The Contests
CUPRA, J.A. Bayona and ESCAC join forces in search of the next generation of great storytellers
The «The Dream Makers» initiative presents two contests to discover and nurture young creative talent in filmmaking, offering significant funding to produce a short film and a full scholarship to study film at ESCAC.
- Short Film Contest (Closed)
Wayne Griffiths, CEO of CUPRA, along with brand ambassadors Daniel Brühl and J.A. Bayona, were part of the jury that selected the winner of the Short Film Contest, announced at the 2024 Sitges Film Festival.The selected short film projects were Homing by Hansel Rodrigues and Lizzie Atherton, which offers a fresh and original exploration of attitudes toward immigration and the boundaries of political correctness; and Señuelo by Martha García Ayerbe, an original story that delves into issues of masculinity and violence through elements of fantasy cinema. The winning projects will be produced by CUPRA and ESCAC, and will receive mentorship from Bayona.
- Film Studies Contest
The second contest, Film Studies, is aimed at young filmmakers between 17 and 21 years old. The winner will receive a full scholarship to develop their filmmaking talent at ESCAC.
Film Studies Contest
The Film Studies Contest is aimed at aspiring filmmakers between 17 and 21 years old. Participants must submit their projects between October 14 and November 17, 2024, basing their short films on three key words chosen by CUPRA, J.A. Bayona, and ESCAC: «Barcelona,» «Film,» and «Eye.»
The contest winner, who will be announced by ESCAC in January 2025 will receive a 4-year full scholarship to develop their filmmaking talent at ESCAC, along with a monthly allowance to cover basic living expenses throughout the duration of their studies.
The jury, the same as for the «Short Film Contest,» will pre-select 5 projects and then choose the winner, who will be announced by ESCAC in December 2024. The winner of the «Film Studies Contest» will receive a 4-year full scholarship to develop their talent at ESCAC, along with a monthly stipend to cover basic living expenses during the study period.
To participate, filmmakers must create a short film based on the three words selected by CUPRA, J.A. Bayona, and ESCAC: «Barcelona,» «Film,» and «Eye.»
Submission requirements include:
- A short film (maximum 8 minutes)
- A video pitch (maximum 3 minutes)
- Personal documentation as outlined in the official contest rules.
Apply here:
Application form –> ***applications closed***
Terms and conditions:
Short Film Contest (Closed)
The competition, targeting young filmmakers aged 22 to 30, is looking for innovative short film scripts and with an open theme.
Participants
All contest participants must be individuals born between 1994 and 2002.
Prize
The prize of the contest is the production of the short film of the winning project, and entails the corresponding transfer of all exploitation rights of the short film, as established in these rules.
The winning project will be announced during the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival, which will take place between the 3rd and 13th of October, 2024.
Project Requirements
- Contestant projects must be of the fiction genre, excluding documentary or animation genres, and must be presented in Catalan, Spanish, or English. However, the final product of the project may be in any language.
- Each participant may submit a maximum of one proposal per call.
- Participating proposals must be designed so that the duration of the produced short film is, at most, twenty-five (25) minutes. The duration of the short film shoot may not exceed 8 days.
- Participating proposals and scripts must be original and unpublished.
- Participating projects may not be submitted, either individually or jointly, to any type of public or private grants or subsidies by the authors or any other third party.
- Participating projects may not be submitted to other contests, awards, or festivals until the date when the winner of the contest is announced.
- Scripts of the participating projects must be registered, prior to their participation in THE DREAM MAKERS CONTEST – CHALLENGE #1, in the Intellectual Property Registry.
Documentation
The participant must provide the following documentation:
- Synopsis of the short film
- Visual dossier or include a 30-second teaser of the short film
- Treatment (5 pages)
- Script (25 pages)
- Casting Proposal
- Technical Team Proposal
- Project’s Video Pitch (1 minute)
- Director’s Reel or Portfolio
- Proof or receipt of script registration in the Intellectual Property Registry and/or copyright registration platforms.
- Duly completed and signed STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY.
Jury of the competition
- Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Cupra
- J.A. Bayona, Oscar nominated film director
- Daniel Brühl, Oscar nominated and renowned Hollywood actor
- Sergi Casamitjana, ESCAC Director
- Aintza Serra, ESCAC Development Director
- Ángel Sala, Sitges Film Festival Director
The jury will shortlist ten projects and subsequently select one winner from the top five finalists.
Submissions
June 3rd – June 9th 2024 using this form.
For all information about the Short Film Contest and their rules and conditions, click here.
***SUBMISSIONS CLOSED***
The winners of The Dream Makers contest were announced on October 3rd during the festival’s opening. The Dream Makers: Short Film Contest, launched by CUPRA and brand ambassador J.A. Bayona in collaboration with the Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya (ESCAC), aims to support the next generation of creative talents in filmmaking.
The selected short film projects were Homing by Hansel Rodrigues and Lizzie Atherton, which offers a fresh and original exploration of attitudes toward immigration and the boundaries of political correctness, and Señuelo by Martha García Ayerbe, an original story that delves into issues of masculinity and violence through elements of fantasy cinema. The winning projects will be produced by CUPRA and ESCAC, and will receive mentorship from Bayona.
