Academy Award-nominated director John Singleton gave us Boyz n the Hood, Poetic Justice, Higher Learning, and numerous others. Now, several of Singleton’s peers are paying it forward by agreeing to judge a short film contest in honor of the late director, giving an opportunity to emerging Black voices in the process.

The short film competition will be showcased as part of a partnership between the city of Los Angeles and the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) under L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson’s embRACE L.A. initiative.

Among the judges and advisers for the short film script competition are Hustle & Flow producer Stephanie Allain, casting director Robi Reed, and executive producers Paul Hall and Preston Holmes.

According to the PAFF website, submitted screenplays must be 28 pages or less and focus on the Black experience in America.

The deadline to submit live-action short narrative scripts for the competition is September 15. Three winners will be awarded $20,000 each. Submit your project here.

Singleton, the first Black director to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director, passed away on April 28 at the age of 51 from a stroke.

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