Article 1. The MATTADOR Cultural Association organises the 9Th MATTADOR International Screenwriting Award dedicated to Matteo Caenazzo, a young talented artist from Trieste who died 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 recognising young talents who decide to start a professional and artistic career in screenwriting. It is intended as an encouragement to write screenplays able to tell fascinating and moving stories, freely expressed both in terms of lifestyle and artistic attitude. It is in line with Matteo’s keen perception of the world today, which conveys the idea of ironic, synthetic and razor sharp art.

Article 2. The Award is intended for Italian and foreign screenwriters and mainly for young authors aged from 16 to 29 by 15th April 2018.

The Award includes the following sections:

- MATTADOR Award for Best Screenplay (see Terms and Conditions for participants as follow).

- MATTADOR Award for Best Story (see Terms and Conditions for participants as follow).

- CORTO86 Award for Best Short Film Screenplay (see CORTO86 Terms and Conditions for participants).

- DOLLY Award “Screenwriting with pictures” (see DOLLY Terms and Conditions for participants).

Article 3. Each participant can submit a maximum of one work for each section. Only original and unpublished works will be accepted, which means they must have been neither produced, published or awarded a prize before. The subject is free.

Article 4. The screenplay shall be written following the American format (click here). Scenes and pages have to be numbered. The length of the scripts has to be between 80 and 100 pages (character 12), using one of the following formats: .fdr (final draft), .celtx (available for free download) or other equivalent software for screenwriting.
Scripts shall be accompanied by a synopsis of maximum one page. Works must be sent in .pdf format.

The length of the stories has to be between 5 and 10 pages (character 12, line-spacing 1,5). Stories must be accompanied by a synopsis of maximum 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 of the same into Italian.

Article 6. Works must to be sent in digital version only (on a CD using .pdf format) in a sealed anonymous envelope by 15th April 2018 to the following address: PREMIO MATTADOR 2017/2018 - CASELLA POSTALE 1392 – UFFICIO POSTALE TRIESTE 3 - Piazza Verdi 2 - 34121 TRIESTE – ITALY (The postmarked date will be taken as legal recognition).

NO FEE NEEDS TO BE PAID.

The digital version must bear only the title without any reference to the author. A signed application form for acceptance (which can be downloaded from the website www.premiomattador.it) and a copy of the ID card have to be sent in a sealed envelope attached to the work.

WORKS WHICH DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE ABOVE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE DISCARDED.

Article 7. By sending the Screenplay or the Story, the author accepts the present Terms and Conditions for participants. Neither the Organising Committee nor the MATTADOR Cultural Association are liable for any 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 the screenplay submitted in a collection and/or a catalogue. Works submitted to the MATTADOR Award will not be returned.

Article 8. The Competition will award the MATTADOR PRIZES as follows:

- MATTADOR Award for the Best screenplay: 5,000 euro (five thousand euro).

- MATTADOR Award for the Best story: 1,500 euro (one thousand and five hundred euro).
The top finalists of the best stories section will be tutored by a group of professionals who will train them to develop their story. At the end of the tutoring the best developed story will receive 1.500 euros.

Article 9. The Jury, made up of cinema professionals, artistic and cultural operators, has the right not to award a prize and/or to assign one or more special mentions. The artistic judgement of the Jury is unquestionable.

Article 10. The Prize giving Ceremony for the MATTADOR Competition will take place on Tuesday 17th July 2018 in the Sale Apollinee of La Fenice Theatre, Venice.