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Last month, USA Today’s panel of industry experts selected Pittsburgh Shorts and Script Competition one of 2024’s Top 20 Best Film Festivals nationwide. Then, readers voted for their top picks to determine the winners and their rankings.

“This is a top-notch festival in a beautiful city,” said filmmaker Erin Doyle Cooper, whose short film The Invaders screened at Pittsburgh Shorts 2023. “I’ve played several Oscar Qualifiers this year, and Pittsburgh blows many of them out of the water from the perspective of the filmmaker experience.”

“I’ve been to the ‘big’ festivals. Pittsburgh Shorts not only rivals what they have to offer, but the organizers really know how to create an event that upholds the art of cinema and storytelling,” said another Shorts filmmaker in attendance for Pittsburgh Shorts 2023. “I now know what other festivals are lacking.”

Pittsburgh Shorts isn't the only Pittsburgh attraction capturing the attention of USA Today readers and voters across the nation. Last month, the Heinz History Center was voted America's No. 1 history museum by USA Today.

USA Today readers also determined that the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh is still the No. 2 children’s museum in the country for the fifth consecutive year.

Film Pittsburgh is proud to contribute to a growing list of the region's arts and cultural offerings gaining recognition on a national scale and establishing Pittsburgh as a destination city.

Pittsburgh Shorts and Script Competition is one of Film Pittsburgh’s four film festivals. Every year, Pittsburgh Shorts presents the best contemporary short films from around the world and around the corner. The festival provides a unique platform for short filmmakers to showcase their work, win prizes, and engage with the local film scene. Pittsburgh Shorts is one-of-a-kind in the region, screening more than 100 films from diverse filmmakers, including those that go on to win Oscars.

Pittsburgh Shorts also celebrates the art of screenwriting. Currently in its 6th year with Oscar-winning writer Tom Schulman as Juror, Pittsburgh Shorts hosts an annual Script Competition. The four finalist scripts are presented in staged readings by professional local actors, and the writers receive a total of $1,000 in prizes.

Additionally, Pittsburgh Shorts boasts a Filmmaker Conference, comprised of three days of sessions designed to inspire, inform, and energize attendees with all levels of filmmaking experience. Some notable presenters for the most recent conference were Justine Bateman (Family Ties) and Steve Stark (The Handmaid’s Tale).

Photo credit: Porter Loves