UPDATE! New DCP Format Requirement, New Categories, Now Accepting Feature Films! Please read category and Rules sections carefully!

Welcome all sci-fi creatives around the world and beyond! The Atlanta Sci-fi Film Festival celebrates diversity and inclusion in the science fiction genre and sub-genres!
This boutique 3 day festival is one of the most competitive sci-fi short film competitions in the country! Audiences and filmmakers attending the festival can expect the best of the best! This festival is presented in partnership with the MCSFO (Multicultural Sci-fi Organization) and the City of Peachtree Corners. Subscribe to our Newsletter for exclusive news and IG page for surprise announcements.

The mission of our annual Sci-fi (SF) Film Festival is to provide screens for an all-inclusive community of sci-fi creatives to present the finest independent SF films locally and internationally. To increase cultural diversity and interest in SF film/TV, to inspire and strengthen the SF film community by cultivating an engaged audience.

Creating indie SF films is becoming less intimidating with today’s technology, creating a fertile ground for nurturing new talent and exploring concepts mainstream studios may not support. We believe in encouraging rich storytelling, filled with infinite possibilities that challenge us and question our perception of the future!

Our diverse team of screeners and judges will watch, complete judging rubrics, deliberate, fight, yell and scream to ensure the Best of the Best films get accepted and win! Cash, Sponsored Prize Packages and Professional Marketing and Promotion Services will be given for multiple categories, such as:
Best Sci-fi Film
Best Indigenous Film
Best Afrofuturism Film
Best Comedy Film
Best ATLien Sci-fi Film
Best Director
Best Actor
*Some awards may be issued as plaques with prizes.

Please Do Not Ask for a Fee Waiver! It is unfair to those who have put aside marketing funds for festival entry fees. There are NO Exceptions to this rule!
Also, if your film has been or is currently running on a streaming platform, it will be a little unfair to those who aren't, so it will be disqualified. See "prior screenings" below for more details!

Diversity and inclusion in science fiction is one of the main missions of The Multicultural Sci-fi Organization and therefore is strongly encouraged. We don't limit diversity to just ethnicity and race, but are inclusive of: culture, gender, sexual orientation and disability. Please keep in mind, Heavy emphasis on this is not needed and will be seen as “Checkbox Diversity”, which will diminish the authenticity, sincerity and quality of your work if not done in the true spirit of equality.

DURATION: Now, film shorts shall not be more than 90 min, including the Beginning and End Credits! Films exceeding this time limit will be rejected!! With the exception of the Comedy and the Experimental categories with a min of 15 min, the minimum length should be 30 Minutes, Excluding credits. Your film must be completed when submitting it! All film submissions will be viewed on a daily basis, any unfinished film will be disqualified and will need to be re-submitted for consideration.

The Atlanta Sci-fi Film Festival is produced by the Multicultural Sci-fi Organization. By entering your film into the Atlanta Sci-fi Film Festival, constitutes agreement to terms and conditions herein referred to as ASCIFFF, you agree to the following:

PRIZE TERMS for Winners:
Winner, awards and prizes will be based on criteria established by ASCIFFF and the Multicultural Sci-fi Organization’s, (herein referred to as, MCSFO) judging team, its sponsors and its executive team will judge the entries on the supplied list and declare the winners.
Submission of a work for judging by ASCIFFF and MCSFO constitutes acceptance of these Rules and any other Rules established for the 2025 Atlanta Sci-Fi Film Festival.

***All US recipients of cash awards will be required to submit an IRS W-9 form. Winners outside the United States must provide a W-8BEN and a US Bank Account, or provide a written statement assigning a family member or representative in the US who will accept the trophy and prize money on their behalf. The Atlanta Sci-fi Film Festival, operating under The Multicultural Sci-fi Organization, is required to report all expenses and prize money to the IRS. Winners are required to report cash prizes whether they are earned within or outside the United States.

FORMAT UPDATED 2025: Now accepting films in DCP format only!

Language:
All films must be in English or with Clear and Visible English Subtitles.

Screening or Rental Fees:
ASCIFFF does NOT CONSIDER films that require SCREENING/RENTAL FEES.

