We discover and celebrate independent films and artists globally!

The Asian Independent Film Festival (AIFF) is an international platform dedicated to discovering and celebrating outstanding independent films and filmmakers from around the world.

AIFF is a monthly live screening festival with a prestigious annual red carpet event held in India. Every season, exceptional projects are recognized across a wide range of categories, with the top award-winning films automatically qualifying for the annual competition.

At the annual event, the Best of the Best are screened before a live audience and compete for the festival's highest honors.

Every submission is carefully evaluated by a jury of film industry professionals and academics, ensuring a fair, competitive, and merit-based selection process.

Awards & Prizes

Every submission is evaluated by at least three independent jury members based on its quality, creativity, storytelling, and technical execution. The highest-rated projects are nominated in their respective categories, from which the final winners are selected.

Officially recognized projects receive the AIFF Official Laurel and a personalized certificate according to their final achievement.

Winner – Awarded to the highest-ranked project in each category. Winners receive the AIFF Official Laurel and Winner Certificate. Seasonal winners are showcased by the festival and automatically qualify for the AIFF Annual Event, where they compete for the Best of the Best honors. Annual winners receive the prestigious AIFF Trophy, Official Certificate, and Annual Winner Laurel.

Finalist – Awarded to outstanding projects that reach the final stage of judging. Finalists receive the AIFF Official Laurel and Finalist Certificate.

Honorable Mention – It is essentially the category in which our jury places projects that are too good to be excluded. As a token of acknowledgement and encouragement, recipients are awarded an official certificate and the AIFF Official Laurel.

The event date displayed on FilmFreeway refers to the official announcement date for each seasonal competition.

The AIFF Annual Event, including live screenings and annual awards, follows a separate schedule announced through our website and social media channels.

Rules & Terms

By submitting a film, the submitter agrees that:

1) The film must include English subtitles (unless the spoken language is English).
2) AIFF may use trailers, teasers, film posters, stills, or behind-the-scenes (BTS) materials for promotional purposes, but will not release the full film under any circumstances.
3) The decisions of the Jury are final and cannot be challenged.
4) Once submitted, a film cannot be withdrawn under any circumstances. However, the Festival Director reserves the right to disqualify any film on certain grounds.
5) By submitting a film to AIFF, the filmmaker/producer accepts full responsibility for all copyright issues related to the music, script, and all other creative and technical aspects of the film.
6) Only the seasonal winning films will be screened at the monthly events.
7) Only the annual winning films will be screened at the annual event.

Asian Independent Film Festival 2023 © All Rights Reserved.
89 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Omar AL Omeeri

    The Asian Independent Film Festival provided a smooth and professional experience throughout the submission process. Communication was clear, the notification arrived on time, and it was encouraging to see independent filmmakers from different countries being recognized. I appreciate the festival’s support for emerging voices and was honored to receive an Honorable Mention for Best Director. Wishing the festival continued success in the years ahead

    July 2026
    Helpful
  • Chandler Roberts

    Wow! I’m so honored my short film “Checked Out” was selected and recognized as a finalist in the categories of Best Short Script, Best Sound Design and Best Original Screenplay by AIFF !! Thank you for including Checked Out as a contributor in your 12th season.

    July 2026
    Helpful
  • Stephen Hessel

    Great experience with the Asian Independent Film Festival! We were honored that The Leaf-a-teers won Best Children's Film. The festival was well organized, communication was excellent, and we're grateful to have been part of such a wonderful event. We look forward to submitting future projects!

    July 2026
    Helpful
  • Joey Kent

    I appreciate the consideration of this festival and their commitment to honoring deadlines. I found the festival a nice forum for showcasing my script and gauging public appeal.

    July 2026
    Helpful
  • Studio 101

    Thanks to team AIFF for the consideration and awards granted to our film THIN LINE. We are truly grateful for the opportunity, and wish the festival a grander future.

    July 2026
    Helpful