Dear Asian filmmakers, the Hawai‘i International Film Festival (USA) is accepting films until June 20, 2025.

About the festival:
Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF) presented by Halekulani is thrilled to announce that it has been approved by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards category.

Recipients of HIFF’s Best Short Film Award and HIFF’s Best Made in Hawai’i Short Film Award are now eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film/Live Action Short Film category of the Academy AwardsⓇ.

Eligibility (International Films):
– The festival accepts short (under 40 minutes) and feature films (over 40 minutes). Of any kind of genres, narrative, documentary, experimental, and animation.
– The festival also accepts student films made via Hawaiian Students.
– The festival prioritizes World Premieres and USA Premieres.
– Films should be at least Hawai’i premiere.
– Films must have been completed after January 1, 2024.
– Films must not have had any commercial, theatrical, video on demand, or television play in Hawai’i (Hawai’i premiere requirement). Feature-length films must not have had any public or festival screenings in the state of Hawai’i.
– All films with dialogue in a language other than English must be subtitled in English for Festival presentation.
– Submissions must be made via FilmFreeway.
– Submission Fees and Deadlines:

– Notification Date: August 29, 2025

We recommend filmmakers to read the full Rules and Regulations here: https://filmfreeway.com/HIFF (This is the submission link also)

We remind readers that the 45th Hawai‘i International Film Festival will take place from October 16 – 30, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawai’i.

Looking for a festival distributor? Learn more about our services here

To see other Calls please follow the next link: “Call For Entries”.