RULES & TERMS
Only Documentary Films
Film Southasia is a festival of documentaries. Experiments with form are welcomed, but fantasies and pure fiction are automatically disqualified.
8 Minutes and Longer
Both short and feature-length productions are welcome. However, short films must be longer than 8 minutes.
On a Southasian Theme or Subject
Entries must necessarily be on Southasian themes or subjects, though filmmakers need not be Southasian. Films may cover any subject pertaining to Southasia—from people, culture, lifestyle, and adventure to environment, economy, politics, and history. Films may be in any Southasian language but must be subtitled or dubbed in English. At FSA, we consider Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as part of Southasia.
Made in the Last 2 Years
Non-fiction films made after 1 January 2024 are eligible for entry in FSA 2026. Films made during this period that were submitted to FSA in previous years but not selected may be submitted again.
Categories
Film Southasia accepts entries in the following categories: Competitive, Non-Competitive, and Student Films.
No Submission Fees
There is no charge for entry.
Submitted by June 30, 2026
All entries must be submitted via our FilmFreeway page by June 30, 2026.
Extended Deadline: July 15, 2026
Filmmakers must contact FSA to obtain a deadline waiver code to submit films after 30 June 2026. Missed the deadline? Try getting in touch with us at fsa@filmsouthasia.org
Notification Date: September 10, 2026
Directors/producers of selected entries will be notified and asked to submit copies in professional video formats for screening at FSA.
Selection Announcement: September 15, 2026
The list of selected films will be announced first on our website and then through social media. Filmmakers will be contacted regarding the decision.
Submission of Final Version of Selected Films: October 1, 2026
Filmmakers must submit the final version of their entry through FilmFreeway.com for screening at FSA by this date.
As part of FSA policy, we do not pay screening fees for films.
CODE OF CARE
Film Southasia is committed to fostering a safe, respectful, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all. Grounded in mutual respect across gender, caste, ethnicity, nationality, religion, and identity, the festival does not tolerate harassment, discrimination, or misconduct in any form, online or offline. All submissions are expected to adhere to FSA’s Code of Care. The full policy is available on the FSA website.
SUBMISSION FORMAT
Films must be submitted via online screener only. We do not accept DVDs, pen drives, or hard drives.
If selected, the film uploaded to FilmFreeway.com must meet the following criteria:
Video bitrate: 15–25 Mbps
Video codec: H.264, H.265, Apple ProRes 422 HQ / 422
Video container: MP4, MKV, MOV
Audio: 128–320 Kbps, AAC or PCM, 2-channel stereo
Resolution: FHD (1920×1080)
Cinemascope videos should have black bars (letterboxed) within 1920×1080
Subtitles must be in English and positioned at the bottom of the video area (not on black bars)
PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL
The festival reserves the right to use up to 10 percent of the entry’s running time for promotional purposes. Production stills, filmmaker bios, and other information submitted through the entry form may also be used for promotional purposes across web, print, and broadcast media.
JURY AND AWARDS
Films submitted in the competitive category are judged by a three-member jury. All awards include citations. Decisions made by the FSA jury are final.
SELECTION
FSA ’26 will select close to 50 films in the competitive category, with a varying number selected in other categories.
PARTICIPATION
As in previous editions, FSA expects to host the maximum number of delegates from selected films. Alongside screenings and filmmaker interactions, November and early December are a pleasant and culturally vibrant time to be in the Kathmandu Valley. FSA offers complimentary food and accommodation to delegates; travel costs to and from home countries must be borne by the delegates themselves.
RETURN OF SUBMISSIONS
FSA will retain an archival copy of the final submissions of selected films unless filmmakers specify that their films should be deleted post-festival.
THE FSA ARCHIVE
All submissions will be catalogued for the FSA Archive. These copies will be maintained as a record and made available to students, universities, institutions, researchers, and journalists only with the express permission of the filmmakers.
COPYRIGHT
It is the sole responsibility of the filmmaker to ensure that they own full copyright to the submitted film. Filmmakers must clear all content of any actual or potential legal claims and obtain express permission from all parties involved in the production. FSA reserves the right to disqualify any film containing unauthorised copyrighted or trademarked material. In the event of any claim, dispute, or legal proceeding arising from such use, the filmmaker shall fully indemnify FSA against any resulting liability, fees, or expenses.
