South Asian Indie Film Festival also known as SAIFF, is a reputable Monthly international film competition and annual film festival based in one of the elegant cities in the world, Shillong (Meghalaya), SAIFF is focusing on international independent short film and also all new filmmakers to promote their work through an online platform and encourage works that use powerful narration in order to create a unique vision.

South Asian Indie Film Festival is a IMDb recognized international film festival which runs on a Monthly basis. SAIFF is dedicated to international short films of all genres , We are accept indie filmmakers from all over the world and short & feature films of all genres, documentaries, animations and music video etc.

Your film will be reviewed by SAIFF screeners team and the highest scored ones will be selected as Official Selection receiving corresponding Laurels. Then, our jury will choose the winners in each category and they will receive the Official Laurels and Certificates. The SAIFF Best Jury Choice Award choose from any categories, announced as the winner of the Monthly Laurels and Certificates.

The results of the winning films in the various categories will be published at each monthly deadline.

Each Monthly our jury will make a private viewing to decide the winners of the period. The finalists for the final ceremony will be chosen among the winners of each Monthly "Best Project" award.

The winners of each monthly are eligible to participate in the main ceremony, which will be held once a year in the Shillong (Meghalaya) city. In this Yearly ceremony The SAIFF Best Jury Choice Award choose First one selected project from every categories will be receive trophy along with Laurels and Digital Certificate. SAIFF is a monthly contest repeated four times for one year, The annual ceremony at the stunning St. Anthony's College Auditorium on April,2025.

IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0073426/overview/

Awards & Prizes

All the Monthly winners are nominated, awarded, and honored on our website and social media accounts. The certificate and the laurel, which can be digital, are sent free of charge to the all award winners. In yearly ceremony SAIFF Annual Best Jury Choice Award choose One selected project from every categories will be receive trophy along with Laurels and Digital Certificate. we organize every Monthly Film Awards, the winners in each category will be selected among the nominee films each term. All the winners will be entitled to receive the winner laurel and certificate of achievement. We are publishing the results every Monthly Film Awards and promoting intensively the winning films on our web site and social media platforms.

Categories & Fees:
SAIFF Best Short Film
SAIFF Best Documentary - Short Film
SAIFF Best Animation - Short Film
SAIFF Best Social Message - Short Film
SAIFF Best Human Rights - Short Film
SAIFF Best Experimental - Short Film
SAIFF Best Drama - Short Film
SAIFF Best Sci-FI - Short Film
SAIFF Best LGBTQ - Short Film
SAIFF Best Comedy - Short Film
SAIFF Best Horror - Short Film
SAIFF Best Thriller - Short Film
SAIFF Best Romance - Short Film
SAIFF Best Indie Short Film
SAIFF Best Environment - Short Film
SAIFF Best Film Noir - Short Film
SAIFF Best Mystery - Short Film
SAIFF Best Action - Short Film
SAIFF Best Fantasy - Short Film
SAIFF Best Crime - Short Film
SAIFF Best Covid 19 - Short Film
SAIFF Best Inspirational - Short Film
SAIFF Best Silent - Short Film
SAIFF Best Travel - Short Film
SAIFF Best Dance - Short Film
SAIFF Best VFX - Short Film
SAIFF Best Black & White - Short Film
SAIFF Best Music Video
SAIFF Best Music Director
SAIFF Best Film Director(Male) - Short Film
SAIFF Best Film Director(Female) - Short Film
SAIFF Best First Time Director(Male) - Short Film
SAIFF Best First Time Director(Female) - Short Film
SAIFF Best Producer - Short Film
SAIFF Best Creative Director - Short Film
SAIFF Best Creative Producer - Short Film
SAIFF Best Actress - Short Film
SAIFF Best Actor - Short Film
SAIFF Best Editor - Short Film
SAIFF Best Cinematographer - Short Film
SAIFF Best Mobile Film - Short Film
SAIFF Best Student - Short Film
SAIFF Best Student Documentary - Short Film
SAIFF Best Student Experimental - Short Film
SAIFF Best Student Animation - Short Film
SAIFF Best Web and New Media Awards
SAIFF Best Television Awards
SAIFF Best Creative Director - Web
SAIFF Best Creative Producer - Web
SAIFF Best Creative Director - TV
SAIFF Best Creative Producer - TV
SAIFF Best Original Score - Short Film
SAIFF Best Micro Short Film (under 5 minutes)
SAIFF Best Young Filmmaker Male(Under 18) - Short Film
SAIFF Best Costume Designer - Short Film
SAIFF Best Art Director - Short Film
SAIFF Best Photography/Design Contest - Short Film
SAIFF Best Sound Design - Short Film
SAIFF Best Super Short (between 5 and 10 minutes)
SAIFF Best Young Filmmaker Female(Under 18) - Short Film
SAIFF Best Screenplay - Short Film
SAIFF Best Original Idea - Short Film

