CTAA × IBERIFF - Est. 2026

TEN minutes on stage

International Competition - Stage & Screen - Open Submissions

Write it. Ten minutes. One location. Three actors. The rest is craft. An international competition for playwrights and screenwriters - performed live and on screen.

Submit Your Work Apply as Actor How It Works

The Creative Brief

Three rules.
Infinite stories.

Year one of TEN is deliberately constrained. These aren't limitations - they're the canvas. The best writing doesn't need more. It needs precision.

Universal Rules - Both Tracks

10
Minutes Maximum
Stage time or screen runtime. Not a second over. Pacing is part of the craft.
1
Location Only
Your entire world exists in one place. Make it count. Scene changes are not permitted.
3
Actors Maximum
Three characters. Three voices. Everything your story needs must live within them.
EN
English Only
All submissions must be written in English. International judging panel.

Two Ways to Compete

Choose your track.

Track 01

Stage Play Live Performance

Write a 10-minute stage play. If selected, CTAA casts professional actors and performs your work live on IBERIFF festival stages across three countries. You write - we bring it to life.

The Stage Track runs as a rolling programme throughout the year. Selected plays are performed at multiple events, giving your work a real audience, multiple times.

  • 01 Create a project on MriiaFilms, add your 10-minute stage play script, and submit
  • 02 CTAA selects works suitable for live performance
  • 03 Professional actors are cast. Rehearsals begin. You are credited as playwright.
  • 04 Your play is performed live at IBERIFF festival events across three countries
  • 05 Audience votes. Top-voted plays receive the prize.

Track 02

Short Film Screen Competition

Submit a 10-minute screenplay. If selected, your script is assigned to a professional filmmaker crew who applies separately to produce it. You write. They shoot. Both compete.

Selected films screen at a CTAA festival in 2027. The audience votes. Writers and crews share the prize and the credit. Screen Track launches 2027.

  • 01 Create a project on MriiaFilms, add your 10-minute screenplay, and submit
  • 02 Selected scripts are matched with an approved filmmaker crew
  • 03 Crew produces the film - managed through MriiaFilms production tools
  • 04 Finished films screen at a CTAA film event
  • 05 Audience votes. Winning writer and crew share the prize.

For Filmmaker Crews - Screen Track

Apply as a crew.
Tell your story.

Filmmaker crews apply separately from writers. You don't submit a script - you submit your crew. If selected, we match you with a screenplay. The constraint is the same as the writers: one location, three actors, ten minutes. What you make of it is yours.

Crew Application Requirements

Form your crew
Assemble your team - director, cinematographer, sound, editor minimum. Each member creates a MriiaFilms profile. The crew leader applies on behalf of the group.
Show your work
Include a showreel or previous short film. We're looking for crews who can work within constraint and deliver with character.
State your intent
Write a short statement - who you are as a crew, what draws you to this competition, and how you approach material that isn't your own.
Confirm availability
Screen Track launches 2027. Pre-production runs mid 2027. Screening at a CTAA film event. Confirm your crew can commit.

Powered By

Every submission, every production, every collaboration in TEN is managed through MriiaFilms - a professional film production platform built for independent filmmakers.

Writers submit through MriiaFilms. Crews manage their entire production on it - script, scene breakdown, crew coordination, and delivery. Selected participants receive a free Pro account for the full duration of the competition.

Script Management Industry-standard script editor with scene breakdown, revision tracking, and colour-coded markup.
Crew Profiles Build your professional profile - showreel, credits, role. Apply to the competition directly from your profile.
Production Workspace Once matched, your crew gets a shared production space - script, schedule, contacts, and delivery tools in one place.
Free Pro Account All selected participants - writers and crews - receive a free MriiaFilms Pro account for the full competition period.

In Partnership With

IBERIFF
CTAA
MriiaFilms

Key Dates - 2026

The timeline.

Now
Submissions Open
Stage play submissions are open year-round through MriiaFilms. Submit your 10-minute play anytime.
Ongoing
Selection
Stage plays reviewed and selected on a rolling basis. Selected writers are notified and casting begins.
Sep
2026
Stage Track Launches
First live performances at IBERIFF festival events. Rolling programme continues throughout the year across three countries.
2027
Screen Track Opens
Filmmaker crew applications open. Scripts assigned. Productions begin. Screen Track runs alongside the Stage Track from 2027.
2027
CTAA Film Event & Prize
Completed short films screen at a CTAA film event. Audience votes. Winners announced. Prize awarded to writer and crew.

Questions

What you need
to know.

Who can submit?
The competition is open internationally - any writer, anywhere in the world, at any stage of their career. You do not need to be a student. All submissions must be in English.
Can I submit to both tracks?
Yes. You may submit one stage play and one screenplay. They must be separate works - not the same piece adapted for both tracks.
I'm a filmmaker. Can I also submit a script?
Yes - but you must apply separately for each. Crew applications and script submissions are independent processes. If your script is selected, it will be assigned to a different crew.
What format should my script be in?
Standard screenplay or stage play format, submitted as a PDF. Use industry-standard fonts and margins. MriiaFilms includes a script editor if you need one.
Do I retain the rights to my work?
Yes. You retain full rights to your script. By submitting you grant CTAA and participating crews a non-exclusive licence to produce and screen the work within the competition only.
What is the prize?
The prize fund is determined by sponsorship. The full prize amount will be announced ahead of each performance season. Winners are selected by audience vote at the screening events.
Is there an entry fee?
Stage play submissions are currently free. An entry fee will be introduced for the Screen Track when it launches in 2027.

Ten minutes.
Your story.

Submissions open now. Create your MriiaFilms account, start a project, add your script, and join the first international TEN competition.

Submit Your Script Apply as Crew Apply as Actor

Submissions close 30 June 2026