Austin Film Festival

Overview

The Austin Film Festival (AFF) is an Academy Award-qualifying festival held annually in Austin, Texas. Founded in 1994, the 33rd edition runs October 29 to November 5, 2026. AFF operates with a dual identity: a film competition and a screenwriting conference. The 4-day Writers Conference runs alongside the film program, featuring 50+ panels with producers, agents, managers, development executives, and working writers. In 2025, conference guests included Rian Johnson (Knives Out), Christopher McQuarrie (Mission: Impossible Fallout), Yvette Lee Bowser (Living Single), and Christine Vachon (producer, Killer Films).

AFF is included in MovieMaker's Top 50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee for 2025. The festival does not invite films into competition. Only submitted films are considered, and the festival does not waive entry fees, believing that waiving fees hurts the integrity of the competition. Student, alumni, and bulk submission discounts are available.

For filmmakers: AFF accepts film submissions via FilmFreeway across Narrative Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Animated Short, Dark Matters Feature, Comedy Vanguard, and Narrative Student Short categories. Film submission fees range from $50 to $95 depending on category and deadline. The festival is Academy Award-qualifying in Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short. Feature films must be at minimum a Texas premiere. Short films must be at minimum an Austin premiere. Films must have been completed after January 1, 2025. AFF screens films as digital files only (no DCP, Blu-Ray, or HD-CAM). Selected films screen twice during the festival.

For screenwriters: AFF runs one of the most recognized script competitions in the United States, with categories in Feature Screenplay, Short Screenplay and Teleplay, Scripted Digital Series, Fiction Podcast, and Playwriting. Script competition fees range from $25 to $90. All entrants can opt in to receive free reader comments. Second Rounders, Semifinalists, and Finalists receive discounts on conference registration and access to exclusive panels, workshops, and networking events.

Key Sections and Programs

• Film Competition Categories: Narrative Feature, Narrative Short, Narrative Student Short, Animated Short, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Dark Matters Feature (genre), Comedy Vanguard (genre).
• Script Competitions: Feature Screenplay, Short Screenplay and Teleplay, Scripted Digital Series, Fiction Podcast, Playwriting.
• Writers Conference: 4-day conference with 50+ panels, pitch events, and networking sessions. Accepted filmmakers receive access to the conference.
• Special Screenings: Premieres and events outside the competitive sections.
• Second Chances: Films that deserve wider attention.

Submission Details

Film Competition Deadlines and Fees (2026)

Submissions via FilmFreeway. Winners announced October 31, 2026.

All deadlines are at 11:59 PM Central Daylight Time. Due to submission volume, some categories may fill and close before the posted deadline.

Script Competition Deadlines and Fees (2026)

All deadlines are at 11:59 PM Central Daylight Time. Script competitions may reach capacity before the Late Deadline.

Add-On Categories (Script Competition)

For an additional $30, entrants can opt into: Horror/Sci-Fi Awards, Adult Comedy, Animated Series Fellowship (presented by Starburns Industries), Josephson Entertainment Screenwriting Award, Josephson Entertainment Teleplay Award, and The Donners' Company Screenwriting Award.

Film Eligibility Requirements

• Films must have been completed after January 1, 2025
• Films must be available for screening during October 29 to November 5, 2026
• Feature films must be at minimum a Texas premiere
• Short films must be at minimum an Austin premiere (films that have played theatrically in Austin prior to October 29, 2026 are not eligible, including SXSW, Fantastic Fest, and other Austin-based festivals)
• AFF prefers World, North American, and US premieres; all things being equal, will often program a film that has not yet had a release over one that has played at several festivals
• All films must be in English or have English subtitles at the time of submission
• Submissions must be online streaming video via FilmFreeway or a password-protected streaming URL (DVD submissions no longer accepted)
• AFF screens films as digital files during the festival (no Blu-Ray, HD-CAM, or DCP)
• Films previously submitted to AFF in prior years may be resubmitted if they meet current eligibility

Discounts

• Student Discount: Available for student submissions. Email programming@austinfilmfestival.com for details.
• Alumni Discount: Available for past AFF entrants.
• Bulk Submission Discount: Available for multiple submissions.
• No Waivers: AFF does not waive entry fees under any circumstances.

Awards and Prize Money

AFF awards both Jury and Audience Awards in each film competition category. The film jury comprises prominent filmmakers and producers from companies including Big Indie Pictures, Fifth Season, Film Independent, Echo Lake Entertainment, AMC, and Netflix.

Jury Winners in Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short categories qualify for Academy Award consideration. Audience Awards are also presented across categories.

Script Competition winners receive cash prizes and industry recognition. The Feature Screenplay winner receives a cash prize, and additional awards are presented across all script categories. All competition entrants receive Festival and Writers Conference badge discounts, with increasing discounts for Second Rounders, Semifinalists, and Finalists.

Academy Award Qualifying Status

AFF is accredited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Jury Award winners in Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short categories qualify for Oscar consideration in the following year's Academy Awards. This makes AFF a strategically important festival for short filmmakers pursuing Oscar qualification.

