Austin Film Festival’s Film Competition
About
Austin Film Festival’s Film Competitions honors the finest films from the most visionary, independent filmmakers each year. A program that has seen annual, exponential growth, AFF’s Film Competition recognizes films across all genres which tell the most authentic and innovative stories. A competition focused on creating opportunities for up-and-coming filmmakers, winners of the AFF Film Competition often go on to find contacts/collaborators for next projects or even secure broader distribution for their films.
Your Road To The Oscars®
AFF’s long standing relationship with the Academy has interwoven into numerous aspects of the organization – from Academy members serving as competition judges and jurors, to Academy co-hosted events for AFF alumni in Los Angeles, to generous Academy grant support for AFF’s diversity initiatives, to even Academy members giving programmatic guidance as AFF board members – and AFF is proud to be a part of the select few Film Festivals that make up the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences qualifying festival list.
AFF’s Narrative, Documentary, and Animated Short Jury Winners qualify for consideration for an Academy Award®!
Read more about the most recent Film Competition Alum to win an Oscar® Frank Stiefel and submit today to begin your journey.
The Best Of The Best
In a world with endless options, AFF is constantly recognized as one that should be at the top of your list. In 2025, Moviemaker Magazine once again named AFF one of the 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee! This is AFF’s 11th consecutive year in a row to be included on the list. AFF is also proud to remain one of FilmFreeway’ s Top 100 Festivals.
Deep In The Heart Of Film
AFF is proud to be a pillar of both Austin’s and Texas’ cultural arts scenes. From fellowships with local film organizations focused on helping local storytellers bring their next project to life to programming specifically chosen to highlight the best and brightest talent the state of Texas has to offer, we are always dreaming up new ways to help nurture the state’s film industry and the talented creatives who give it life.
Our Process
At AFF, we not only understand, but treasure, the filmmakers’ ultimate dream – to have their movie, which likely took years of hard work and intense collaboration, shown on the big screen as audiences experience the story in which they outpoured their heart. Each film submitted to our competition is watched multiple times by our recruited, trained, and closely supervised Film Selection Committee. Notes and scores from the Selection Committee are then sent to our elite team of Film Programmers who aid in the final section of our annual film slate. 75% of films slated during the eight full days of AFF are selected directly from the Film Competition and are showcased before AFFs enthusiastic Festival audiences of over 16,000 attendees.
NOTE: No feedback is given on selection decisions. The necessary infrastructure for constructive feedback on all film entries is currently not feasible.
Awards
The Austin Film Competition award both Jury and Audience Awards to each category of film. The Jury Awards will be presented during the Austin Film Festival Awards Luncheon. Awards are based on the overall merit of the entries. Jury members reserve the right not to grant an award. Award winners are announced within one week following the Festival. The Audience Award is based solely on audience voting at the film’s screening(s).
Jury Awards and Prizes
Feature Films
1st Place Winners in the Narrative Feature Category and Documentary Feature Category receive a cash prize of $2,500; reimbursement (up to $500) of one round-trip airfare to Austin to attend Austin to attend the 2026 Austin Film Festival & Conference; reimbursement (up to $500) for stay at an AFF hotel during the Festival; and the AFF Typewriter Award.
1st Place Winners in the Dark Matters Feature Category and Comedy Vanguard Feature Category receive a cash prize of $1,000; reimbursement (up to $500) of one round-trip airfare to Austin to attend Austin to attend the 2026 Austin Film Festival & Conference; reimbursement (up to $500) for stay at an AFF hotel during the Festival; and the AFF Typewriter Award.
Short Films
1st Place Winners in the Narrative Short Category receive a cash prize of $1,000; reimbursement (up to $500) of one round-trip airfare to Austin to attend Austin to attend the 2026 Austin Film Festival & Conference; reimbursement (up to $500) for stay at an AFF hotel during the Festival; and the AFF Typewriter Award.
1st Place Winners in the Narrative Student Short Category, Documentary Short Category, and Animated Short Category receive a cash prize of $500; reimbursement (up to $500) of one round-trip airfare to Austin to attend Austin to attend the 2026 Austin Film Festival & Conference; reimbursement (up to $500) for stay at an AFF hotel during the Festival; and the AFF Typewriter Award.
