Feature Pitching Competition

We’re turning 10 years young this year, and to celebrate this, we’re launching the GRAVEL ROAD FEATURE PITCHING COMPETITION. South African Filmmakers are invited to enter their projects, for the chance to win a prize package which includes: development support, a distribution guarantee and R100,000 in CASH! 

The competition consists of 3 elimination rounds, culminating in an in-person pitch to a panel of industry professionals in Cape Town.

Round 1: Entry - ENTRIES CLOSED

  • Submit a formal pitch deck - Submission deadline 15 April 2022. 

  • 6 shortlisted projects will be announced on 3rd May 2022

  • A formal pitch deck must include: 

    •  Logline

    • Tagline

    • Short Synopsis (not exceeding 2 paragraphs)

    •  Long Synopsis (not exceeding 2 pages)

    •  Genre

    • Comparative Titles

    • Directors Treatment / Visual Mood board

    • Production Company Bio (if submitting as a company)

    • Director and Producer Bios

    • Cast (Wishlist, indicate if committed)

    • Budget Top sheet

    • Finance Plan

    • Distribution Plan (include target audience, hook and audience demographic)

Round 2: Shortlist

  • Shortlisted projects to submit a completed screenplay by 13th May 2022. These will be independently evaluated by international readers.

  • 3 finalists will be invited to participate in the in-person pitch. Finalists to be announced 3rd June 2022.

  • Script notes will be shared with the 3 finalists, who are required to submit revised drafts by 24th June 2022 for the judging panel to read ahead of the finale.

Round 3: Finale 

  • In-person pitches to panel takes place 7th July 2022 in Cape Town.

  • Each project team will participate in a closed 1-hour pitch session, where they will present their project to the judging panel, which will include Q & A with the judges.

  • The winning project will be announced on 11th July 2022.

Competition Rules

1.     All applicants must be over 18 years of age and have a valid South African identity document.

2.     Filmmakers may enter from anywhere in South Africa; however, all pitch documents must be submitted in English.

3.     Judges, sponsors, administrators, and independent contractors who work with Gravel Road Distribution Group are not eligible to enter the competition, nor are their spouses or other immediate family members.

4.     Pitch documents must be the original work of the author(s) and on the date of submission the work must be wholly owned and controlled by the author(s).

Only original scripts are eligible for the competition.

5.     Adaptions of books, plays or any other source material written by another author are not eligible under any circumstances. A script that you have adapted from a book or novel is eligible if you have secured all film and television rights from the author.

6.     Once your pitch document has been entered into the competition, under no circumstances will we accept substitutions of new drafts or corrected pages.

7.     Decisions of the Judges are final and may not be disputed.

8.     All finalists will be required to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements as the in person pitch session will take place in Cape Town.

9.     Gravel Road Distribution Group reserves the right to change these competition rules at any time.

10.  Winners will be obligated to enter a development deal with Gravel Road Distribution Group.

11. Gravel Road Distribution Group will have first right of refusal to produce and distribute the project.