The After Hours Film Society invites all students to participate in "anim8," our 21st annual student film festival. In order to make this year’s fest exceptionally challenging, we are asking entrants to create an animated or experimental film with a running time of 8 minutes or less for our consideration. All submissions will be judged by film professionals and educators who have a knowledge of and respect for creativity, originality, ambition and determination. Winning entries will be screened and generous cash prizes will be awarded at the After Hours Student Film Festival tentatively scheduled for October 2024 Again the entry deadline is Saturday, June 15, 2024.

Featured image courtesy of Kieran Fitzgerald from his film, "The Mercenary Magpie"

The After Hours Film Society will award up to $3,000.00 in cash prizes to students with consideration given to genre and level. Prizes will be awarded at the discretion of our judges. All decisions will be final.

GUIDELINES

1. Film entrant must be a STUDENT of any age.
2. All films must be submitted in the English language. If produced in languages other than English, they must be subtitled or dubbed.
3. Eligible entries may not exceed 8 minutes in length.
4. Only Animated and/or Experimental films will be considered.
5. Films must have been completed between January 2021 and June 2024 while the filmmaker was a full or part-time student of amateur status. No paid commercial, theatrical or TV releases will be accepted.
6. Entry deadline: June 15, 2024. Late deadline July 13, 2024.)
7. Winners will be selected by a panel of film educators and professionals.
8. Winners agree to participate in the publicity for the After Hours Film Society as well as other promotional events including the AHFS web site.
9. Best of Show, Awards of Excellence, Awards of Merit winners and Finalists will be screened at a special After Hours program as long as a download link is provided (see Item 10). The judges have to right to decide to show a portion of a film rather than the entire film if time becomes an issue.
10. In order to preserve the integrity of the program, winning students must respond to download requests, if applicable. Films may also be submitted through Google Drive (with all restrictions removed for one week) or uploaded to WeTransfer.com and sent to info@afterhoursfilmsociety.com.
11. The determination of the winners is final.

RULES

1. Entry Fees are $10 per submission and are non-refundable.
2. Entry Deadline is June 15, 2024. (Late deadline July 13, 2024.)

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Wonderful festival and kind people who work behind the scenes! Thank you!

    December 2021
  • Really amazing experience and great honor that my first animation could be selected and als award.

    December 2021
  • It was such an honor to have my film “Switcho” selected as an award winner at the 2021 Anim8 Student Film Festival. The virtual festival showcased an impressive array of student films that touched on a wide variety of topics. Everyone behind the scenes did a fantastic job. Many thanks to Deborah and the team of organizers and judges at the After Hours Film Society.

    December 2021
  • Jing Sun

    It has been the second time Anim8 Student Film Festival included my film!!! This time it's excellent award! I do appropriate we could have this special platform for Student filmmakers!!! It's very important for beginners like us! It's my glad my film could be a part this film festival at early stage of my career! Thank you so much + Congrats to all the filmmakers included (*^▽^)/★*☆

    October 2019