Prior Screenings:
Entries can not have more than 1,000 views on Youtube and Vimeo combined. All entries can not have in the past or present, a theatrical run (commercial release) or Streaming on major or minor Platforms or be broadcast (TV), anywhere in the World. before Oct 25, 2025. Previous screenings at other film festivals, as well as private, industry, and press screenings are OK. The "US, Atlanta, or Southeast Premiere" status is Strongly preferred, but not mandatory. (feel free to ask before submitting your film)

RIGHT TO SCREEN: The participants grant the Multicultural Sci-fi Organization producers of The Atlanta Sci-fi Film Festival non-exclusive rights to screen (non – commercial) their film / entry at our film festival on ANY viewing Platform during the dates of the 2025 film festival and up to 1 year following for additional promotion.

COPYRIGHT: The Film must not contain any copyrighted work(s) belonging to third parties unless (1) Participants have a license to use such works in the Film; or (2) the use of participants' Film makes of such works is a fair one under the copyright laws. Participants will retain any licenses and provide them to organizers upon request. The owner of the submitted film will assume all responsibility in confirming any original work that was used to create their film short, is in Public Domain! ASCIFFF and MCSFO and any of its sponsors are not liable for any work used in creating the film short that was not cleared. The term “PUBLIC DOMAIN'' refers to creative materials that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. The public owns these works, not an individual author or artist. Anyone can use a public domain work without obtaining permission, but no one can ever own it.

THE GENERAL TERMS OF PARTICIPATION:

The entry should be submitted by the Participant, who may be the rights holder of the film, or the person authorized to participate in the contest, and accept the terms and conditions. For the purposes of this contest and subsequent distribution of the participating film, the Participant hereby confirms that he/she/it has the necessary rights to submit the entry and accept the terms.

Only two persons who submit the entry will be considered as the “Participants”. All communications from our end will be directed only to the Participants.

Transfer, assignment or substitution of the prizes / benefits to a person other than the participants, will not be permitted. However, in exceptional cases the organizers reserve the right to entertain such requests at their discretion.

The participants agree that the organizers and partners shall not be held responsible for any unauthorized use of the content by any third party, and The Multicultural Sci-fi Organization and The Atlanta Sci-fi Film Festival does not guarantee the posting of any content.

Registration or ticket purchase to the event is Mandatory for anyone who is NOT considered a participant. All participants will have VIP seating. At this time, ALL arrangements, travel costs and accommodations will be the sole responsibility of the participants.

The Organizers and Producers bring this offer on a best effort basis. The winning participant hereby confirms that it will not hold the Organizers, Producers or its employees, representatives, sponsors or partners responsible for any untoward incident he/she may endure in relation with fulfillment of this prize. The decision of the jury and audience choice shall be final, unquestionable and binding on all participants.

Once submitted, the entries cannot be withdrawn for any reason whatsoever.

The Multicultural Sci-fi Organization/ The Atlanta Sci-fi Film Festival may reject any film without assigning any reason whatsoever and the same cannot be challenged.

The organizers reserve the right to modify the terms and conditions of the contest without any intimation to the participants at any time after the launch of the contest.
Entry and participation of films implies unconditional acceptance of these terms and regulations.

The organizers of the Atlanta Sci-fi Film Festival’s decision in all matters pertaining to this contest and screening terms herein shall be final and binding in all respects.

Please Note: Atlanta Sci-fi Film Festival DOES NOT WAIVE ENTRY FEES! ASCIFFF believes waiving entry fees hurts the integrity of the competition. The same rules and entry fees should apply to all applicants so no one film is favored over another. In a similar respect, ASCIFFF does not invite films to be in competition. Only films that are submitted will be considered for competition.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Casey Golden

    We had a really great experience with ASCIFF. A high quality festival. Communication throughout the whole process was excellent. We sadly weren't able to attend, but was great to be a part of it.

    November 2024
  • Parker Croft

    Participating in the Atlanta SCI-FI Film Festival was a fantastic experience. Although we couldn’t attend due to scheduling conflicts, we were thoroughly impressed by the festival’s exceptional support and dedication to both the films and the filmmakers. Their professionalism truly made an impact.

    October 2024
  • Melissa Mars

    Thank you for the honorable mention for our award-winning short film THE LAST TOUCH.

    December 2021
  • Thrilled to have my short The Dark Odyssey included in this year's Atlanta Sci-Fi Film Festival. Amanda was wonderful to work with, very organized with great communication. I'm sad I couldn't make it but it looked like everyone had a great time!

    November 2021
  • Dominique Filhol

    Thank you it was an amazing festival, congratulations to all the nominees ! Can't wait to see the next edition :)

    November 2018