My intent with this festival is simple: bring art alive again. This will be an event that emphasizes less on celebrity appearances, red carpets and expensive sponsors. It will be a forum for filmmakers and fans to meet and merge minds. It will be a foundation of fun while showcasing artistic souls and their work. It will be a weekend to honor the czars of independent cinema, and to initiate my platform of helping others to pursue their passions. I am also hoping to be able to raise enough funds to be able to award grants to those who wish to embark on their dream of one day donning the director hat.

My festival will have 2-3 industry panels a day, as well as live music each evening. One celebrity event each night of the festival, as well as two blocks of shorts each day along with feature films. I am hoping to show 100-120 films for the entire duration of the festival.

Awards & Prizes

Best Director
Best Short Film
Best Feature Film
Best Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Actor - Female
Best Actor - Male

Rules & Terms

Film submissions must not have any distribution deals, be available online, or be available for purchase.

Films of a taboo nature (incest, porn, highly sexual or abuse of animals or children) are not accepted.

We do not accept rough cuts or work in progress.

All international films submitted must have English subtitles.

You may submit to AIA FF while having submitted to other festivals.

We accept films in the following categories: Romance, Sci Fi, Horror, Animated, Youth, Comedy, Documentary, International, and LGBT. Films 5-55 minutes in length are considered shorts; 60 minutes and longer are features. From this point on, no films will be accepted that have a run time longer than 90 minutes.

All filmmakers must secure any and all necessary licenses or permits associated with showing said film.

Youths wishing to submit films must fall within the age bracket of 10-17. All content must be created and filmed solely by said filmmaker.

As to screenplay submissions, all must be original content and in the English language. Shorts are from 1 to 35 pages; features are 40 to 100 pages in length. Files must be submitted in PDF format only. Any screenplay having won an award or other competition is disqualified from entering the AIA FF.

All submissions are to be done directly through FilmFreeway or via direct submission to the festival. If your film is selected, we will contact you about press kits and screeners.

No refunds are to be given on entry fees.