Alameda Shorts Fest is a community-focused short film festival held at Alameda Brewing Co. during SF Beer Week, celebrating local storytelling, creativity, and independent voices from the Bay Area and beyond.

This festival was created to give filmmakers a real audience not just friends and family, and to bring cinema into a space where the community already gathers. We believe short films deserve to be experienced together, in a lively, welcoming environment that encourages conversation, discovery, and connection.

Our curated program will feature two screening blocks of selected short films, projected on the brewery’s main wall with high-quality sound and a 4K projector. Filmmakers and general audiences alike will enjoy a shared experience that blends film culture with craft beer, making Alameda Shorts Fest a unique and accessible alternative to traditional theaters.

We welcome narrative and documentary short films that are bold, personal, creative, and sincere. All genres are encouraged, drama, comedy, experimental, slice-of-life, and everything in between.

Films should be under 10 minutes, original works, and completed within the last three years.

Awards & Prizes

Selected films will be eligible for the following awards, presented live at the event:

Best in Festival

Audience Choice

Best Cinematography

Best Sound Design

Best Directing

Audience Choice will be determined by live voting during the event.

Rules & Terms

By submitting to Alameda Shorts Fest, the submitter acknowledges and agrees to the following rules and terms:

Eligibility

Films must be under 10 minutes in total runtime, including credits.

Films must be narrative or documentary.

All films must have been completed within the last three (3) years.

Films must be original works. The submitter must hold all rights to the film and its contents.

Any copyrighted material (music, images, footage) must be properly licensed or original.

Submission Format

Submissions must be uploaded through FilmFreeway only.

Final exhibition files must be provided in H.264 (.mp4) format.

Each submission must include a brief synopsis.

Films not meeting technical or eligibility requirements may be disqualified.

Submission Fee

The submission fee is $12 per film.

Submission fees are non-refundable.

Each submission is automatically entered into all award categories.

Selection & Screening

Not all submitted films will be selected for screening.

Official selections will be notified via FilmFreeway.

Selected films will be screened in one of two curated program blocks during the festival.

Screening order and placement are at the discretion of the festival organizers.

Awards

Awards will be presented for:

Best in Festival

Audience Choice

Best Cinematography

Best Sound Design

Best Acting

Audience Choice will be determined by live audience voting during the event.

Jury decisions are final.

Filmmaker Shirt

Each selected filmmaker will receive one Alameda Shorts Fest event shirt.

Shirts must be picked up in person at the event unless other arrangements are made.

Additional shirts may be available for purchase.

Permissions & Rights

By submitting, filmmakers grant Alameda Shorts Fest the right to screen the film during the festival event only.

Filmmakers also grant permission for the festival to use stills, titles, trailers, and brief clips (under 30 seconds) for promotional purposes related to the festival.

Ownership of the film remains with the filmmaker at all times.

Liability

Alameda Shorts Fest and Alameda Brewing Co. are not responsible for lost, damaged, or corrupted files.

The festival reserves the right to make final decisions regarding programming, scheduling, and awards.

The festival reserves the right to make changes to the event schedule if necessary.