What started out as a showcase, the ASIFA-South Festival & Conference has become a two-day bi-annual competitive event open to students, independent animators, and professionals. We celebrate the magic of animation and its power to bring forth humor, imagination and unique art forms. Selected entries offer diverse animation perspectives in the form of 2-D, Stop Motion, 3-D and hybrid-mixes to deliver inspiring and thought-provoking films.

Our film jurors and panelists include an array of industry professionals such as producers, directors, studio heads, and artists from esteemed organizations like DreamWorks, Adult Swim, Floyd County Productions, Marvel Studios, Bento Box, and more.

Visit our website to see festival highlights: https://www.asifa-south.com/asifac-festival

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ASIFAC has three programming blocks:

INTERNATIONAL
For our animator friends across borders, oceans, continents, USA west coast, enter your shorts for this block.

SOUTHERN SPOTLIGHT
A showcase filled with animated shorts from students, independent animators and professionals located in the southern region of the US to include Maryland.

ALL AGES
These are entries that can be enjoyed by lovers of animation of any age.

This two-day animation festival and conference will also include panels by professional animators in the local industry. There is also an Awards ceremony on the final day of the conference.

Check out our website www.asifa-south.com for more info.

Awards & Prizes

The ASIFA-South Animation Festival & Conference has four competitive categories. Each category winner will receive prizes, courtesy of our sponsor(s): ASIFAC 2026 prizes TBD.

BEST IN SHOW
This award determines the best overall animation with consideration of content, technical skills, and other criteria put forth by ASIFA-South committee members. Final selections in this category will be judged by professionals in the animation industry. The winner will receive a complimentary entry submission to our partner, The Atlanta Film Festival, noted for its Oscar-eligible animated shorts category, along with a 2-hour film festival consultation session on tips and tricks for future submissions, and other sponsored prizes.

ANIMATION FOR ALL
This category focuses less on technical skills and more on showcasing animations that stand out in content relevant to highlighting diversity, humanitarian issues, disabilities, and bold, inspiring themes. The winner of this category will be selected by the ASIFA-South committee and receive sponsored prizes.

BEST OF THE SOUTH
This category highlights southern-affiliated or southern-made content deemed to be the Best of the South. The winner will receive a complimentary entry submission to our partner, The Atlanta Film Festival, noted for its Oscar-eligible animated shorts category, along with a 2-hour film festival consultation session on tips and tricks for future submissions, and other sponsored prizes.

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD
This award will be chosen by attending audiences through a live poll, with the results tallied at the end of the conference. A winner will be selected from each animation block and receive a certificate.

Rules & Terms

Please ensure that you read all the festival rules, terms, and conditions. If you have any questions, email us at programming@asifa-south.com. ASIFA International members, please contact us or your local chapter to receive a waiver code for the entry fee.

• All entries must be submitted as an online screener (Vimeo preferred). If your animation is selected, we may contact you to ask you for playable required formats.
• Provide option to request a download of your film through FilmFreeway.
• Shorts must be 15 minutes or less.
• Features must be between 15 – 30 minutes.
• Entries produced from the end of December 2024 and thereafter.
• Films for the Southern Spotlight category must be made in the South or by filmmakers who are residents or locals from the Southeastern Ties region (including Maryland).
• Films made internationally will not be considered for the "Best of the South" award.
• Stop Motion and Puppet films are considered if 80% or more of the content is animated.
• ASIFA-South will pay a small Screening Fee to selected filmmakers. The filmmaker can request that the Screening Fee be paid to a chosen charity on your behalf by ASIFA-South.
• Selected filmmakers will receive two complimentary tickets to ASIFAC.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

By submitting your film to us, you acknowledge that ASIFA-South will not pay to present your work and authorize your work to be screened and that the film is your intellectual property. The undersigned shall indemnify ASIFA-South from and against any claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees and cost of court) that may be incurred because of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered. The undersigned also grants ASIFA-South the right to use an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition for promotional purposes.
6 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Jackie Ross

    Unfortunately I was not able to attend, but am so glad you were able to screen "Mimi's Good Night"

    August 2022
    Helpful
  • Shiva Momtahan

    Wonderful festival with a passionate team and a thoughtful organization!

    May 2021
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much Shiva!

  • Antonio Villamandos

    As a short submitter for the 2020 online edition, it was a pretty good experience! Staff was welcoming, friendly and passionate about animation, communication was also great! I look forward to submit again.
    As an attendant it had good variety among the Short film selection and informative industry panels panels.

    December 2020
    Helpful
  • Matthew Maloney

    A strong collection of shorts at an excellent venue. Fiendly staff.

    November 2018
    Helpful
  • Janice Chun

    This was such a lovely festival! Great panels, great films, and just great people. I highly recommend people to check it out and talk with all the other filmmakers and community members. The staff worked incredibly hard and were great communicators. Atlanta was also an amazing city to visit.

    September 2017
    Helpful