Spain’s Most Prestigious Film School Opens Short Contest With J.A. Bayona, Daniel Brühl on the Jury

Spain‘s most prestigious film school has launched the second phase of its annual Dream Makers Contest to open doors for a new generation of talent.

The Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya (ESCAC) has confirmed submissions are open for a chance to win a full 4-year scholarship at the school and almost half a million euros to produce the short film.

Applicants are first required to create an original eight-minute film based on three words chosen by J.A. Bayona, ESCAC and Spanish automobile company Cupra: Barcelona, film and eye.

The school was attended by Bayona (Jurassic World, The Orphanage, The Impossible), who will also be one of the committee members judging the collections of original short films.

The jury also includes Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Cupra, Daniel Brühl, Oscar-nominated actor (Rush, Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, Inglourious Basterds), ESCAC headmaster Sergi Casamitjana, ESCAC development director Aintza Serra and Ángel Sala, Sitges Film Festival director.

“We need to empower young students,” Casamitjana told The Hollywood Reporter, explaining that last year over 400 applications were received. “With this competition, they will be able to produce a film with a lot of money. They will have a lot of resources and the material to make a very sophisticated short film.”

The submission period is open from Oct. 14 to Nov. 15, 2024 and the winner will be revealed in January 2025.

ESCAC is highly selective and from 300-400 applications each year will only offer places to 80-90 students. The first phase of the Dream Makers short film contest was won by U.K.-based students Hansel Rodrigues and Lizzie Atherton for their film Homing and Martha García Ayerbe for Señuelo.