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SAIFF Best Feature Film
SAIFF Best Documentary - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Animation - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Social Message - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Human Rights - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Experimental - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Drama - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Sci-FI - Feature Film
SAIFF Best LGBTQ - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Comedy - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Horror - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Thriller - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Romance - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Film Noir - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Environment - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Indie Feature Film
SAIFF Best Mystery - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Silent - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Crime - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Fantasy - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Action - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Inspirational - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Covid 19 - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Travel - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Dance - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Black & White - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Film Director(Male) - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Film Director(Female) - Feature Film
SAIFF Best First Time Director(Male) - Feature Film
SAIFF Best First Time Director(Female) - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Producer - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Actress - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Actor - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Mobile Film - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Student - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Student Documentary - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Student Experimental - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Student Animation - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Original Score - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Young Filmmaker Male(Under 18) - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Editor - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Cinematographer - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Costume Designer - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Art Director - Feature Film
SAIFF Best VFX - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Sound Design - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Young Filmmaker Female(Under 18) - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Screenplay - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Original Idea - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Creative Director - Feature Film
SAIFF Best Creative Producer - Feature Film

Rules & Terms


All decisions of the jury are final.
1.Project not exceed 360 minutes but sometimes festival will be consider above 3 hour duration project, it’s depends on projects content.
2.Non-English films must be subtitled in English.
3.Winner Film selection will be based on:- Creative and Technical merit – Story line, narrative, Subject treatment, Direction, Technical aspects (i.e., Cinematography, Screenplay, acting, music etc).
4.To submit a film, you must own the rights or have permission from the owner.
5.Entry fees are non-refundable.
6.Films with a completion date after January 2014, films with a completion date later than the previous year’s festival dates will be given preference.
7.Festival have rights to change the Date of event.
8.SAIFF cannot provide refunds for submissions that do not meet eligibility criteria or are otherwise deemed to be disqualified under these regulations.
9.SAIFF can use trailer/teaser/film poster/stills or BTS for promotional purpose (but do not release, under any form or circumstances, the full short film).
10.Films that doesn’t match category will be disqualified.
11.By submitting to SAIFF you give festival permission to private screening your film in year-round programme, if your film will be the best of quarterly round.
12.No film may be withdrawn from the festival program after its selection.
13.One can submit more than one Entry, but separate submission forms should be filled up for each Entry with separate Entry Fee, Consent Letter and other attachments.
14. The filmmaker/institution is responsible for the content of his/her work and for any possible copyright problems. The participant owns all rights concerning the usage of his/her work according to the regulations. The Festival Committee has no responsibility to third parties. The Festival Committee has the right to reject films, if the content or technical quality does not correspond to the Festival conditions.
15. South Asian Indie Film Festival will not be liable for any costs claimed as a result of a change in scheduling.
16.Films can not be withdrawn from the festival program after being selected.
17.The film, including all copyrights, remains the property of the author.
18.If screenings or information are inaccurate or flawed, the organizer is only liable in case of gross negligence.
The applicant has to read and accept the regulations and guidelines for participation.
GENERAL AGREEMENT FOR PARTICIPATION IN South Asian Indie Film Festival:
I have read and accept the Rules and Regulations of South Asian Indie Film Festival. South Asian Indie Film Festival the right to use excerpts of the submitted film, its stills, and trailers, for the purposes of publicity and marketing of the film at the various social networks and on the website of the festival, and for other non-commercial purposes related to the promotion of the festival. I hereby agree to indemnify South Asian Indie Film Festival, in the event that such rights have not been properly transferred.

16 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Andretti Dante

    A wonderful festival that I highly recommend any and everyone should submit

    January 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Our festivals always stands for indie makers & writers. We are happy for your support. Thank you for submitting your film in our festival.

  • Olga and Andrii Andreiev

    Amazing festival!!. It was an honor for me to take part in this festival! A wonderful experience, I look forward to the next one. Excellent communication, clearly run by professionals! Highly recommend it. Congratulations to all festival team.

    March 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you Creator! We appreciate your feedback and were thrilled to screen your project SOUTH GEORGIA. In the heart of the wild at our festival!

  • Chris Micallef

    A highly recommended festival.

    Chris & Maurice Micallef
    CMM PRODUCTIONS
    MALTA
    https://cmmproductions.com

    March 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much Chris! and congratulations for the winning. Keep making films . Looking forward for your participation this edition also God bless you.

  • Tim Myrick

    Very nice festival, will enter next near for my next movie short!

    March 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thanks for your feedback, Tim!. Hope we will see you our next edition.

  • Silvano Plank

    For my Crew, cast and i it was a really nice experience being part of your festival reciving an AWARD. We are really happy about this event. Thank you very much

    March 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Congratulations for the winning.Thank you so much Silvano! good luck with your future projects!