Experience the ultimate destination for indie filmmakers at the Austin Spotlight Film Festival (ASFF)! Now in its 8th year with 16 showcases to date, ASFF is the perfect platform to celebrate creativity, passion, and the power of storytelling.

"ASFF offers immediate and invaluable opportunities to filmmakers, shining a spotlight on indie artists and providing them with a platform to showcase their work." – Austin Chronicle

Our diverse, international judging panel curates an exciting lineup of films and screenplays across genres—gripping narratives, thrilling horror, laugh-out-loud comedies, thought-provoking documentaries, mesmerizing features, music videos, trailers, and more. Every selection receives extensive promotion on our website and social media channels, ensuring your work gets the attention it deserves.

Audience Involvement: Every attendee has a voice in choosing the top film, making ASFF an interactive and engaging experience for both filmmakers and fans. Winning films are featured on our website for the entire following year.

Engaging Q&A Sessions: Dive deep into the creative process as we host Q&A sessions with attending filmmakers and screenplay selections after each screening. It's a chance to connect, learn, and be inspired by the talents behind the screen.

Unforgettable Award Ceremony: The festival culminates with an energetic Award Ceremony, where we honor the achievements of our talented selections across various categories.

Awards & Prizes

Trophy Highlights: Prepare to shine as your work vies for our custom Lightbulb trophies in categories such as:

Audience Choice – The crowd favorite that resonates most with our attendees.
Judge's Choice – Recognized by industry professionals for outstanding creativity and execution.
Best Short Screenplay & Best Feature Screenplay – Celebrating exceptional storytelling and narrative mastery.
Awards Extravaganza: ASFF goes beyond with a dazzling array of awards:

Best Screenplay (Feature & Short)
Best Narrative (Film & Screenplay)
Best Comedy (Film & Screenplay)
Best Horror (Film & Screenplay)
Most Original Concept (Film & Screenplay)
Best Student Short
Best Sci-fi
Best Music Video
Best Animation
Best Arthouse
Best Documentary
Best Micro-Short
Best Trailer
Best Director
Best Ensemble
Best Actor & Best Actress

Rules & Terms

NO WAIVERS!
All films must be in English or have English subtitles at the time submitted.
Films must be original works.
By submitting the material, the applicant hereby agrees to indemnify, hold harmless, and defend the festival & its employees from any liability, claims, and damages in connection with the submission and from any fees and expenses, including but not limited to reasonable attorneys' fees, that any of them may incur in connection therewith.

I/We understand that failure to adhere to the competition rules and regulations will result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.

I/We agree to hold the Austin Spotlight Film Festival harmless from and defend them against all claims, demands, losses, damages, judgments, liabilities, and expenses (including attorney’s fees) arising out of or in connection with any and all claims of third parties, whether or not groundless, based on any film submitted to the Festival.
180 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • D C Cummings

    The festival treated me with respect and the communication was excellent. It is a festival that will get bigger and better.

    October 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much, D C! We're glad to hear that you felt respected and appreciated the communication throughout the festival. We're dedicated to growing and improving each year, and we’re excited to have you be a part of it. Looking forward to seeing your future projects!

  • Jeffrey Rembert

    Tremendous opportunity for beginning and experienced filmmakers.

    October 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Jeffrey! Providing a platform that supports all levels of talent is what we're all about. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to seeing more of your work in the future!

  • Lester Platt

    Great experience! It was incredible to see our film in the big screen.

    October 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Lester! We’re so glad you had a great experience and enjoyed seeing your documentary on the big screen. It was an honor to showcase your film at Austin Spotlight, and we hope to see more from you in the future!

  • Taiyen Stevenson

    Thank you for this wonderful opportunity. I am honored to have my script participate in this great competition. Congratulations to the winners!

    September 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much, Taiyen! We're thrilled to have had your script in the competition and appreciate your kind words. Congratulations to you as well on your much deserved selection this year, and we look forward to seeing more of your work in the future. Keep up the great writing!

  • Saeed Houshyar

    I had an amazing experience at the Austin Spotlight Film Festival! Not only did my film win an award, but I also had the chance to meet so many talented people from the industry. It was truly inspiring to be surrounded by such creativity and passion. A huge thank you to Ali, who is not only a great person but also has an incredible vision for the future of independent filmmaking. I’m so grateful to have been a part of this fantastic festival.

    September 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Saeed! We're so glad you had a fantastic experience at Austin Spotlight and were able to connect with so many talented individuals. It was an honor to have your film at the festival, and we’re excited to see what you create next. Thank you for being a part of our community!