The South Asia Shorts Competition has found its Top 3. Three incredible and diverse scripts have risen to the top, each bringing a unique voice, perspective, and cinematic vision. Now, it’s up to the audience to decide the winner. Read, vote, and make your choice before voting closes on July 12th.

Kinolime has officially completed its 3rd Script-to-Screen Feature Competition, marking a powerful milestone for a global community built on discovering great stories from anywhere. With Kathryn Zizek’s Due chosen from 2,800 submissions, finalists from three continents, and 45,000 members worldwide, this moment proves that storytelling has no borders and Kinolime is only getting started.

Congratulations to Kathryn Zizek, winner of the 2026 Kinolime Feature Film Competition for her horror mystery thriller Due. Years after a mysterious deal made during a near-fatal overdose, a new mother faces a shapeshifting entity that has returned to claim what it is owed. Thank you to every Kinolimer who read, watched, voted, and helped choose this year’s winning script.

Our first-ever South Asia Shorts Competition has reached its Top 10. Now, the judges begin the difficult task of choosing the three scripts that will move forward. Follow the decisions live on our website and see how your favorite story is holding up in the race to the Top 3.

Mob Mentality, the 2025 Kinolime Competition winner, has officially found its director: William Groebe. Known for his work in animation, visual effects, and storyboarding, William brings a sharp visual eye and impressive experience to this bold comedy about a thirteen-year-old suburban kid convinced he is the reincarnation of John Gotti. With William attached, Mob Mentality takes its next exciting step toward the screen.

South Asia is home to some of the most exciting and fast-growing film festivals in the world, offering filmmakers the chance to connect with passionate audiences, industry professionals, and global opportunities. From Oscar-qualifying festivals in India to bold independent showcases in Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and the Maldives, these festivals celebrate diverse voices, daring storytelling, and the power of cinema across the region.

The Judges have spoken and The Top 3 of the Kinolime Feature Film Competition 2026 are here. Thrilling, action packed, and most importantly, waiting for your vote. Read, vote, discuss, who will be crowned the winner?

The scripts are in, and the next stage is in the community’s hands. After hundreds of submissions from across South Asia and the diaspora, the Top 26 scripts of the 2026 South Asia Shorts Competition have officially been selected. Now it’s time to read, vote, and help decide which stories move into the Top 10. From intimate character dramas to bold original concepts, these shortlisted scripts showcase the incredible range of voices shaping the future of South Asian cinema.

After five weeks of reading, debating, and voting, the community has chosen the Top 10 scripts from this year’s Feature Competition. Now, the judges take over to select the Top 3 by May 17, before the final vote returns to you. From thousands of entries, we’re one step away from crowning the 2026 winner.

A huge congratulations to our Top 26, an incredible achievement in one of our most competitive years yet. With thousands of submissions, the quality across the board was overwhelming. To everyone who didn’t make it this time, your work did not go unnoticed. So many powerful, original stories made this an incredibly difficult selection. Keep writing, you’re closer than you think.

PUSHING DAISY by Eduard Mitra is the winner of the Kinolime Shorts Competition. This darkly funny, heartfelt script captured the community’s imagination. Huge thanks to our incredible runners-up, CHICKEN and BODY OF WATER, for their powerful stories. And thank you to every Kinolimer who voted, this community of writers and film lovers makes it all possible.

From over 2,000 scripts, three unforgettable stories rose to the top: CHICKEN, PUSHING DAISY, and BODY OF WATER. To the seven incredible writers who didn’t make it: thank you for your heart, courage, and craft. Your stories moved us deeply. Now it’s your turn, Kinolimers, read, listen, and vote for the story that stayed with you.

After weeks of passionate voting, debate, and anticipation, the results are in, and what a lineup it is. The 2025 Kinolime Shorts Top 10 shine with originality, emotion, and bold creative vision. From fractured musicians to cloned Hamlets, these scripts prove that short films can be as daring and layered as any feature. Ready to meet the finalists? Find out who made it into the Top 10 below.

Dreaming up a short film is easy; bringing it to life is where the real challenge begins. From juggling locations, budgets, and crews to writing with production in mind, success comes down to strategy. Here’s how to craft a short that not only gets made but leaves an unforgettable mark on audiences.

Tired of contests that charge fees and deliver nothing? Kinolime’s short film competition offers no submission fees, real funding ($7,500 + $500), producer mentorship, and audience voting that actually matters. Keep your rights, make your film, and let your story shine.

After months of voting, debates, and unforgettable table reads, the Kinolime community has crowned a winner: MOB MENTALITY by Eric Landau. This audacious, heartfelt comedy about a kid who thinks he’s John Gotti stole your hearts—and now it’s headed into full production.

Three screenplays. One production deal. And a thousand hopefuls whittled to just three razor-sharp finalists: Eric Landau’s riotous Mob Mentality, the eerie brilliance of Decomposer by Tabitha & Mason McDonald, and Andre Ford’s hauntingly bold Cooperville. Let the voting begin.

From breakout script to bold vision, The Waif is officially on track, and Stephen Fingleton is at the helm. The BAFTA-nominated director joins forces with Kinolime’s first-ever competition winner for a daring, genre-bending debut that proves: the crowd can choose a cinematic knockout.

At Kinolime, your hot takes on movies earn cold, hard perks. Read scripts, rack up Limes, and trade them for film-lover gold—subscriptions, tickets, even a slice of the next blockbuster. It’s Hollywood democracy, and your vote comes with benefits. Lights, camera, reward yourself!

A writer isn’t born through a paycheck, but through a moment—a reader, a kind word, a story bravely shared. From seventh-grade essays to her first feature script, this writer's journey is a testament to the power of being read, seen, and believed in. All it takes is one reader.