Market and Industry Activity

AFF does not operate a formal film market. Industry activity centers on the Writers Conference, which is the largest screenwriting conference of its kind in the United States. The conference attracts producers, agents, managers, development executives, and working writers who participate in panels, pitch events, and networking sessions. In 2025, participating companies included The Donners' Company, Starburns Industries, Pixar, Wonder Project, The Jackal Group, and AMC.

Accepted filmmakers receive access to the full Writers Conference, providing direct networking opportunities with industry professionals actively seeking new voices and talent. AFF describes itself as a festival that values story above budget or scale, and its competition is focused on creating opportunities for emerging filmmakers.

Festival History

Founded in 1994, AFF was created with a specific mission to support writers and storytellers. The founders recognized that most film festivals celebrate the finished film but give little attention to the writing process. This writer-centered identity has remained central to AFF's character for over 30 years. The festival has grown into a dual-format event combining a film competition with a screenwriting conference, attracting over 32 years of continuous operation.

AFF's long-standing relationship with the Academy is integrated into its film competition, with Academy members serving as competition judges and jurors, and providing organizational and programmatic guidance as AFF board members.

Practical Information for Attendees

• 2026 Dates: October 29 to November 5, 2026
• Location: Austin, Texas
• Duration: 8 days (film program), 4 days (Writers Conference)
• Film Screening Format: Digital files only (no DCP, Blu-Ray, or HD-CAM)
• Selected Films: Screen twice during the festival
• Winners Announced: October 31, 2026
• Submission Platform: FilmFreeway
• Contact for Film Submissions: programming@austinfilmfestival.com
• Contact for Script Competitions: scriptdirector@austinfilmfestival.com
• Official Website: austinfilmfestival.com
• Film Competition Rules: 2026 Film Competition Rules (PDF)
• Film Competition FAQ: 2026 Film FAQ (PDF)

Past Winners (Audience Award - Narrative Feature)

Recent Austin Film Festival winners and where the films landed:

• 2023: *American Fiction*, dir. Cord Jefferson. Won the Audience Award for Narrative Feature. Won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 96th Academy Awards. Distributed by Amazon MGM Studios. Grossed over $20 million worldwide.

Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up

AFF has launched films through its competition and conference. Selected premieres and their outcomes:

• *Match Me If You Can* - Originally won the AFF 2008 Comedy Screenplay Competition (as eLove). Distributed by Vertical Entertainment. Streaming on Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime. A romantic comedy that demonstrates AFF's ability to launch commercial projects from its screenplay competition.
• Clara (2018) - Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature. Distributed by Screen Media. Premiered at Toronto. A sci-fi romance that demonstrates AFF's openness to genre films alongside its writer-focused programming.
• Backseat (2005) - Audience Award winner. Distributed by Truly Indie. An indie comedy that launched through AFF's audience award pipeline.
• *Adios and Goodbye* - 2020 Enderby Entertainment Award winner. Led to writer Jonathan Easley landing an agent and his script Red Right Hand going into production with Orlando Bloom. Demonstrates AFF's career-launching power for screenwriters.

Submission Tips Specific to AFF

1. No fee waivers. AFF does not waive entry fees, believing it hurts competition integrity. Budget for the full fee when planning your submission strategy.
2. Texas premiere required for features. Features must be at least a Texas premiere. If your film has screened publicly in Texas before the festival, it is ineligible.
3. Oscar-qualifying for shorts. AFF is accredited by the Academy. Jury Award-winning shorts are eligible for Oscar consideration. This makes AFF one of the most valuable short film festivals for Oscar campaign strategy.
4. Multiple categories. Narrative Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Animated Short, Dark Matters (genre), Comedy Vanguard, and Digital Series. Choose strategically based on your film's genre and format.
5. The Writers Festival. AFF is known as The Writers Festival and hosts the largest screenwriters conference globally. If you are a screenwriter, the conference and screenplay competition are as valuable as the film festival. The festival was the first organization to focus on writers' contributions to film and television.

Industry Reputation Notes

• The Writers Festival. AFF is recognized as having the premiere script competition in the world and hosts the largest screenwriters conference globally. Founded in 1994, it was the first organization to focus on writers' contributions to film and television.
• Named top festival worth the entry fee. AFF has been named one of MovieMaker Magazine's 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee for 11 consecutive years, making it one of the most consistently recognized festivals for value.
• Career launcher for screenwriters. AFF has a proven track record of launching screenwriting careers. Multiple competition winners have landed agents, sold scripts, and had films produced as a direct result of AFF exposure.
• Comparison to Sundance and SXSW. Sundance (January) is the premier US independent film festival. SXSW (March, also in Austin) is the premier US festival for tech, music, and film convergence. AFF (October) is smaller and more writer-focused, with a unique niche in screenwriting that neither Sundance nor SXSW fills.

See Also

For screenwriting career guidance, see Screenwriting Essentials. For festival submission strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. Use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator to evaluate the cost-benefit of submitting to Austin and other festivals.