Since 2000, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival continues to engage and entertain our city’s diverse communities through curiosity, conversation, and culture. One of Atlanta’s premiere philanthropic arts organizations, AJFF delivers world-class international and independent cinema, using film as a vehicle to promote empathy, meaningful dialogue, and universal, cross-cultural understanding.

AJFF champions an inclusive exploration of the Jewish experience, its complex history, and its intersection with people of all faiths, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Through the power of storytelling, AJFF assembles a wide range of community leaders, advocates, filmmakers, and educators to contextualize an ever-expanding range of topics, uniting over 38,000 active festivalgoers annually with both in-theater and streaming content offerings.

With emphasis on continuous innovation and mission-driven expansion, AJFF seeks to inspire the next generation of cinephiles and the culture-curious by actively broadening its educational outreach, community engagement, and accessibility efforts through captivating annual programming and events.

Awards & Prizes

Select films are eligible for Official Jury Prizes at the annual festival:

Narrative Jury Prize
The Narrative Prize goes to the feature-length fiction film that exceeds
all others in total artistry, direction, script, cinematography, acting,
and overall storytelling.

2023 Jurors:
- Yacov Freedman, Senior Podcast Producer for Turner Classic Movies
- Bruce Goldstein, Repertory Artistic Director, Film Forum
- Student Juror: Harper Lazarov, The University of Georgia

Documentary Jury Prize
The Documentary Prize goes to the feature-length non-fiction film that
exceeds all others in total artistry, direction, script, cinematography
and overall storytelling.

2023 Jurors:
- Scot Safon, Consultant
- Steven Pressman, Director/Producer, PerlePress Productions
- Student Juror: Caio Jardim, Emory University

Shorts Jury Prize
The Shorts Prize goes to the film, with a run time of 40 minutes or
fewer, which exceeds all others in total artistry, direction, script,
cinematography, acting, and overall storytelling.

2023 Jurors:
- Felicia Feaster, Managing Editor, Warner Bros. Discovery
- Isaac Zablocki, Director of the Carole Zabar Center for Film
- Student Juror: Ikki Kaijima, Emory University

Emerging Filmmaker Jury Prize
An Emerging Filmmaker Prize will be awarded to a rising creative
talent, whose film shows exceptional skill and artistry.

2023 Jurors:
- Dori Berinstein, Award-winning director, producer, and writer of film & television.
- Todd Yellin, Filmmaker & Former Head of Product at Netflix
- Student Juror: Tara Gause, Clayton State University

Building Bridges Jury Prize
Honoring the film that most exemplifies AJFF's mission, informed by
founder and partner American Jewish Committee, to foster understanding among diverse religious, ethnic, and cultural communities.

2023 Jurors:
- Julie Ann Crommett, Founder & CEO, Collective Moxie
- Stephanie Guiloff, Director of Internal Communications and Advocacy, American Jewish Committee
- Student Juror: Rebecca Myers, The University of Georgia

Human Rights Jury Prize
The Human Rights Prize is awarded to the film that most powerfully
captures the perseverance and strength of those whose sense of
justice guides them in the face of bigotry, inequality, and persecution.

2023 Jurors:
- Sharon Rosen Leib, Award-winning Journalist
- Deidre McDonald, Founding Artistic Director for the BronzeLens Film Festival
- Student Juror: Keshawn Morgan, Morehouse College

In addition, Audience Awards are voted on by the AJFF audience and awards are issued in the following categories based on established voting criteria.

AJFF Audience Award, Best Narrative Feature
AJFF Audience Award winners are determined by popular vote of the festival audience, with moviegoers ranking each film on a scale of 1 to 4. The narrative feature (minimum 40 minutes) receiving the highest average ranking wins that category. The winning narrative feature is honored by receiving a special statuette.

AJFF Audience Award, Best Short
AJFF Audience Award winners are determined by popular vote of the festival audience, with moviegoers ranking each film on a scale of 1 to 4. The short film (under 40 minutes) receiving the highest average ranking wins that category. The winning short is honored by receiving a special statuette.

AJFF Audience Award, Best Documentary Feature
AJFF Audience Award winners are determined by popular vote of the festival audience, with moviegoers ranking each film on a scale of 1 to 4. The documentary feature (minimum 40 minutes) receiving the highest average ranking wins that category. The winning narrative feature is honored by receiving a special statuette.

Rules & Terms

To qualify for consideration, all submissions must include a completed entry form, nonrefundable entry fee and screener.

AJFF showcases a broad range of narrative and documentary works that reflect Jewish and Israeli identity, history and culture, as well as the intersection of Jewish life with universal issues and diverse communities. The Jewish or Israeli relevance may be explicit or implicit, and need not be central to the film's subject matter, story or themes.

The AJFF selection process does not utilize the FilmFreeway viewing environment, and requires direct access to your screener via either a Vimeo link or digital file for download. You may also email kenny@ajff.org with your screener link and password upon submission. Viewing rights are restricted to festival staff and selection committee members.

AJFF welcomes U.S. and international entries. Foreign language films must include English subtitles.

AJFF is unable to waive entry fees or provide discounts beyond those indicated.

Though AJFF will consider entries with prior or pending theatrical or television exhibition, priority is given to those films that have not been viewed previously within the Atlanta market.

Industrial and instructional works are not eligible.

Works that have been previously submitted to AJFF are ineligible for reconsideration unless they have been significantly re-edited or modified since the earlier submission.

AJFF retains sole discretion to accept or decline submissions for any reason. Submission of a film does not guarantee exhibition in the festival. The decision of the AJFF Film Evaluation Committee is final.

Selected films will be notified directly at least two months prior to festival. All other entries will be notified by email following the decision of the AJFF Film Evaluation Committee.

By entering AJFF, applicants certify that they have the legal right to submit and exhibit the film. The applicant is hereby responsible and liable for any breach of rights or the law in the submission and exhibition process.

By entering AJFF, the entrant grants the right to publish or transmit portions of the film for the purpose of press or promotion, unless otherwise noted.
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  • Mira Amiras

    Thank you Atlanta Jewish Film Festival for believing in us, selecting us and including our 38 minute animated movie, The Day before Creation, in your festival—we are very honored! We wish the festival the best of luck, and we'll be looking forward to watching for your future selections!

    June 2022
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  • Trish Adlesic

    We were incredibly honored that A Tree of Life was selected for the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. The festival team showed incredible care and support to everyone involved with the film. Kenny Blank, Shellie Schmals and Brooke Sonenreich are fantastic to work with.

    Their platform was instrumental in raising awareness in fighting anti-semitism, white supremacy and all forms of hate.

    The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is such an important festival and we had an incredible experience. We highly recommend the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival to all audiences and filmmakers alike!

    June 2022
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  • Amanda Kinsey

    AJFF is an amazing, well organized and far reaching festival. They truly valued my film and I am so happy I decided to make this the home of our world premiere. Top-notch professionals through and through.

    May 2022
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  • Jerry sroka

    Incredibly gracious, helpful, and knowledgeable. Our first film, our first festival, our first interview... we are still smiling and eternally grateful. A terrific team, a wonderful way to begin our journey.
    Mariette Hartley and Jerry Sroka

    March 2022
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