Austin Film Festival
A US festival held annually in October in Austin, Texas, with a unique emphasis on the writer's craft and storytelling, featuring script competitions, panels, and screenings alongside a competitive film program.
Overview
The Austin Film Festival (AFF) is one of the most writer-friendly film festivals in the world. Founded in 1994, the festival operates annually in October in Austin, Texas and is distinctive for its dual identity as both a film festival and a screenwriting conference. While the festival screens films and presents competitive awards, it also runs one of the most respected screenwriting competitions in the United States and hosts intensive panels on the craft of writing for the screen.
AFF's screenwriting conference attracts hundreds of writers, producers, agents, and managers who participate in panels, pitch events, and networking sessions over four days. This conference element gives the festival a unique culture that draws people passionate about the craft of storytelling as much as the finished films.
The festival's relationship with the Austin film community, one of the most active in the United States, gives it a distinctive local flavor. Austin's thriving independent film scene, rooted in the legacy of directors like Richard Linklater and the Alamo Drafthouse culture, provides a receptive environment for adventurous filmmaking.
Key Sections
- Narrative Competition -- feature films competing for jury prizes
- Documentary Competition -- nonfiction features
- Short Film Competition
- Screenwriting Conference -- panels, workshops, and pitch events for writers
- Screenplay Competition -- the festival's prestigious script competition
- Special Screenings -- premieres and events
- Second Chances -- films that deserve wider attention
What Filmmakers Should Know
AFF accepts open submissions for both its film program and its screenplay competition. The screenplay competition is one of the most credentialed in the US, and being named a finalist or winner can generate meaningful industry attention for a script.
The screenwriting conference runs alongside the film program and offers exceptional access to working writers, producers, and executives through panels and networking events. For screenwriters who are also making films, AFF provides a unique environment where both creative identities are valued.
Major Awards
- Grand Jury Prize -- Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary
- Audience Award -- across categories
- Best Short Film
- Screenplay Competition Awards -- across feature, teleplay, and other categories
- Breakthrough Artist Award
Festival History
AFF was founded in 1994 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 that makes films possible. This writer-centered identity has remained central to AFF's character for three decades.
See Also
For screenwriting career guidance, see Screenwriting Essentials. For festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy.
