Festival Rules & Submission Guidelines


We are committed to maintaining a fair, transparent, and professional selection process. Please review the following rules carefully before submitting your work.

Submission to the American International Short Film Festival constitutes agreement to all terms outlined below.

  • All submissions must be 40 minutes or less.

  • All films must have completed within the past three years.

  • Participants must be 18 years or older to compete in the Unproduced Screenplay Competition.

  • Each film must be submitted to at least one award category listed in the Awards section.

    Films may be entered into multiple categories.

  • The official language of the festival is English.

    Films in other languages must include English subtitles.

  • You must own or control all necessary rights to submit your film.

    By submitting, you confirm that you have secured all required permissions, licenses, and releases.

  • Not all submissions will be selected for screening.

    Films chosen for official selection will be notified via email.

    The decision of the selection committee is final.

    Changes to a submitted film will only be accepted if accompanied by a new submission fee.

  • By submitting your film, you grant the festival permission to use excerpts, trailers, still images, posters, and related materials for promotional and marketing purposes.

  • Each participant is solely responsible for the content of their submission.

    The festival is not liable for copyright infringement, trademark disputes, credit disputes, publicity claims, or unauthorized usage issues. Any conflicts must be resolved by the parties involved.

  • We reserve the right to change festival dates or venue under special circumstances.

    Submission fees are non-refundable.