Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival

SUBMIT TO
    PAAFF 2025

PAAFF accepts
submissions via FilmFreeway

Important Dates

  •  
  • February 5, 2025
    Submissions Open
  •  
  • March 31, 2025
    Early Deadline
  •  
  • May 19, 2025
    Regular Deadline
  •  
  • June 30, 2025
    Late Deadline
  •  
  • September 12, 2025
    Notification Date
  • November 6-16, 2025
    Festival Dates

ELIGIBILITY

The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival focuses on film and other media by, for, and/or about the Asian & Pacific Islander* diaspora community.

PAAFF accepts films that have at least one person of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in a key creative role (director, DP, producer, writer, actor, etc…) and/or are about the Asian & Pacific Islander diasporic experience in the United States and around the world. PAAFF has historically featured works with themes involving, but NOT limited to, Asian and Pacific Islander diasporic cultures, histories, and experiences.

*Asian & Pacific Islander includes, but is NOT limited to people from and are descended from areas now known as Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia, China, Russia, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, and the Pacific Islands

SUBMISSION CATEGORIES

  • Feature Film (Narrative, Documentary): Fiction or non-fiction film of any genre, principally created by and/or about Asian & Pacific Islander diasporic storytellers. Films eligible for this category MUST have a running time of at least 40 minutes and are expected to present at the festival as a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) or as otherwise discussed.
  • Short Film (Narrative, Documentary): Fiction or non-fiction film (including music videos, episodic, etc…) principally created by and/or about Asian & Pacific Islander diasporic storytellers. Films eligible for this category MUST have a running time under 40 minutes and are expected to present at the festival as a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) or as otherwise discussed.
Read more about submission eligibility on our FilmFreeway page.

RULES & REGULATIONS

  • The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival DOES NOT PAY EXHIBITION FEES.
  • PAAFF accepts films of all premiere statuses, including films that have distribution.
  • If selected for the Festival, filmmakers are responsible for their own print shipping costs. PAAFF will pay for return shipping. DVD/Blu-ray screeners will not be returned.
  • All final works must be completed and shipped 4 weeks before the festival opening or by the date communicated with the festival staff.
  • It is the responsibility of the submission contact to ensure that all requirements are met. The Festival retains the right to disqualify an entry, with no refunded fee, if rules and regulations are not followed.
  • The Festival retains the right to disqualify an entry with no refunded fee if the film contact for a selected film fails to respond to email correspondence from the Festival by deadline.
Read more about our rules and regulations on our FilmFreeway page.
 
PAAFF will provide fee waivers or discounts on a case-by-case basis. We understand the financial restrictions of many artists and are willing to accommodate creators who are in need of some financial relief. As a volunteer-run, arts non-profit, we also operate with limited resources and the entry fees sustain our team’s ability to produce the best possible festival to showcase Asian & Pacific Islander stories. We encourage all artists to evaluate their level of need prior to emailing the Festival and to submit as early as possible for the lowest fees. For those who are in need of financial assistance, please fill out this waiver request form. If approved, our team will reach out through email.
Submit Your film here!

Awards

Jury Awards

  • Best Narrative Feature
  • Best Documentary Feature
  • Best Narrative Short
  • Best Documentary Short

Staff-Picked

  • Vijay Mohan Social Change Award

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