Austin Under the Stars (AUTS) is an international film festival held in Austin, TX. Listed in the TOP 100 BEST-REVIEWED FILM FESTIVALS on FilmFreeway, AUTS aims to make film festivals fun again! Enjoy photos on the red carpet, filmmaker Q&A's, networking, an award ceremony, and the best indie films all nestled in the live music capital of the world.

Arrive early & network with the top independent filmmakers & screenwriters leading up to the screening. We select a wide collective of genres ranging from narrative, comedy, horror, sci-fi, documentary, music videos, & more! Stick around for a the Filmmaker Q&A – a perfect opportunity to talk about upcoming projects & broaden your network. We close the evening with pictures on the red carpet & an award ceremony recognizing the amazing efforts of our talented selections!
Proceeds go towards "Autism Society of Texas".

Awards & Prizes

"Superstar" is awarded to the Judges' Choice best reviewed film of the festival!
"Wonder Woman" is awarded to the outstanding female filmmaker of the night!
Awards are presented to the top-rated films following the screening:
Best Feature
Best Narrative
Best Comedy
Best Horror
Best Music Video
Best Animation
Best Documentary
Best Micro-Short
Best Student Short
Most Original Concept
Best Texas Film
Keep Austin Weird
Audience Choice Award
M. Night Shyamalan (Best Twist)
Wonder Woman (Outstanding Female Filmmaker)
Superstar (Best Film)

Screenplay Awards:
Best Overall Screenplay (Short & Feature)
Best Narrative Screenplay (Short & Feature)
Best Comedy Screenplay (Short & Feature)
Best Horror Screenplay (Short & Feature)

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 Under the Stars 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.

102 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Layla Merritt

    This is such a great film festival and I’m so grateful mj script Miss Perfection was selected! Thank you!

    October 2022
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  • Alisha Banks

    I laughed so much during the comedy block! What a great festival - it was such an honor to have my film screen with so much talent. Highly recommend this fest; it was so well organized and the communication was 10/10. Thanks so much to the team and organizers!

    October 2022
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  • Pj Mills

    This film festival was truly fantastic. The people who organize it know how to put together a wonderful experience for the attendees, and we can't thank them enough for selecting our film ("The Hostage Situation") to play along side so many incredible films. Do yourself a favor and submit to Austin Under the Stars, you won't regret it.

    October 2022
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  • Rob Thorp

    Excellent communication, great vibes, loved being a part of this - even from a distance (was not able to attend).

    October 2022
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  • Evan M

    What a well run film festival! Thank you for debuting and awarding my short, REC'd," Best Micro Film. Your communication was clear, concise, and quick! Excited to submit more films and scripts to your fantastic film fest and your sibling one in Los Angeles!

    October 2022
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