The Virginia Screenwriting Competition was created by the Virginia Film Office to celebrate the accomplishments of Virginia writers, as well as to promote the future of film-making in Virginia.  It provides screenwriters with a forum for their work and an opportunity to present their scripts to decision makers in the film industry.

The winners and their screenplays are Marlene Free for Mad House, (pilot episode), Bruce McClelland for Balkan Ghost (feature screenplay), and Justina Mitchell for Great Aunt Virginia’s Gifts (feature screenplay).

The competition is one of the few in the nation requiring no entrance fee. Well-known past winners include Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul –creator Vince Gilligan, who won in 1989 for his screenplay Home Fries and went on to produce the shows with frequent competition judge Mark Johnson; and 2003 winner Megan Holley, who won for her screenplay Sunshine Cleaning.