ASTER Film Festival is an international festival dedicated to independent cinema and bold visual storytelling.

Based in Annecy, France, ASTER showcases carefully curated short films, documentaries, animation and experimental works from emerging and established filmmakers around the world.

We believe cinema is more than a screening. It's a place to discover new voices, spark conversations, and bring together a community of filmmakers and audiences who share a passion for original storytelling.

Every official selection is reviewed with care by our programming team. Selected films receive laurels, social media promotion, and the opportunity to be featured as part of the festival's official program.

Whether your film is intimate, daring, visually innovative or impossible to categorize, we'd love to discover it.

Independent Cinema. Singular Voices. Shared Experiences.

ASTER Film Festival is an IMDb-qualifying project in development with the ambition of becoming a curated destination for distinctive independent cinema. Our focus is simple: fewer films, stronger selections, meaningful exposure.

Awards & Prizes

Category Awards
🏆 Best Narrative Short
🏆 Best Documentary Short
🏆 Best Animated Short
🏆 Best Experimental Film
🏆 Best Music Video
🏆 Best First-Time Filmmaker

Festival Awards
⭐ ASTER Grand Prix
⭐ Jury Award
⭐ Best Director
⭐ Best Cinematography
⭐ Best Editing
⭐ ASTER Award – Singular Vision

Winners receive:
Official ASTER Film Festival digital laurels
Winner or Official Selection certificate
Featured promotion on ASTER's Instagram and social media channels
Publication on our official website
Inclusion in the festival's annual winners announcement
Our goal is simple: to help exceptional independent films gain visibility through a carefully curated selection and a distinctive visual identity.

Rules & Terms

Eligibility :
Films of all genres are welcome.
Short films must be 40 minutes or less, including credits.

Films completed on or after January 1, 2025 are eligible.
Films may originate from any country.
Non-English films must include English subtitles.
Multiple entries are accepted, provided each film is submitted separately.

Submission :
All submissions must be made through FilmFreeway.
Entry fees are non-refundable.
Submitted screeners must remain available until the end of the selection process.
Projects submitted in unfinished form may be considered if clearly indicated.

Selection :
Official selections are decided by the ASTER programming team.
All decisions are final.
Selected filmmakers will be notified via FilmFreeway.

Screening :
Selected films may be screened during the festival's official program.
Screening copies will be requested only after selection.
The festival reserves the right to determine screening schedules.

Promotion :
By submitting, the entrant authorizes ASTER Film Festival to use excerpts (up to 30 seconds), still images, posters and trailers exclusively for promotional purposes related to the festival.
The entrant confirms they hold all necessary rights for exhibition.

Awards :
Selected films receive the Official Selection laurel.
Winning films receive the Winner laurel and a digital certificate.
No cash prizes are awarded.

Legal :
The submitter confirms that all necessary rights, licenses and permissions have been obtained.
ASTER Film Festival is not responsible for copyright infringement or unauthorized submissions.
The festival reserves the right to update these Rules & Terms when necessary.