The Contest
CUPRA, J.A. Bayona and ESCAC join forces in search of the next generation of great storytellers
“The Dream Makers” initiative showcases two competitions to find and boost young creative talent in cinema, providing substantial funding to produce a short film and a full scholarship for film studies at ESCAC.
1. Short film contest
- Wayne Griffiths, CEO of CUPRA and brand ambassadors Daniel Brühl and J.A. Bayona will be part of the jury that selects the Short Film Contest winner, with the announcement set to take place at the 2024 Sitges Film Festival running from October 3rd to 13th.
2. Film studies contest
In July, CASA SEAT will host an event to explain all the details of the second competition, the Film Studies, adressed to young filmmakers between 17 and 21 years old. The winner will receive a full scholarship to develop his/her cinematographic talent at ESCAC.
More details soon.
Film Studies Contest
The next stage of The Dream Makers: The Film Studies Contest
The Film Studies Contest is aimed at future filmmakers aged between 17 and 21. Participants must submit their projects from October 14th to November 15th, 2024, and base their short films on three keywords chosen by CUPRA, J.A. Bayona, and ESCAC: “Barcelona”, “Cine”, and “Ojo”.
The winner of the contest, which will be announced by ESCAC in December 2024, will receive a full 4-year scholarship to develop their cinematographic talent at the ESCAC, along with a monthly grant covering basic living expenses throughout the duration of the studies.
The jury – the same as for the “Short Film Contest”- will pre-select 5 projects and, later, select the winner, which will be announced by ESCAC in December 2024. The winner of the “Film Studies Contest” will receive a full scholarship of 4 years to develop his talent at ESCAC, together with a monthly scholarship that will cover the basic expenses of maintenance throughout the duration of the studies.
To participate, filmmakers must create a short film based on three words selected by CUPRA, J.A. Bayona and ESCAC: “Barcelona”, “Cine”, and “Ojo”.
The presentation requirements include:
- a short film (maximum 8 minutes)
- a video pitch (maximum 3 minutes)
- personal documentation as stipulated in the legal bases
Inquiries: thedreammakerscontest@escac.es
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 3 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 promote the next generation of creative talent in cinema.
The selected short film projects were Homing by Hansel Rodrigues and Lizzie Atherton, which explores attitudes toward immigration and the boundaries of political correctness in an original and fresh way; and Señuelo by Martha García Ayerbe, a story that delves into themes of masculinity and violence through elements of fantasy cinema. The winning projects will be produced by CUPRA and ESCAC, with mentorship from Bayona