Overview
GATFFEST (Greater August Town Film Festival) is the Caribbean's premier community short film festival. The 14th edition runs May 30 to June 7, 2026, in Kingston, Jamaica, with a Community Film Night opening event on May 16 at Port Royal. The festival is operated by the UWI Community Film Project, based at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona campus. GATFFEST programs Jamaican, Caribbean, and international short films alongside professional development workshops, embassy-sponsored film nights, and a closing awards ceremony.
The 2025 edition (13th staging) screened 34 films from 13 countries, including a record 16 Jamaican short films. The festival opened with Spiritual Resistance, a documentary examining the practice of obeah, which also screened at the Africa in Transition Conference in Ghana. The 2026 edition introduces GATFFEST Rewind, a retrospective presenting 30+ standout films from the festival's archives (2014-2025), with the audience voting for "The Very Best of GATFFEST 2014-2025."
GATFFEST accepts open submissions through its website. The festival is restricted to short films under 30 minutes and requires films to have been produced within the 24 months preceding the festival. For Jamaican and Caribbean filmmakers, GATFFEST is the primary competitive short film platform in the region. The festival's community focus - with free neighborhood screenings alongside paid cinema events - gives selected filmmakers exposure to both industry audiences and general public audiences.
Submission Details
Submissions are made through the GATFFEST website.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Submission Platform | GATFFEST website (gatffest.com) |
| Film Types | Short films only |
| Maximum Duration | 30 minutes including credits |
| Production Date | Within 24 months preceding the festival |
| Categories | Drama, Comedy, Romance, Animation, Documentary, Musical, Science Fiction, Horror |
| Selection Process | Film Review Committee selects and invites films |
| Festival Dates (2026) | May 30 to June 7, 2026 (Community Film Night May 16) |
| Venues | UWI Mona Confucius Centre, Palace Cineplex (Sovereign Centre, Liguanea) |
The festival does not accept submissions that ridicule, demean, incite hatred, or promote violence toward individuals or groups. The Film Review Committee has authority to cancel any submission during the event. Once a film is accepted and announced as part of the festival program, it cannot be withdrawn.
Eligibility and Rules
GATFFEST is a short film festival. Feature films are not eligible. Films must be under 30 minutes in total run time, including credits, and must have been produced within the 24 months preceding the festival. There are no geographic restrictions - both Jamaican and international filmmakers may submit.
The festival's community focus means the programming committee considers social impact alongside artistic quality. The festival's guidelines state that GATFFEST aims for social upliftment and cooperation, and submissions that contradict this spirit may be rejected. This is a meaningful constraint for filmmakers whose work deals with violent or controversial subject matter - the festival is not a venue for exploitation or gratuitously violent content.
Films can be submitted in multiple categories: Drama, Comedy, Romance, Animation, Documentary, Musical, Science Fiction, and Horror. The Film Review Committee makes final decisions on selection and programming.
Program Sections
- GATFFEST Rewind (2026 new section) - retrospective of 30+ standout films from the festival's 2014-2025 archives, with audience voting for "The Very Best of GATFFEST 2014-2025." Ticket price: $5,000 JMD per person. Venue: Confucius Institute, UWI Mona. Date: Saturday, May 30, 2026, 2pm to 10pm
- Community Film Night - free community screening event, opening the festival. 2026 location: Port Royal. Date: May 16, 2026
- Embassy Film Nights - screenings in collaboration with diplomatic partners. 2025 partners included the French, Colombian, and German embassies. These events program films from the respective countries
- CARIMAC Student Film Night - screenings of student work from the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) at UWI Mona
- International Film Night - official selections from outside Jamaica. 2026 venue: Palace Cineplex, Sovereign Centre, Liguanea. Date: Friday, June 5, 2026. Ticket price: $2,000 JMD per person. Three screening reels at 5pm, 7pm, and 9pm
- Jamaican Film Night - official selections from Jamaica. 2026 venue: Palace Cineplex, Sovereign Centre, Liguanea. Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026. Ticket price: $3,500 JMD per person. Two screening reels at 5pm and 8pm
- Awards Ceremony - closing event recognizing excellence in filmmaking. 2025 venue: The Ruins, UWI Mona
- Workshops and Professional Development - training sessions for emerging filmmakers
Past Winners
2025 (13th edition):
- Sonshine directed by Kaleb D'Aguilar - won Best Director, Best Local Film (Lennie Little-White Award), and Best Performer (Kimberly Morris). The 16-minute film follows a grieving mother protecting her safe space from an unwelcome visitor.
