Dallas International Film Festival Announces Grand Prize Winning Screenplays

The Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF) and competition-partner Event Horizon Films (EHF) have announced the table read sessions for the grand-prize winning screenplays for DIFF 2025:

• Late Bloomers, by Kyle Kennan, will be performed on Friday, Apr. 25, 2025, at 3:00 p.m.
• Unbound, by Renn Tan, will be performed on Saturday, Apr. 26, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.
• How to Start a Cult, by Melinda Scully, will be performed on Monday, Apr. 28, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.
• The Best Days of Richard Davis, Phoebe Angaye, will be performed on Tuesday, Apr. 29, 2025, at 12:00 p.m.

These winning scripts will be performed live by trained actors from the Dallas-based Sherrill Actors Studio during the table read sessions at the 2025 Dallas International Film Festival at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Victory Park, located steps away from American Airlines Center at 2365 Victory Park Lane. Event Horizon Films is the event host, while Michelle Sherrill, owner of Sherrill Actors Studio, will cast and direct the table reads. This will mark the second season that DIFF has collaborated with Event Horizon Films and Sherrill Actors Studio for this special event.

“We received great feedback about the table reads last year,” said James Faust, Artistic Director, Dallas International Film Festival. “It’s an incredible way to experience unproduced work that might one day be produced.”

A case in point is the film, HAPPY AS LARRY, by British director Hugo André, explained Beth Wilbins, DIFF CEO. “Last year, the feature script, ‘Happy As Larry’, was a semifinalist in our screenplay competition. This year, we’re presenting the world premiere of the feature film at DIFF, showing the very real opportunity for the work of these filmmakers to reach the big screen.”

The winning scripts were selected by Emmy-winning, writer-producer Christian McLaughlin and a committee of professional filmmakers, based on strength of characterization, dialogue, theme, concept, and marketability.

Melinda Scully won the Texas category for the feature script, “How to Start a Cult.” Renn Tan won the Feature Script category for the drama, “Unbound.” Kyle Kennan won the Pilot Script category for the comedy, “Late Bloomers.” Phoebe Angaye won the Short Script category for the drama, “The Best Days of Richard Davis.” The winning writers will be awarded trophies, artwork, pitching opportunities, and table reads during the Festival. The table read sessions are open to anyone with a reservation through the DIFF schedule guide, and will conclude with a brief audience Q&A with the winning writer and actors.

The 2025 Dallas International Film Festival is Apr. 25, 2025, through May 1, 2025, at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Victory Park at 2365 Victory Park Lane. For more information on DIFF, visit DIFFdallas.org or contact info@dallasfilm.org. Information can also be found on Facebook and Instagram. For more information about EHF, visit eventhorizonfilms.com. Information can also be found on: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Updated: 04/09/2025

Additional Contest Info: Dallas International Film Festival