DUANJU FESTIVAL
Duanju Festival is dedicated to the new audiovisual format Micro-Drama (Duanju): ultra-short vertical series designed for smartphones, made up of episodes lasting 45 seconds to 4 minutes. Free and open to all, it is aimed at writers, screenwriters, directors, producers, actors and creators looking to seize the opportunity of this fast-growing format, which is already transforming how series are watched across Asia and the rest of the world.
This first edition focuses on the screenplay competition, open to series concepts still in development. A jury made up of film and television professionals will establish the official selection and then the final rankings.
The registration deadline is set for November 15, 2026. The official selection will be announced on December 1, 2026, and the winners will be revealed at the closing ceremony on December 21, 2026.
The competition is ongoing: a new edition will take place every year, and screenplays can be submitted at any time. The jury, however, only reviews the entries during a specific period of each edition. For this first edition, entries received before November 15, 2026 are reviewed by the jury before the official selection is announced on December 1. Those received afterwards will be considered in the next edition.
Screenplay competition
Free competition open to all writers, screenwriters and creators interested in the Duanju format. Candidates are invited to submit an original concept including a title, a pitch, the main characters and the first two dialogued episodes. Entries must demonstrate a strong command of Duanju storytelling: fast pace, strong characters, suspense, cliffhangers and dramatic efficiency. Thematic, anthology or non-serialised projects will not be considered.
Putting together your entry
The application includes a presentation document (2 pages maximum, excluding the script) covering:
- Concept / Pitch: the overall concept and what makes it original.
- Genre, audience and promise: romance, comedy, thriller, fantasy… and the intended audience.
- Characters: the main protagonists and their relationships.
- Goals and stakes: the dramatic conflict and each character's objectives.
- Structure / Narrative arc: the outline of the season (number of episodes up to you).
- First two dialogued episodes: to assess style, pace and command of Duanju storytelling.
Entrants are advised to register their concepts with SACD, INPI or another relevant body before submitting.
Submit your entry
Upload your files (PDF format only, 15 MB maximum each). One series at a time: for another series, submit the form again. Your series is added automatically to the list of participants.
Authors and series
See the list of authors and series entered in the competition, year by year. Entries are added automatically. See the list.
The prize
The competition will select a single winner, who will be featured on Duanju News, the leading media outlet for format news, listed on duanju.events and credited at a ceremony. The winner will also receive an all-expenses-paid invitation to a festival organised by Patrick Jorge in 2027, offering several days to meet industry professionals.
The jury
The screenplay competition is judged by a jury of figures from film and television. Its members include the producer Jean-François Fonlupt.
Jean-François Fonlupt
Film producer Jean-François Fonlupt headed the production company Ciby 2000, created by the Bouygues group, from 1990 to 1998. Under his leadership, Ciby 2000 produced or co-produced four Palme d'or winners at the Cannes Film Festival: Jane Campion's The Piano (1993), Emir Kusturica's Underground (1995), Mike Leigh's Secrets & Lies (1996) and Abbas Kiarostami's Taste of Cherry (1997).
His experience is international. He has supported filmmakers such as Pedro Almodóvar (High Heels), David Lynch (Lost Highway), Bernardo Bertolucci (Little Buddha), Robert Altman (Kansas City), Wim Wenders (The End of Violence) and Bertrand Tavernier (D'Artagnan's Daughter), and worked with performers including Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Keanu Reeves, Sophie Marceau, Victoria Abril, Javier Bardem, Sharon Stone, Edward Norton and Naomi Watts.
He also knows the format first-hand: he attended and hosted the first two French screenings in the duanju format, organised by the Studio Phocéen association in Montmartre in 2024 and 2025.
He has always taken particular care in choosing his screenplays: a valuable eye for a competition devoted to writing.
MEET THE JURY
Meet Jean-François Fonlupt
His career as a producer, from Ciby 2000 to the Palmes d'or, told on camera.
Frequently asked questions
Can I submit a screenplay at any time?
Yes. The competition is ongoing and a new edition takes place every year. Screenplays can be submitted at any time, but the jury only reviews them during a specific period of each edition. This year, it reviews the entries received before November 15, 2026.
Which languages are accepted?
All languages are accepted. A French version is preferred: if your file is a translation, please say so.
How many episodes should the series have?
The number of episodes is up to you.
Is the competition open to applicants outside France?
Yes, wherever you live.
What happens to the rights to the projects?
Projects remain the property of their authors. Taking part implies no exclusivity, no option and no transfer of rights. The competition offers visibility and introductions to partner platforms and various professionals. If a platform is interested in a project, the terms are settled directly between the platform and the author.
Organisers & partners
Duanju Festival is organised through the partnership of several complementary organisations.
Sanjorge Production
A production company specialising in Duanju series and digital content, founded by Guillaume Sanjorge. Its productions are among the first French series distributed on Chinese platforms.
Studio Phocéen association
It publishes Duanju News, dedicated to international Duanju industry news, where writers can be featured.
Festival Télé Ciné
It has been organising film, television and theatre festivals and events for more than twenty years. It also created the “Les Héros du Duanju” competition.
Patrick Jorge
Creator of the Fête du Court (later taken over by the CNC) and the Top des Courts, he supports the festival's development. Winners may be invited to festivals organised by Festival Télé Ciné and given opportunities to connect with industry professionals and actors.
Lunacom agency
Partner agency of the competition, taking part with its talents without any special advantage. It is named in support of an approach that aims to raise the quality of the format and to let French artists, screenwriters and authors leave their own mark on it.
Partner apps
The partner apps may take an interest in the work of writers committed to the format, with a view to offering them a collaboration.
Duanju
Vertical series and videos in three categories: Fiction, Nostalgia and Sport. Available on Google Play and the App Store.
Sweetz
The French microdrama app by Nation and Kovalee: short vertical series, including original and French-language productions.