- The Last Dance - won the Ian Boxill Award for The Spirit of GATFFEST.
- The Genie - won Best International Film.
2022:
- Timoun Aw (Your Kid) - won the Archibald McDonald Award for Best of GATFFEST, Best International/Regional Film, the Franklyn St Juste Award for Best Directing, and The Spirit of GATFFEST Award.
- Traytown - won the Lennie Little-White Award for Best Local Film and the Jamaican Viewers' Choice Award (tied with Nice Lady).
2019:
- Flight directed by Kia Moses and Adrian McDonald - won 5 awards including the Archibald McDonald Award for Best of GATFFEST, The Spirit of GATFFEST Award, the Franklyn St Juste Award for Best Directing, Best Cinematography, and the Lennie Little-White Award for Best Local Film.
2017:
- The Box directed by Merve Cirisoglu Cotur - won 4 awards including Best International Film, Best Animation, The Best of the Spirit of GATFFEST, and the Archibald McDonald Award for Best Film.
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
- Flight (2019 Best of GATFFEST winner) - after winning 5 awards at GATFFEST, it toured the international festival circuit. It won Best Short Film at the Belize Film Festival and screened at the Toronto Black Film Festival and the Bahamas International Film Festival.
- Sonshine (2025 winner) - after winning at GATFFEST, it screened at the Caribbean Tales Film Festival (CTFF) in Toronto. The film was commissioned by the Commonwealth Foundation through the Caribbean Voices Film Workshop.
- Spiritual Resistance (2025 opening film, directed by Eka Campbell) - after opening GATFFEST, it also screened at the Africa in Transition Conference in Ghana. The documentary examines the practice of obeah and the resilience of enslaved Africans.
- No Entry (2022 winner, directed by Kaleb D'Aguilar) - won Best Cinematography at GATFFEST and Best Student Film at the Cornwall Film Festival, and Best Screenplay at the Little Wing Film Festival.
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
GATFFEST's community focus means the programming committee weighs social impact alongside artistic quality. Films that engage with community stories, social issues, or Caribbean cultural identity will find the most receptive audience. The festival was created to support the UWI Community Film Project and this community orientation remains central to its programming philosophy.
The 30-minute maximum runtime is strictly enforced, including credits. Films must be produced within 24 months preceding the festival. There is no premiere requirement, making it accessible for work that has already screened at other festivals. The festival rejects submissions that ridicule, demean, incite hatred, or promote violence toward individuals or groups.
Embassy Film Nights are curated rather than open-submission. Filmmakers with connections to diplomatic missions in Jamaica (French, Colombian, German embassies in 2025) may propose screenings through embassy collaborations. The CARIMAC Student Film Night features work from current students of the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication at UWI Mona.
Industry Reputation Notes
GATFFEST is the primary competitive short film platform in the Caribbean region. It differs from the Kingston International Film Festival (KIFF), which programs features alongside shorts. Filmmakers with feature films should target KIFF, while short film filmmakers may submit to both festivals. The two festivals run within weeks of each other in June, creating a concentrated festival period in Kingston.
Compared to the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival, GATFFEST has a stronger community development focus rooted in the UWI Community Film Project. The festival's growth from a community event to an international festival with submissions from 13 countries reflects the development of Jamaica's independent film sector. The 2025 edition's record 16 Jamaican short films indicates growing local production capacity.
The festival's partnerships with diplomatic missions create opportunities for international filmmakers whose work is programmed through embassy collaborations. The festival's expansion to include GATFFEST Rewind in 2026 suggests it is building archival and historical programming alongside its competitive sections.
Watch
What Filmmakers Should Know
GATFFEST's 30-minute maximum runtime makes it a short film festival exclusively. Filmmakers with feature films should consider the Kingston International Film Festival (KIFF), which programs features alongside shorts (see below). For short film filmmakers, GATFFEST's open submission process and lack of premiere requirement (films just need to be produced within 24 months) make it accessible for work that has already screened at other festivals.
