And We Have a Winner: PUSHING DAISY Takes the Crown

After weeks of reading, voting, cheering, and passionately debating, the Kinolime Shorts Competition has found its winner: PUSHING DAISY, written by Eduard Mitra. As the very first Shorts Competition Kinolime has ever hosted, and with more than 2,000 submissions from storytellers around the world, this inaugural edition has set the bar incredibly high.

Logline: In a quirky funeral home, Daisy, a seemingly buoyant mortician must navigate an offbeat world of sitcom absurdity and sombre reality as she grapples with her own unresolved trauma after her late husband's mistress ends up on her slab. Read more →

Why It Won Your Hearts: This darkly funny, deeply moving British tale about a mortician who talks to the dead captured the hearts of our community with its bold voice, emotional depth, and beautifully odd charm. Eduard delivered a script that lingers long after the final page, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate his work.

From the first page, PUSHING DAISY does something rare: it makes you laugh out loud while breaking your heart in equal measure. Eduard crafted a script that doesn't just toggle between comedy and drama, it lives in the impossible space where both exist at once. The dual-filter storytelling, shifting between sitcom brightness and raw reality, isn't a gimmick; it's the entire emotional architecture of the piece. Daisy's world, complete with quirky coworkers at Abracadaver Funeral Directors, feels like a classic British sitcom until it doesn't, and that crack in the facade is where the real story lives. This is a script about grief, emotional dissociation, and the masks we wear to survive, told with wit, visual invention, and a beating heart. It's the kind of writing that reminds you why we make films in the first place: to say something true in a way that's never been said before. Eduard delivered a story that's bold, surprising, and achingly human.

Reviews from Kinolimers:

PKCARDINAL – Obvious “Kevin Can F*** Himself” vibes with this script. Like that show, this script does a great job bouncing between the absurd and the cruel. Life is strange, and this script reflects that reality in a big way. Well done.

JEFFKANTOKU – I thought the writing was really solid. Excellent writing chops. I liked the way the story was told, through Sit-Com and Reality Filters. Excellent concept. Witty wordplay, excellent dialogue. I liked how the visuals help tell the story. Like how the Lightbulb flickered when Daisy realized it was her ex’s lover. Lots of really nice touches like that in there!

LUCCA_BOSIO - I’ve always known this would be one of the finalists, based on how many people have been talking about it. And now that I’ve finally read it, I completely get all the hype. I could relate to Daisy in many ways, and I loved the visual storytelling throughout. I’d love to know what inspired you to write this, I’m totally rooting for it to win.

But today isn’t just about one script.

A massive round of applause goes to our incredible runners-up, CHICKEN and BODY OF WATER - two powerful, wildly different stories that pushed boundaries and showcased extraordinary imagination and craft. Your talent lit up this competition, and we’re grateful for every moment you gave us. And because we believe in these stories, each writer is taking home $1,500 for their projects. It’s not the main prize, but we want to support great writing when we see it.

And to every single Kinolimer who cast their vote, shared their thoughts, and championed the stories that moved them: thank you. This competition is powered by a community of writers, filmmakers, and film lovers who show up for each other again and again. We would not be here, and these storytellers would not have this platform, without you.

Please stay tuned for exclusive production updates on our winner, Pushing Daisy, and other winning scripts, as well as future competitions @kinolimefilms.

Here’s to bold ideas, fearless filmmaking, and the storytellers who keep surprising us. Onward to the next chapter.