Born to Fail, X9, and The Last Blessing all move forward in the prestigious screenwriting competition
CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, September 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Writer and multidisciplinary artist Sarantos is marking a significant screenwriting achievement after three of his projects were selected as Quarterfinalists in the 2026 Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest.
The projects that advanced are:
BORN TO FAIL — Feature / Drama
X9 — Feature / Thriller-Horror
THE LAST BLESSING — Television / Half-Hour Pilot
Final Draft has officially listed all three works among its 2026 Big Break Quarterfinalists. Born to Fail is included in the Feature Drama category, X9 in Feature Thriller/Horror, and The Last Blessing in the Television Half-Hour Pilot category.
This triple recognition carries special weight for Sarantos, whose writing spans multiple genres while consistently centering on emotionally driven characters grappling with identity, loss, morality, connection, and the consequences of their decisions.
“As a writer, you hope that something you create connects with the person reading it. To have three completely different projects move forward in the same year is incredibly meaningful to me. Each one came from a different emotional place, and each required me to take a different kind of creative risk. I’m grateful to Final Draft and the Big Break readers for giving these stories the opportunity to continue their journey.”
Three Projects. Three Different Worlds.
BORN TO FAIL is an intimate character-driven drama that follows a disheartened filmmaker whose unexpected creative breakthrough forces him to reevaluate what failure, success, and artistic purpose truly signify. The narrative examines the dread of failing, vulnerability, human bonds, and the bravery needed simply to keep showing up.
X9 is a near-future science-fiction thriller centered on Andrea Santiago, a brilliant scientist who uncovers a suppressed cure for a devastating memory-erasing virus. Framed and pursued by the pharmaceutical empire covering up the secret, she races to reveal the truth even as her own recollections begin to vanish. The screenplay delves into memory, identity, institutional power, medical ethics, and the price of honesty.
THE LAST BLESSING, competing as a half-hour television pilot, completes the trio and illustrates the range of Sarantos work across both feature and episodic storytelling. Final Draft's official Quarterfinalist listing names the project alongside Speron's two feature screenplays.
One Writer, Three Distinct Placements
Advancing projects across multiple formats and genres highlights Sarantos dedication to developing a varied body of screen work instead of staying within a single storytelling lane.
From the deeply personal creative struggle at the core of Born to Fail, to the high-stakes speculative world of X9, to the episodic story of The Last Blessing, the three selections represent different facets of the same creative philosophy: genre is important, but emotion comes first.
“I never want to tell the same story twice. What connects my work is the human being at the center of it. Whether the world is intimate and realistic or built around a massive speculative idea, I want the audience to care about the person who has to make the impossible choice.”
Final Draft informed Sarantos that all three projects are advancing to the next round of consideration. The 2026 Big Break Semifinalists are scheduled to be announced September 25.
For now, the three Quarterfinalist honors represent another notable step in Sarantos expanding creative portfolio and reinforce a simple idea that runs through much of his work:
Keep creating. Keep risking. Keep showing up.
ABOUT SARANTOS
Sarantos is a writer and multidisciplinary artist whose screenwriting spans drama, science fiction, thrillers, comedy, romance, historical storytelling, and television. His work combines accessible genre concepts with character-driven stories centered on identity, vulnerability, morality, resilience, and human connection.
His growing screenplay portfolio includes projects such as Born to Fail, X9, The Last Blessing, The Algorithm of God, He’s Easy To Like, The Heart Remembers, 400 Years of Shadows, and 10 Reasons Why I’m a Bad Idea.
ABOUT THE FINAL DRAFT BIG BREAK SCREENWRITING CONTEST
The Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest recognizes emerging screenwriting talent across feature, television, and short-form categories. Final Draft has published its official list of 2026 Quarterfinalists, including all three of Speron’s advancing projects.
Sarantos Melogia
Sarantos Melogia LLC
info@melogia.com