The festival's ticketed events at Palace Cineplex - International Film Night ($2,000 JMD) and Jamaican Film Night ($3,500 JMD) - are the primary commercial screening opportunities. The free community screenings and embassy nights provide additional exposure without ticket revenue. All-access passes covering all paid events are available for one person.
The festival's partnerships with diplomatic missions (French, Colombian, German embassies in 2025) create opportunities for international filmmakers whose work is programmed through embassy collaborations. These embassy nights are curated rather than open-submission, but filmmakers with connections to these diplomatic missions may be able to propose screenings.
GATFFEST's origin in the Greater August Town community and its operation through the UWI Community Film Project gives it a distinctive community development focus. The festival was created to provide a platform for graduates of the UWI Community Film Project, and this community orientation remains central to its programming philosophy. Filmmakers whose work engages with community stories, social issues, or Caribbean cultural identity will find the most receptive audience.
The 2025 edition's record 16 Jamaican short films indicates growing local film production capacity. The festival's expansion to include a retrospective (GATFFEST Rewind) in 2026 suggests the festival is building archival and historical programming alongside its competitive sections.
Ticket Prices (2026 Edition)
| Event | Price (JMD) |
|---|---|
| GATFFEST Rewind (all-day, May 30) | $5,000 |
| International Film Night (per reel, June 5) | $2,000 |
| Jamaican Film Night (per reel, June 6) | $3,500 |
| Community Film Night (May 16) | Free |
| Embassy Film Nights | Free |
| CARIMAC Student Film Night | Free |
| Workshops | Varies (some free) |
All-access passes covering all paid events for one person are available. Visit gatffest.com for pass pricing and availability.
Major Awards
- Best Film - top jury prize
- Best Jamaican Film - award for top Jamaican production
- Best International Film - award for top non-Jamaican film
- Best Documentary - award for documentary category
- Best Animation - award for animation category
- Audience Award - where applicable
- GATFFEST Rewind Prize (2026) - "The Very Best of GATFFEST 2014-2025," audience-voted from retrospective selections
The 2025 awards ceremony took place on June 8 at The Ruins, UWI Mona. Specific award categories may vary by edition.
Kingston International Film Festival (KIFF)
In addition to GATFFEST, Kingston hosts the Kingston International Film Festival (KIFF), now in its 5th edition. KIFF 2026 runs June 5 to 7, presenting a program of independent films including shorts, documentaries, features, and special screenings. KIFF operates through Eventive for its festival platform.
KIFF differs from GATFFEST in that it programs feature films alongside shorts, making it the primary Kingston-based festival for feature-length work. The two festivals run within weeks of each other in June, creating a concentrated festival period in Kingston. Filmmakers with feature films should target KIFF, while short film filmmakers may submit to both festivals.
Festival History
GATFFEST was founded in 2013 as the Greater August Town Film Festival, born out of the Greater August Town Film Project (now reimagined as the UWI Community Film Project). The inaugural festival ran June 20-23, 2013, at the University of the West Indies and the Palace Cineplex, screening films crafted by community filmmakers from the Greater August Town area.
The festival was created to provide a dedicated platform for graduates of the UWI Community Film Project to screen their work. Over 13 editions, GATFFEST expanded from a community-focused event into a festival with international submissions, embassy partnerships, and professional development programming. The festival's growth reflects the development of Jamaica's independent film sector, particularly in short-form content.
The festival's launch events have been held at the Bob Marley Museum, connecting the festival to Jamaica's broader cultural heritage. The 2025 edition was launched at the Bob Marley Museum with the announcement of Spiritual Resistance as the opening film. The festival's collaborations with CARIMAC (Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication) at UWI Mona reinforce its academic and community development roots.
See Also
Calculate your total festival submission costs and projected return using the Festival ROI Calculator. Estimate your acceptance probability with the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator. For festival circuit strategy and planning, see Film Festival Strategy. For understanding Caribbean cinema markets, see International Film Markets. Submit through the GATFFEST website or visit the KIFF 2026 festival page for Kingston International Film Festival submissions.
