Plastic Kills… Again! Horror Short Film Contest

UPDATE: We’ve extended our contest deadline, submissions are now due Monday, September 22, 2025.

Just like your favorite spooky slayer, Plastic Pollution Coalition’s horror short film contest—Plastic Kills!— is back, badder and bigger than before. Announcing Plastic Kills… Again!

Plastic pollution, microplastics, and nanoplastics are invading every corner of Earth. They’re in our blood, our hearts, our lungs, even our brains. And while this may make us less appealing to zombies and vampires—like in last year’s winning film Blastic—the toxic terrors plastics inflict on our bodies, our planet, and all that live here, must be stopped. By working together to highlight these horrors, we can Flip the Script on Plastics and work towards a plastic-free future.

For this sequel, we’ve teamed up with Earth Angel to ask filmmakers to create original horror short films, up to five minutes long, that highlight the terrors of plastic pollution and its toxic effects to our bodies, our children, our pets, and our planet, while also helping to show real solutions to this real-life menace. With the addition of on-set sustainability reports, filmmakers will have the opportunity to show how they can incorporate environmentally conscious filmmaking into their work, both in front of and behind the scenes.

To ensure we get the best frights you have to offer, we’re giving contestants extra time to create the best shorts yet—up to 5 minutes in length—with submissions opening on July 1, 2025. The top 5 winning films will be announced on Halloween 2025, with a grand prize of $3,000.

This contest is presented by Plastic Pollution Coalition, in partnership with Earth Angel, the Mazursky Family Foundation, Ramo Law PC, and the Yarkin Family.

Contest Details

Prizes:

1st place
- $3,000
- Film shared across PPC and Earth Angel socials and website
- PPC plastic-free goodie bag
2nd place
- $1,000
- Film shared across PPC and Earth Angel socials and website
- PPC plastic-free goodie bag
3rd place
- $500
- Film shared across PPC and Earth Angel socials and website
- PPC plastic-free goodie bag
4th and 5th Place
- Film shared across PPC and Earth Angel socials and website
- PPC plastic-free goodie bag

Contest Timeline:

Launch: Oct. 31, 2024
Submissions close: Sept. 22, 2025
Round 1 Judging: Sept. 22–Oct. 3, 2025
Final Judging: Oct. 6–10, 2025
Winners announced: Oct. 31, 2025

Judges:

Amy Aquino – Actor – The Lazarus Effect, Being Human
Ed Begley Jr. – Actor – Strange Darling, Meet the Applegates
Hayden Begley – Actor & Activist
Jack Bender – Producer/Director – From, Child’s Play 3, Lost
Jenny Gomez – Producer
Rick Gomez – Actor – Silo, Sin City, Band of Brothers
Paula Kahumbu – CEO of WildlifeDirect
Kris Le-Roy – Music Licensing Executive at Universal Production Music
Colby Minifie – Actor – Fear the Walking Dead, The Boys
Emellie O’Brien – CEO of Earth Angel
Imani Pullum – Actor – The Orville, Emancipation
Antonique Smith – Actor – Luke Cage, Notorious
Jennifer Tilly – Actor – Bride of Chucky, Chucky
Adam Wademan – Actor, Writer, Director – Winner of Plastic Kills!
Sarah Yarkin – Actor – School Spirits, Happy Death Day 2 U

Rules:

Each submission must include:
- Film title and logline.
- Email and mailing address for communications and prize.
- A completed sustainability report detailing how production worked to eliminate single-use plastics, manage waste and materials, reduce energy and fuel usage, and source sustainable products.
  - Sustainability report scores will account for ¼ of the overall first round score.
  - Sustainability report guide available here.
All submissions must pass The Begley-Cohen Test, meaning:
- (1) No single-use plastics appear on screen (i.e., the film/show is set in a time with no plastic, or plastics are replaced with refillable, reusable, or package-free options), or…
- (2) If a single-use plastic item appears on screen, it is portrayed or discussed as problematic.
Original, scripted material only.
- Documentaries, “unscripted” content, montages, reels, or trailers will not be accepted.
Only one film submission allowed per person.
Films may not exceed 5 minutes in length.
- Any film with footage over 5 minutes in length will be disqualified, this includes credits.
Films must be submitted on or before Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, 11:59pm PT.
- No late submissions will be accepted.
- Film submissions will not be accepted via email or any other means.
Submissions must be .mp4 files no larger than 500MB.
Films may be submitted in any language, however English subtitles are required for any film submitted in another language.
Films depicting nudity, graphic sexual content, or animal violence will be disqualified.
Films must be the original work of the applicants. If a film is based on another person’s life or on a book or other underlying work, applicant(s) must secure any necessary rights to make such adaptations. However, it is not necessary to submit the adaptation rights agreements. By entering the competition, you represent that you have secured all necessary rights.
Applicants are solely responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and permissions for third-party materials included in their films, including but not limited to: music, trademarks, logos, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights. Contest partners expressly disclaim all liability or responsibility for any violations of the foregoing.
For all contest questions and inquiries, please contact: Amelia@plasticpollutioncoalition.org

Resources

Stay Informed

Keep up to date with everything you need to know by signing up for our Plastic Kills… Again! bulletin. Receive regular contest updates, deadline reminders, resources, judges announcements, and more.