In addition, the winning films in the Narrative Short, Animated Short, and Documentary Short categories will be eligible for consideration in the Academy Award® Live Action Short Film, Animated Short Film, and Documentary Short Film categories respectively provided the film otherwise complies with Academy rules.
Produced Digital Series
1st Place Winners in the Produced Digital Series Category receive a cash prize of $1000; reimbursement (up to $500) of one round-trip airfare to Austin to attend the 2026 Austin Film Festival & Conference; reimbursement (up to $500) for stay at an AFF hotel during the Festival; and the AFF Typewriter Award.
Audience Award
Directly following each screening, viewers will be given an Audience Award ballot in order to judge each film on its overall quality and courage. Audience Awards will be awarded to Best Marquee Feature, Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Comedy Vanguard Feature, Best Dark Matters Feature, Best Texas Independent Feature, Best Stories From Abroad Feature, Best Heart of Film Feature, Best Narrative Short, Best Narrative Student Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Animated Short, and Best Produced Digital Series. Don’t forget to vote!
Award winners are announced within one week following the Festival. The Audience Award is based solely on audience voting at the film’s screening(s).
“The Austin Film Festival deserves its reputation as one of the best festivals in the country. It is superbly organized; offers thoughtful conferences and films and provides a welcoming place to meet and draw inspiration from other filmmakers and writers. Staff and volunteers were friendly, helpful and supportive. It was a dream come true to be chosen by AFF for our World Premiere of The Stones Are Speaking. Thank you for an all-around amazing experience.”
– Olive Talley (Writer/Director of 2024 Texas Independent Feature Audience Award Winner, The Stones are Speaking)
Awardee Archive
To learn more about previous winners, please visit out Awardee Archive.
Competition Jurors
The Jurors for the 2026 Film Competition
To learn more about previous competition Jurors, visit our Jury Archive.
Jury Advisory Program
The Jury Advisory Program will facilitate opportunities for winners across all nine of AFF’s film competition categories to participate in advisory sessions with a member of the AFF jury.
Eligibility for the Advisory Program are as follows:
- Only Jury winning filmmakers are eligible for this program.
- If writer and director are separate individuals, the writer will be selected to participate in the Program.
2026 Film Competition Deadlines
Feature Films
Early Bird Deadline ($65): 3/27/26
Regular Deadline ($75): 5/20/26
Late Deadline ($85): 6/19/26
Extended Deadline ($95): 7/1/26
Short Films
Early Bird Deadline ($60): 3/27/26
Regular Deadline ($70): 5/20/26
Late Deadline ($80): 6/19/26
Extended Deadline ($90): 7/1/26
All deadlines happen at 11:59 PM Central Daylight Time
Categories
Valhalla Entertainment is the presenting sponsor of the Narrative Feature Film Award category. Representatives from Valhalla will review the top advancing narrative feature films in competition, and the winner will take meetings with Gale Anne Hurd and their President of Production, Phillip Kobylanski.
Entry Requirements:
- Any narrative work of fiction with a running time of 41 minutes or longer.
- Feature films must be at least a Texas Premiere, but US and World Premieres are always preferred.
Entry Requirements:
- Any non-fiction film with a running time of 41 minutes or longer.
- Feature films must be at least a Texas Premiere, but US and World Premieres are always preferred.
- AFF specifically looks for documentaries that tell compelling and well-structured stories.
Entry Requirements
- A narrative work of fiction with a running time of 41 minutes or longer and with a story that is easily identified as belonging to the horror or thriller genre and that embodies dark themes, unconventional subject matter, or suspenseful sensibilities.
- Films must be at least a Texas Premiere, but US and World Premieres are always preferred.
Entry Requirements
- A narrative work of fiction with a running time of 41 minutes or longer that encompass any and all forms of the comedy genre, where the only thing that outweighs the humor is the story.
- Films must be at least a Texas Premiere, but US and World Premieres are always preferred.
Entry Requirements:
- Any narrative work of fiction with a running time of 40 minutes or less including credits.
- Shorts must be at least Austin premieres, although Texas Premieres are preferred.
