The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) is now accepting film and media submissions for the 42nd anniversary of CAAMFest! The festival is currently scheduled for May 9 - 19, 2024. Please check back as dates may change.

CAAMFest (presented by the Center for Asian American Media) is one of the nation’s largest and enduring showcases for Asian and Asian American talent in film, food, music, and ideas. Since 1982, the annual festival has been an important launching point for Asian American independent filmmakers.

CAAMFest 2024 will be an in-person festival experience in the San Francisco Bay Area that includes a dynamic curation of film screenings, live performances, and culinary experiences that dive deep into illuminating the nuances of our vast and diverse diaspora.

“Our stories have the power to catalyze the public imagination, build socio-cultural movements, and influence political decisions in a way that shapes and defines our future and the world we want to live in,” says Thúy Trần, CAAMFest Festival & Exhibitions Director returning for their 3rd year at the helm.

In addition to film submissions, CAAMFest will be accepting proposals for digital and interactive media projects that can include virtual and augmented reality, multimedia performances, immersive art, and site-specific installations. We encourage filmmakers AND artists to apply. Please read below for our eligibility requirements.

With the ongoing pandemic, we will continue to monitor state and local public health guidance as we plan for 2024. Check back for more updates or follow our social media on Facebook, Twitter/X, or Instagram.

Filmmakers and artists can submit online using FilmFreeway. For questions or more information about the Call for Entries, please contact the Festival team at festival@caamedia.org.

ABOUT CAAM
For over 40 years, CAAM (Center for Asian American Media) has been dedicated to presenting stories that convey the richness and diversity of Asian American experiences to the broadest audience possible. As a nonprofit organization, CAAM funds, produces, distributes, and exhibits works in film, television, and digital media. For more information about CAAM, please visit www.CAAMedia.org.

List of CAAMFest 2024 awards

JURIED AWARDS INCLUDE:

NARRATIVE FEATURE
- This award highlights the diversity and ingenuity of modern cinema and recognizes excellence in narrative filmmaking.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
- This award highlights a documentary feature that fearlessly captures the challenging reality and surprising beauty inherent to the human experience.

LONI DING AWARD FOR SOCIAL ISSUE DOCUMENTARY (SHORTS ONLY)
- This award was established in the memory of Loni Ding, a founder of CAAM whose spirit and vision for creating media about the Asian American experience remains a legacy. The award recognizes a first-time Asian American filmmaker whose work reflects this spirit and illuminates the experiences of underrepresented communities. The awardee will receive a $1000 prize.

INSPIRASIAN STUDENT FILM AWARD (Undergraduate and Graduate, shorts only)
- Two $1000 prizes will be awarded each to an undergraduate and graduate student enrolled in an accredited university within the United States during the time of production; additionally, students must be a US citizen or hold permanent residency status in the US.

Other:

AUDIENCE AWARD (Narrative and Documentary Feature)
- This award lets you, our audience, honor your festival favorite. Voting takes place during the festival and winners are announced post-fest.

ELIGIBILITY
--- Films and media works of all genres that are primarily made by Asian Americans in principal creative roles are eligible.
--- Films and media works about the Asian American and diasporic experiences are eligible.
--- Films and media works by International filmmakers with subject matter related to the Asian American and diasporic experiences are eligible.

SUBMISSION CATEGORIES

FEATURES (Documentary and Narrative)
--- Running time of at least 41 minutes

SHORTS (Documentary and Narrative)
--- Running time of 40 minutes and under
--- Can include music videos, episodics, etc

DIGITAL AND INTERACTIVE MEDIA PROJECTS
--- Can include games, virtual and augmented reality, site-specific installations, immersive art, etc
--- Can be of any length

ADDITIONAL NOTES

--- We understand that some works can be in multiple categories or defy categorization altogether. Please do your best to choose the category that best fits your work.

--- CAAMFest will consider films that are rough cuts or works-in-progress as long as the work is completed by February 1, 2024. Though we do encourage you to submit as close to the final cut as possible. If you do make an update to your film link after submission, we cannot guarantee that the new version will be considered.

--- Although a Bay Area premiere is strongly preferred for feature length films, we will still consider works of all premiere statuses.

--- All submissions must be digital. We cannot accept DVDs or hard copies.

--- Due to limited capacity, our programming team is not able to offer feedback or notes on your submission.

SUBTITLES
--- All non-English language films with dialogue must have English subtitles
--- English language films with subtitles are appreciated, but not required
--- In an effort to provide greater accessibility for our communities, we will ask if you’re able to provide audio descriptions, open and closed captioning but your response will not impact your eligibility or consideration.

SUBMISSION FEES
--- Multiple entries will be accepted. A separate entry and entry fee is required for each film submission; we do not offer refunds.
--- If you are a CAAMFest alum, meaning that CAAMFest has screened one of your feature or short films in a previous festival, then you are eligible for a fee waiver for ONE submission this year. Please email festival@caamedia.org.
--- A very limited number of discounted submission fees are granted on a case-by-case basis for filmmakers who demonstrate a financial need. Please email festival@caamedia.org for more info.
--- Entrants will be notified of festival selections in early April 2024

ENTRY DEADLINES
Early Bird Deadline: October 23, 2023: $35
Normal Deadline: November 20, 2023: $40
Late Deadline: December 8, 2023: $45

OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS

By submitting your film for consideration, the signatory of submission agrees to the following:

- Signatory has read, understood, and completed all eligibility requirements. To the best of your knowledge, all the information and statements in your submission is true.
- Signatory warrants that all necessary steps have been taken to obtain the rights to use and display the work that is submitted.
- Signatory grants CAAM permission to screen the above-mentioned work at CAAMFest 2023
- Signatory grants CAAM permission to use excerpts and photographic stills from accepted works for promotional purposes. CAAM must be notified in writing of any press and photo restrictions including hold reviews.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Christina YR Lim

    Honestly one of the dopest festivals out there. The vibe is super supportive and CAAMFest creates a great sense of community for filmmakers and their work. Their programming is incredibly thoughtful and they go above and beyond until the very end to care for their artists. We were very thrilled to be a part of CAAMFest this year and can't recommend it enough!

    June 2023
  • Saleem Gondal

    CAAMFest was an amazing experience. It was really special to connect with the local SF Asian American community through the screenings, panels and events. The programmers at CAAM are invested in all the filmmakers who attend and cultivating a spirit of connection and community during the fest. The screenings were powerful and engaging, memorable experiences at the theater I will never forget. Can't recommend it enough.

    May 2023
  • Set Hernandez

    CAAMFest and CAAM itself are some of the most meaningful spaces that showcase the works of Asian American filmmakers and builds community amongst artists. The filmmaker summit hosted such generative conversations and the gatherings/receptions provided space for filmmakers and indsutry leaders to connect. Beyond that, the films showcase during the festival were wonderfully curated. Thank you CAAMFest for having us this year! Yall's team have put so much thoughtful work to this program, and it is deeply felt!

    May 2023
  • I adore the CAAMFest staff and the loving, thoughtful community they’ve built. Thúy, Jess, and Masashi are amazing and gathered and celebrated so many incredible queer AANHPI shorts and artists! Grateful to return to the Bay and my home for my film THƠ to screen in 2022 and my film HEX THE PATRIARCHY to screen in 2023. The staff are absolutely a joy to meet and the films and filmmakers are stellar company.

    May 2023
  • Chris Chan Lee

    One of the best film festivals in the USA. Truly in the business of developing a community and audience for decades. Thuy Tran made a seamless transition as the incoming Festival Director on the heels of amazing predecessors. Incredible attention to detail for the filmmakers' experience.

    June 2022