Big-Screen Stories. Gulf Coast Hospitality. Real Community Impact.

The Azalea Film Festival returns to Mobile, Alabama, in the heart of the Gulf Coast.

Known as the Azalea City and the birthplace of America’s original Mardi Gras, Mobile is a city built for celebration, storytelling, music, food, art, and Southern hospitality. Our historic downtown has long been a gathering place for artists, filmmakers, musicians, writers, and audiences who believe independent voices deserve a stage.

And now, after a pause following COVID, we are proud to say:

We’re back.

This year marks the return of the Azalea Film Festival for our fifth festival season. To relaunch with focus and energy, this year’s festival will welcome films of all lengths, including short films, feature films, documentaries, student films, animation, music videos, and other independent projects. We are especially interested in original voices, strong storytelling, and films that deserve to be experienced with an audience on the big screen.

The Azalea Film Festival exists to recognize independent filmmakers, writers, actors, and creative teams whose work may not always receive the attention it deserves in larger commercial festivals. We welcome films across all genres and look for projects that demonstrate originality, craftsmanship, emotional impact, and creative courage.

Most importantly, we believe selected filmmakers deserve more than a listing on a website. They deserve to see their work the way it was meant to be seen.

All selected films will be screened during the festival at our venue.

Awards will be presented in multiple categories, with first-place category winners receiving festival recognition and awards.

Film With Purpose

The Azalea Film Festival is also committed to a mission beyond the screen.

Net proceeds from the festival will be used to support families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism now affects about 1 in 31 children age 8, according to CDC estimates, and many families continue to face significant financial and practical barriers to therapy, communication tools, early intervention, sensory-friendly activities, and family support.

Through the festival, we hope to help provide support such as:

Scholarships to assist families with therapy-related costs
Communication devices or technology for nonverbal children
Sensory-sensitive family events, education, and workshops
Community programs that support children and families living with autism

The Azalea Film Festival brings together two things we care deeply about: independent film and meaningful community impact.

We invite filmmakers, audiences, sponsors, local businesses, and community partners to join us as we bring this festival back to life.

Awards & Prizes

Awards will be presented for the following categories:

Best Feature Film
Best Short Film
Best Local / Gulf Coast Film
Audience Choice Award

All award winners will receive an Azalea Film Festival trophy for their submission.

Rules & Terms

All submission fees are non-refundable.

If selected, films must be submitted in a final format to be decided based on venue. At this time, we are only requesting online submissions and all materials must be available online, as we want to remain as green as possible.

By submitting to the festival, you agree to allow your film (or other artistic work) to be screened by the festival during the festival run, for which you are submitting, at no charge to the festival. In addition, you also agree to allow us to utilize your film, or parts thereof, for promotion purposes only for up to twelve months after the festival dates end.

All films must be in English or subtitled in English.

Films must have been created or completed on or after July 31, 2024. Additionally, Films being entered must not have been broadcast (TV or internet) or exhibited commercially in the U.S. prior to The Festival.

All films selected by the festival will be asked to provide promotional materials, but we ask that no promotional materials be sent until selection.

New judges will be selected each year. Judges will be a panel of peers consisting of directors, producers, actors, writers and/or others who have excelled in the filmmaking process. The decision of the judges are final.

By submitting your film to the festival, you declare that you are own all copyrights or permission from the owner or the copyrights, of everything contained in the submitted film(s) and shall indemnify the Azalea Film Festival, it's Board of Directors, judges, screeners or employees, from any claim, if any, that may arise. The festival reserves the right to disqualify any submission at any time for any reason, including but not limited to any question of ownership, copyright infringement or any sign of disrespect (in any form of media) to the festival or its representatives.

All participating filmmakers will receive two (2) complimentary passes to the festival and any associated events.