtray
Hongyu An & Hadley Rose
YOYO
Vanessa Vo
Sweet Tooth
Jordan Dubuque
We Lie in Grace
PILOTS
Rudy Jansen
Betsy Riot
Laura Anne Day
Oracle
Madeline Brestal
The Wild Life of Archer Dagwood
Kasi Brown & Brandon Walter
Sober Living
Kat Folker
Alfie and Friends
Amanda Anne Warne
Torment
Katarina Hughes
The Vending Machine
Angela Wong Carbone
Do I Know You From Somewhere?
QUARTERFINALISTS
FEATURES
Arman Taheri
Sarbaz
Howard Hayes
Soul-Less Ginger
Jeremy Schmidt & Jaclyn Chavira
The Place Where We Work
Leon Lee
Unsutured
Michael Rhine
The Sky’s Edge
Rebekah Francoz Miskin
Dress Up
Siegmund Fred Fuchs
Just In Time
W. Alex Reeves
They All Died Happy
Cole Whitaker
The Experimental Aircraft Association
Jacob Andrews & Kevin Breen
The Lobster Thief
Joe LaMattina
Letter from Hollywood
Maddox Finkel
Obscene
Olivia Boreham-Wing
HARE
Rhona Rees
Renaissance Woman
Thomas Bell
Every Which Way But Goose
Wes Andre Goodrich
Citizens
Zena Leigh Logan
Thoughts and Prayers
Dwayne Colbert
N.I.L. (Name, Image and Likeness)
Jared Iversen
Between Two Waves
Julia Hoff & Katarina Hughes
The Payload
Matthew Valvardi
Unassigned
Phillip Alexander
Manzanar
Ryan Clarke
Paper Dolls
Tsung-Long Wu
The Vaccuum We Return To
Zane Bhansali
Participation Award
HORROR / THRILLER
Aisha Amin
The Redeemer
Caimeen Garrett
Beat a Skip
David Marvin Graham
Home
James Oxyer
Termite
Tsung-Long Wu
Artificial Impact
Lee Bacon
Esca
Nathan Feldman
She Never Came Back
Sara Caldwell
The Pale Ones
Alex Jiang
Out of the Garden
China Daniels & Ro Bennam
Crossing
Jack Napier
The Burning of the Whittled Cross
Jarad Kopciak
Orchid
Jo Garrett
Bah Humbug
Mark A. Alvarez II
Para Ti
Nick Kolev
Exiles
Talia Shea Levin
Make Me a Pizza
Jennifer Levinson, Nicholas Woods, & Almog Avidan Antonir
Aeternum
Brien Kelly
Dark Shore
Dan Joseph Weber & Ben Weber
Clean up in Aisle 6
Jeff Chasin
Blood and Paradise
Kenny Kistner
Electa
Matthew Barnette & Clinton Cornwell
It Came From the Drive-In
Rich Orlow
Hide
Tsung-Long Wu
The Permanent Collection
Jacob Zorn
Becoming a F*cking Lizard in Top-of-the-World, Arizona
SHORTS
Angel Toniaa
Not A Sinner
Christopher Glass
Subscribe
Emma Clare O’Connor
Doormat
Jake Allgeier
Ravenous
Katherine Griffin & Jon Bachmann
The Guides
Rahnuma Panthaky
Mom
Thadeus Kevin Brown
A Small Living Thing
V Oboldin
Form SU-4815
Briana Mowrey & Buzz Andersen
Scratch
Dan Burn
The White Room
Halley Raynes
Conviction
Jonathan Clancy
Just A Joke
Laura F. Segal
The Trauma Plot
Robert Pierosh
The Ashtray
Vanessa Vo
Sweet Tooth
Yijian Shan
愛の様子 (Appearance of Love)
Truman B. Matheny
Flavorful Delectable and Downright Snatched
Chloe Sirene
Bottling It
Daniel Edwards
Off Script
Hongyu An & Hadley Rose
YOYO
Jordan Dubuque
We Lie in Grace
Lizette Barrera
The Anatomy of a Turtle
Ryan Harman
Moorehouse
Tyler Garrett Coe
Boys Don’t Cry
Victor Atkins
Roommates of the Silence
PILOTS
Adam Arkin
TSA – Take Shit Always
Andre T. Matthews
Rebooting Tyrone
Carter Glace
The Soul Scouts
Dominic Cobb
Nostalgia
Gabriel Durán
Matewan
Kasi Brown & Brandon Walter
Sober Living
Kiran Chitanvis
Cricket City
Mac Alsfeld
Arkadelphia
Matthew Syrett
Lethe
Adriana Ducassi & Nick Ducassi
The Ledge
Angela Wong Carbone
Do I Know You From Somewhere?
David Thomas Hunter
Cult Following
Tyler Burke
The Pope’s Executioner
Jessica Ennis & Caitlin Cronenberg
Germaphobe in a Sex Club
Kat Folker
Alfie and Friends
Laura Anne Day
Oracle
Madeline Brestal
The Wild Life of Archer Dagwood
Rudy Jansen
Betsy Riot
Eric Trueheart
Freak Power: The Allegedly True Story of Hunter S. Thompson’s Run for Sheriff
Amanda Anne Warne
Torment
Benjamin Keeshin
TWO KNOCKS
Devony Hof
Sidekicks
Felix McEnroy
The Clinch
Jon Matthews & T.C. Bailey
Beverly
Katarina Hughes
The Vending Machine
Lily Malm
Jean and the Twelve Apostles
Matt Mitchell
Queerleaders
Sean Hemeon
The Good Little Drug Lord