Entry Requirements:
- Any student narrative work of fiction with a running time of 40 minutes or less.
- The film’s credited writer or director must be a current student or completed the film during the time the filmmaker was a student.
- Student Shorts must be non-animated, narrative works only. Documentary and Animated Shorts should be entered in their respective category.
- Shorts must be at least Austin Premieres, but Texas Premieres are preferred.
- Entrant must provide proof of enrollment in the form of an official transcript or signed letter from faculty on official letterhead. This can be sent to programming@austinfilmfestival.com.
Entry Requirements:
- Any non-fiction work of film with a running time of 40 minutes or less.
- Shorts must be at least Austin premieres, although Texas Premieres are preferred.
- AFF prefers films with compelling and well-structured stories.
Entry Requirements:
- Any animated narrative work of fiction with a running time of 40 minutes or less in which animation figures into no less than 75 percent of the films running time and a significant number of the major characters are animated.
- Open to any form of animation. Animated Shorts must be narrative works only–no experimental pieces.
- Shorts must be at least Austin premieres, although Texas Premieres are preferred.
Entry Requirements:
- Any narrative serial content designed for digital platforms with a total runtime of no more than 30 minutes.
- Submissions may either be a proof-of-concept pilot or the pilot with the subsequent 1-3 episodes of the FIRST season.
- Entrants that advance to the Semifinalist level will be asked to provide a treatment of their vision for the series and how subsequent episodes will unfold.
*Denotes Oscar® qualifying category
Fellowships
As part of our core mission to uplift emerging filmmakers, we are thrilled to continue our partnership with Enderby Entertainment and offer The Enderby Entertainment Filmmaking Fellowship! Any film submitted to Narrative Short and Narrative Student Short competitions are eligible to add this Fellowship. Founded by Daniel Petrie, Jr. (Beverly Hills Cop, The Big Easy) and Rick Dugdale (Wish You Were Here, Fool’s Paradise), Enderby Entertainment will provide career guidance to the winning filmmaker through one-on-one meetings focusing on story development of upcoming projects, advice on career advancement, and be a resource for advice, feedback, and questions about the industry.
- Consideration requires an additional $30 submission fee.
The Writers Conference
Invest in your career! The value for filmmakers at Austin Film Festival doesn’t stop with our competitions.
Austin Film Festival’s Annual Writers Conference is a four-day authentic and uninhibited exploration of the writer’s process. Regarded as the largest, pre-eminent educational and professional development opportunity for screenwriters in the world, the Writers Conference programming is curated to help emerging writers bridge the gap from craft to career. Comprised of more than 150 panels, over 200 leading industry panelists, and more than 20 networking events all in service of screenwriters, TV writers, playwrights, podcasters, video game writers, and storytellers at large, it’s no wonder AFF is known within the industry as “The Writers Festival.”
No velvet ropes, no VIP areas. In the words of Ed Solomon “there is no us and them” at AFF. Join AFF in demystifying the festival experience and instead participating in a one of a kind, world class event.
All entrants receive registration discounts regardless of programming status and we urge you to join us in Austin for this year’s Austin Film Festival! Buy your Badge now!
“It’s a film festival curated and run by hardcore film fans who love the craft and deeply respect writers. It’s like no other place I’ve been. It has a real sense of community to it, and joy. It’s like you’re at a music festival but instead of being surrounded by hipsters you’re surrounded by deeply neurotic writer nerds like yourself. And instead of seeing Jay Z onstage you’re watching Michael Schur talk about a writers room. So that part is basically the same.”
– Dan Abramovici (Director of 2021 Narrative Short Film Winner, Play it Again)
AFF Film Competition Rules
The following rules govern all film submissions to the Austin Film Festival (“AFF” or the “Festival”)
Please Note: Austin Film Festival does not waive entry fees. AFF believes waiving entry fees hurts the integrity of the competition. The same rules and entry fees should apply to all applicants so no one film is favored over another. In a similar respect, AFF does not invite films to be in competition. Only films that are submitted will be considered for competition.
Submit Now!
Ready to submit? Click below:
Still in need of assistance? The AFF Film Department is happy to help! Email at programming@austinfilmfestival.com or call at 512-478-4795.