Screen Focus
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Film Categories

Submit Your Film to AILIFF Festival Categories

Competition Categories

Main Competition

  • Short Films (Less than 40 minutes)
  • Narrative Features (Above 40 minutes)
  • Narrative Feature (Above 40 minutes)
  • Documentary Films (Any length)
  • Experimental Films (Any length)
  • Student Films (Any length)
  • Animated Films (Any length)
  • Horror / Science Fiction / Genre Feature Film (Above 40 minutes)
  • Family/Children Films (Any length)
Special Focus

Thematic Categories

  • Women's Films (Any length)
  • Film on Women (Any Length)
  • LGBT Film (Any length)
  • Films on Disability Issue (Any length)
  • Film on Nature / Environment / Wildlife (Any length)
  • Film on Religion (Any length)
  • Free Speech (Any length)
  • Educational Film (Any length)
  • Travel Film (Any length)

Digital & New Media

  • • Drone Films (Any length)
  • • Web and New Media (Any length)
  • • Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) and 360° Video
  • • Mobile Film (Any length)
  • • One Minute Film
  • • Micro Movies
  • • Selfie Video

Filmmaker Categories

  • • Young Filmmaker (Under 18) (Any length)
  • • Debut Filmmaker (1st or 2nd Film) (Any length)
  • • Amateur Film
  • • Silent Film (Any length)
  • • Postmodern Films (Any length)

Genre Shorts

  • • Crime Short (Less than 40 minutes)
  • • Romantic Short (Less than 40 minutes)
  • • Comedy Short (Less than 40 minutes)

Screenwriting

  • • Short Script
  • • Feature Script
  • • Treatment / Synopsis

Broadcast & Commercial

  • • Television / Pilot Program or Series
  • • Commercial / Advertisement
  • • Music Video (Any length)
  • • Trailer/Teaser (5 minutes or less)

Visual & Design

  • • Film/Video Poster
  • • Photography (Photos from film set included)
  • • Performing Arts

Technical & Craft Awards

Best Director (Any Length)
Best Cinematography (Fiction & Documentary)
Best Editing (Fiction & Documentary)
Best Sound Designing (Fiction & Documentary)
Best Actor (Fiction)
Best Actress (Fiction)
Best Supporting Actor (Fiction)
Best Supporting Actress (Fiction)
Best Film Score – Soundtrack
Best VFX Artist
Best Producer
Submit Your Film

Ready to showcase your work? Submit to multiple categories and increase your chances of recognition.

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Festival Information

Important Dates & Submission Guidelines

Early Bird Deadline

March 31, 2026

Save on submission fees

Reduced rates for all categories

Open Now Submit Now
Regular Deadline

May 31, 2026

Standard submission period

All categories open for submission

Open Now Submit Now
Late Deadline

June 30, 2026

Final opportunity

Last chance submission with late fees

Coming Soon Learn More
Festival Dates

August 15-20, 2026

Chennai, India

6 days of screenings, workshops & networking

Save the Date View Schedule