Milan Arthouse Film Awards is an online seasonal film event. It aims to be one of the leading film festivals for international filmmakers. It is a unique platform for new talent and a celebration of cinematic creativity and innovation. The Festival attracts a broad selection of shorts by filmmakers working in every genre and format and offers the visitors an extraordinary chance to glimpse the future of cinema. The festival prides itself upon providing opportunities for talented directors, producers, writers, actors and crew members from all over the world to learn together and exhibit their work in a stimulating international environment. The festival is open to any film in any genre under 50 minutes in length and especially prioritizes low-budget films of independent spirit and exciting new talent. The Festival aims to provide a cultural alternative to the commercial film experience, support independent filmmakers, and promote the art of filmmaking. It was established to utilize the power of film to further the goal of inter-cultural understanding among nations and to assist in the building of a shared artistic experience. During each season, films submitted to the festvial are judged by our International Jury on their overall artistic and technical quality on a performance scale. The winner films will be selected for online screening.

Awards & Prizes

Best Short Film
Best Documentary Short
Best Sci-Fi Short
Best Horror Short
Best LGBT Short
Best Film on Women
Best Experimental Short
Best Student Short
Best Animated Short
Best Short Short
Best Music Video
Best Comedy
Best Director
Best First-Time Filmmaker
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Script
Best Unproduced Script
Best Comedy
Best Horror

Rules & Terms

Term & Rules

-All films in all genres under 50 minutes will be considered. We consider a short short to be under 5 minutes. Filmmakers certify they have the rights to music used in their films. Please upload a digital screener to FilmFreeway


Requirements
Length: Films need to be 40 minutes or less. We prefer most films sit on the shorter end of that spectrum—the average film we feature is 10 minutes. The longer your film (over 15 minutes), the tougher judges we tend to be.

Premiere Status:
No premiere status is required. So, don’t wait to submit your film.

Rights:
We require films to have all necessary rights and releases secured for us to feature them. Yes, this includes music.

Free to View:
We only select films that are free for audiences.

What We Look For
We look for great stories that brave new territory. We value great characters, interesting new worlds, and stories that surprise us over fancy visual effects, famous actors, or silly one-liners that often feed much of online videos. The best way to understand what we look for is to watch the short films in our collection. You can get a good sense of our taste by looking at what we have curated in the past.

What We Avoid
We have no hard and fast rules. Every film is different and there are always exceptions. In general, though, the following tend to not be a good fit for us

Refund Policy
Unfortunately we cannot refund a submission fee once you’ve submitted your film. Please make absolutely sure you want to submit your film before doing so. As with other festivals, your fee is paid for your film to be considered. By no means does submitting your film guarantee that your film will be accepted for Short of the Week. If your film is not accepted, your submission fee is not refunded. We receive thousands of submissions every year and only few are selected.
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  • Patricia Burke

    I am honored to receive the best animated short award from MFA for The Boy Prince and the Bear, written, directed and produced by Patricia A Burke. Animation by Makenzie Willet. Voice Talent Kathryn Georghiou. Music by Neal Zweig. This was a team effort and we are thrilled to receive this award. MFA is a great venue to showcase your independent films. I will keep submitting all my projects here. Thanks!

    April 2026
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  • Rupert Poeschl

    I am deeply honored to receive this award for our documentary film. As a first-time filmmaker, this recognition is both a humbling surprise and a profound encouragement.
    This award, however, does not belong to me alone. It is, above all, a tribute to the refugees at Dzaleka Refugee Camp and the host community in Malawi whose lives and voices shaped this film. We are grateful for their trust and courage in allowing us to share the Tumaini festival - the only Cultural festival in a refugee camp worldwide.
    To the jury and the organizers, thank you for recognizing the value of refugees story. May this honor serve not only as a celebration of our work, but as a continued call to listen, reflect, and engage with the voices of refugees worldwide.

    March 2026
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  • Listening Raven

    What a great experience! Thank you, Milan Filmmaker Awards. It's inspiring to know there are events such as yours that allow film makers and screenwriters to bring their works to knowledgeable and passionate souls. You are showcasing today tomorrows "next big thing." Even the grandest redwood began as a tiny seed.

    April 2025
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  • Nathan Post

    I am honored to have been selected as a Semi-Finalist in the Milan Filmmaker Awards film festival. If you're looking for a festival with a strong emphasis on independent cinema, this could be a great place to present your artistic creations.

    April 2025
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  • John Shea

    Grazie per l'opportunità. Sono onorato che la mia sceneggiatura, mai realizzata, sia in semifinale.

    April 2025
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