The 2nd edition of the 10-minute play literary contest “Fail Better”

Everyone is invited to participate in the second edition of the 10-minute play literary contest “Fail Better”. The contest opens the second edition of the 10-Minute Plays Festival, founded by Elżbieta Grzyb, PhD from The Centre for Foreign Language Teaching at the University of Warsaw (CNJO UW; the event’s organizer). The festival is co-realised together with a community of UW students and alumni who, in recent years, have gathered around OGUN devoted to the 10-minute play.

 

This year’s theme of both the festival and the contest is failure – its place (or absence) in contemporary culture and language. The theme is inspired by the words of Samuel Beckett: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

 

In a culture shaped by the imperative of efficiency, is there still room for failure? Who has the authority today to define success, and according to which criteria? Can failure be understood outside the framework of a “transitional stage” on the path toward ultimate success? We warmly encourage submissions that engage with these questions, either in Polish or in English.

Entries may be submitted until 28 February 2026 to the following email address: 10mpfestival@gmail.com The detailed competition regulations are available for download at https://szjo.uw.edu.pl/?p=5454&lang=en.

Up-to-date information is published on the Festival’s social media: on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/10mpfestival/ and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567310784516&locale=pl_PL