Asian Film Festival, Los Angeles Hollywood

Rules & Terms

Welcome submitting to the Asian Film Festival 2023
The call entry date will be open on Jan 8th, 2023.

The Golden Diamond Awards of Asian Film Festival organized by the Asian Film Festival Committee, It will also look back at the best Asian films and global films, outstanding producers, directors, actors and actresses, screenwriters, etc.

What are the submission categories and how do I choose the right tone for my film?

Asian Film Festal selects several films to screen at the festival from various categories. Not all categories will be selected and/or screened.

Narrative Feature Films:

Any narrative work of fiction of Asian, Asian American or Asian International with a running time of 45 minutes or more that are shot in narrative feature film style.

In order to encourage and support the development of Asian film industry, to qualify as an Asian, Asian American feature film, the even that have previously screened at up to other festivals anywhere in the world are eligible for our out-of-competition programs. Narrative Feature Films that have been or will be exhibited publicly at one or more non-festival screenings, broadcast or streamed on television or the Internet, or released via any home video or other public distribution platform (Blu-ray, DVD, video on demand, YouTube etc.) submitted project are eligible for our program.

Documentary Films:

Any non-fiction film of Asian, Asian American with a running time of 45 minutes or more, not including entirely scripted or improvised fictionalizations of actual events. If your documentary contains some dramatization of actual events, you may submit in this category, but we will ultimately decide which program is best suited for your project. Films that have previously screened at other festivals anywhere in the world and that have been or will be exhibited publicly at one or more non-festival screenings, broadcast or streamed on television or the Internet, or released via any home video or other public distribution platform (Blue-ray, DVD, video on demand, etc.) are eligible for our programs.

Short Films:
Any narrative fiction or documentary film of Asian, Asian American with a running time of less than 45 minutes, including credits. Short Films have no premiere requirements or prior screening restrictions to retain eligibility. Short Films may have been screened at any number of public theatrical exhibitions in the world, broadcast or streamed on television or the Internet, or released via any home video or other public distribution platform.

How old can my film be and still qualify for submission?

Any film submitted for Asian Film Festival consideration must have been completed before our festival. If your film was completed prior to 2022, it is eligible for submission. If your film’s production took place prior to 2021 or in 2022, your film is eligible.

What submission formats do you accept?

All films could submitted via FilmFreeway, Vimeo link, or Dropbox entered on the submission application, or mailed to us on a single physical disc (DVD). We cannot accept links via e-mail, and we are unable to accept digital download or streaming links other than Vimeo at this time.

In addition to Physical discs may be submitted to Asian Film Festival Los Angeles in format: mp4 or mov. Please refrain from submitting multiple films on a single disc. If you do so, we will view your film on the disc. You could include menus, trailers, production stills, photos and trailers on your disc.

If my film includes non-English dialogue, do you require English subtitles?

All films that contain significant non-English dialogue MUST include on-screen English subtitles at the time of submission. A translated list of dialogue on paper will not suffice. If your film is mostly in English and you wish to intentionally leave out subtitles for any non-English dialogue included in the film as an artistic choice, you do not need to provide subtitles for those particular sections. If submitting a physical disc or via a Vimeo link , we would prefer that all subtitles are hard coded to your video file as opposed to including discreet subtitles that need to be turned on in order to be viewed.

Where do I send my submission?

If you choose to submit a physical disc to us instead of a secure online screener or via a Vimeo link, it should be mailed to us at the address below. Please be sure to write a UPS or FedEx tracking number on the front label of your envelope. This will help ensure that your submission is processed as quickly as possible.

Mail Address:
Asian Film Festival
530 S. Lake Ave., Unit 368
Pasadena, CA 91101
Email: usa@asianfilmfestival.us

* Please send us the tracking number:
(Write you’re tracking number please)

Please do not send us a physical disc if you have already provided a FilmFreeway or Vimeo link systems. If you are not satisfied with any aspect of your digital upload and would prefer to send a disc instead, please contact Asian Film Festival Los Angeles that we can modify your previously selected submission format.

Am I required to obtain rights clearance for music or other copyrighted material included in my film?

From a legal standpoint, you must clear all copyrighted materials included in your film before you can publicly screen it. However, Asian Film Festival does not check to ensure that you have obtained clearance for these materials at any point during the application process, nor will we be held responsible for any inclusion of unlearned materials in your film. It is the sole responsibility of the entity submitting the project to secure permission from the copyright holders of the material in question, whether it is music, stock footage, or any other elements that could violate an existing copyright. Films that are accepted into the Asian Film Festival must sign a waiver stating that materials used in the film do not violate any existing copyright. Quite often, rights holders offer reduced rates for independent films, so you should contact them directly to avoid any potential rights infringements.

What should I include with my submission?

After you have completed an online application, you could send to Asian Film Festival a single copy of your film, your printed press or promotional materials to us also. Quite often, films sent to us in standard size retail DVD or Blu-ray cases will become dislodged during shipping, resulting in scratched, unplayable discs, so we recommend mailing your film in a paper sleeve or slim jewel/clam shell case. Please refrain from taping your disc to any surface, as tape residue may also render your disc unplayable. Our preferred method of packaging is a medium (approximately 6” x 9”), bubble padded envelope. It is not necessary to wrap your disc in bubble wrap and mail it to us in an oversized box. Doing so will only make it more difficult for us to process your film once it is received.

Please do not use a paper label on your disc! There are many different variables with stickers and paper labels that could render your disc unplayable– a permanent marker (such as a Sharpie) will work just fine. Discs with text or graphics printed directly on the surface are also acceptable.

What happens if you are unable to get my film to play?

Asian Film Festival will make every effort to view your disc or online screener, but in the event that we are unable to watch your film, we will attempt to contact you to request another copy using the primary contact information that you provided on your application. However, there is no guarantee that we will get your replacement disc in time, and we must give preference to those who sent in a working copy to begin with. For this reason, we ask that you make absolutely sure that your disc or online screener plays all the way through before you send it to us! If your disc arrives broken, we will also make every attempt to contact you for a replacement. Through before you send it to us! If your disc arrives broken, we will also make every attempt to contact you for a replacement.

Will you notify me if you do not receive my film?

Due to the volume of submissions we receive we are unable to contact each applicant individually if we do not receive his or her film. It is your responsibility to ensure that your package arrives at our office before the deadline you have selected. Once your film has been marked as received in UPS or FedEx, you will be able to see that it has been marked as such. Please allow up to process your submission once it has been mailed. If your film has still not been marked as received within this period of time, contact us at for further instructions.

When the submission deadlines and what are are the fees?

The following deadlines are the dates by which we must receive your film. They are NOT postmark deadlines. We must receive your digital upload or physical disc by the deadline date for which your film has been registered.

All applicants must agree voluntarily and without reservation to the decision of the Asia Film Festival to have a final evaluation without any objection. When you submit your film to the Asian Film Festival, We automatically assume that you have agreed to our rules.

All submissions are handled identically, regardless of which deadline you choose. Late deadline submissions are processed and screened in exactly the same manner as early and official deadline submissions are– the only difference is the submission fee. We encourage you to submit your film as early as possible to take advantage of lower submission fees.

* The application fee is not refundable.