GENRE: Dramedy
The films entered into the challenge must be in the genre of Dramedy.
Some examples of Dramedy movies: Up in the Air, The Big Sick, Silver Linings Playbook, Lost in Translation, The Truman Show, Forrest Gump, Sideways, Little Miss Sunshine. 50/50, Home Alone, Stranger than Fiction The Devil Wears Prada, As Good As It Gets, Juno, From The Hip, Almost Famous, The Royal Tenenbaums, Broadcast News, Defending Your Life, Big short, Arthur, The Breakfast Club, Lucas, Crazy Stupid Love, Station Agent, Scent of a Woman, The Wayback, Garden State, Jerry Maguire, Groundhog’s Day
Special note: Each film must have someone with a disability in front of or behind the camera. For teams utilizing SAG-AFTRA talent all entrant representatives must follow the SAG-AFTRA filming requirements and safety protocols, which are available on SAG-AFTRA’s website and inside our rules http://disabilityfilmchallenge.com/challenge/the-rules
THEME:
Dramedy movies—blending drama and comedy—often explore themes of
redemption, dysfunctional family dynamics, grief, finding purpose, and the search for identity, typically utilizing motifs like nostalgic music, specific colors, or recurring conversational phrases to highlight character growth. These films balance heavy emotional stakes with humorous scenarios to create relatable narratives.
SETTINGS:
Your film does not have to take place exclusively within the locations below, but the main action of the film must take place in at least one of these settings:
- apartment/house
- recreational area, such as a park
- backyard
- garage/parking lot
- cafe
- storefront
- hallway
STORY ELEMENTS/REQUIRED PROPS:
Filmmakers must incorporate at least two of these items in their films: (Make sure not to show any brands or logos!)
- Flowers
- Popcorn
- Balloon
- Comb/hairbrush
- Coffee cup
- Ring
- Scarf
- Calendar
***Reminder: Do not show any brands or logos!***
DURATION: All films must be between 1-5 minutes in length, not including the credits. If the addition of the credits puts the film over 5 minutes, that is acceptable, however films cannot exceed 6 minutes.
Submission Deadline: All entries must be uploaded as downloadable Vimeo files and linked to FilmFreeway, or uploaded to FilmFreeway directly (make sure you change the settings to downloadable!) by 9 p.m. EST / 6 p.m. PST on Sunday, March 29, 2026. Finalists will be announced on May 3rd. Winners will be announced on Thursday, May 7th, 2026 at Sony Pictures Studios.
