Festival start: 01 August 2026
Festival end: 31 August 2026
The American Motion Pictures Festival (AMPF) is a celebration of identity, movement, and memory—showcasing films that reflect the experience through the eyes of diverse creators. The festival provides a platform for voices that explore heritage, belonging, transformation, and the intersections of cultures.
Georgia ranks #1 in film production, with $2.6 billion spent in FY 2024, $11 billion over the past 3 years, and 273 productions spanning features, episodics, commercials, and music videos.
The region offers over 5.6 million sq ft of soundstage space—second in the U.S. only to California, projected to reach 7 million sq ft by 2025.
Major studio complexes such as Trilith Studios (400-acre site with 32 stages) and Tyler Perry Studios (12 iconic soundstages) anchor local infrastructure.
By situating the American Motion Pictures Festival in this dynamic ecosystem, we offer filmmakers a launchpad within the fast-growing place where multicultural narratives thrive amid world-class production capabilities.
Held monthly and annually in Greater Atlanta, the festival features a curated selection of narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and experimental films from across the United States and around the world.
Now Accepting Submissions
We invite filmmakers, actors, producers, and storytellers from all backgrounds to submit their works. Whether you're an emerging voice or an established artist, this is your opportunity to share bold, meaningful, and underrepresented stories with engaged audiences and industry professionals. We welcome films in any language, with a strong emphasis on cross-cultural perspectives, hybrid identities, and unique storytelling.
Selected films will be featured in a vibrant program including:
⦿ Screenings
⦿ Filmmaker Q&As
⦿ Panel discussions
⦿ Industry networking events
⦿ Community outreach
Because America isn't one story. It's a thousand passages. Let yours be one of them.
American Motion Pictures Festival Awards
The American Motion Pictures Festival honors outstanding work in storytelling, filmmaking craft, and cultural resonance. The festival presents Monthly Awards through its year-round screening series and culminates in an Annual Festival where top films compete for Grand Jury honors.
Submission Window
Submissions are open every month from the 1st to the last day of the month. Films submitted during a calendar month are evaluated by our Closed Jury, and winners will be announced by the 15th of the following month.
Monthly Awards
Each month, our jury selects the following for each official category:
WINNERS
FINALISTS
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS
Monthly winners and finalists automatically qualify for nomination in the Annual Grand Jury Award categories and are considered for inclusion in the flagship annual festival.
Winners Receive:
Prominent features on our website and social media
A custom festival laurel and specialized award certificate
Trophies can be obtained for a nominal fee.
12 Monthly Winners. 12 Months of Global Recognition.
At ACE, we believe powerful stories should travel far. Our monthly winners receive year-round promotion and a pathway to be showcased globally through screenings, awards, and digital visibility.
Annual Grand Jury Prizes
Awarded to the most powerful and resonant all categories films across genres and geographies.
Submission Guidelines & Terms:
To ensure clarity and fairness, please review the following terms before submitting your film to this festival:
1. Eligibility: Films must have been completed no earlier than 5 years to be eligible for submission.
2. Language & Subtitles: Films in languages other than English must include English subtitles. Films without subtitles (if required) will be disqualified without refund.
3. International Submissions Welcome: AMPF proudly accepts entries from filmmakers around the world, regardless of nationality or location.
4. Winner Trailers: If your film wins any award, you agree to allow short footage to be featured in AMPF's monthly promotional trailers and festival highlights.
5. Final Screening Qualification: Monthly winners and finalists of each category will automatically qualify for the Annual Screening Event, where they compete for top honors including Film of the Year.
6. Promotional Use: By submitting, you grant AMPF the right to use still frames, posters, and brief clips from your film for promotional purposes across web, social media, and print.
7. No Guarantees or Refunds: Submission does not guarantee acceptance or screening. All submission fees are nonrefundable, regardless of selection status. AMPF reserves the right to modify programming, dates, categories, or venues without prior notice.
8. Organizer Discretion: AMPF reserves the right to change, cancel, or re-schedule festival dates, venues, awards, categories, or programming at its sole discretion, without prior notice or consent from participants.
9. Category Flexibility: The festival reserves the right to introduce new award categories—such as Best Thriller, Best Sci-Fi, Best LGBT+, Best Fantasy, etc.—if deemed appropriate based on submissions. Likewise, AMPF may eliminate any category that does not receive a minimum number of qualified entries in a given cycle.
10. Liability Disclaimer: AMPF, along with its affiliates, partners, vendors, staff, and contractors, assumes no responsibility for travel or attendance-related losses or expenses incurred due to changes in the festival's scheduling, programming, or operations.
Narrative Shorts
Short and Feature Films >10' 60'<
Standard Fee15$ -8% 13.8$ PRO 33% 10.05$
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Submissions deadline
30 Jun 26
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This category features short-form fiction films that deliver compelling stories in concise and creative ways. Whether dramatic, comedic, romantic, suspenseful, or surreal, these films showcase strong storytelling, memorable characters, and cinematic vision—often within just a few minutes. We welcome narrative shorts from all genres that demonstrate originality, emotional impact, and directorial excellence.
Narrative Features
Feature Films >60' 180'<
Standard Fee15$ -8% 13.8$ PRO 33% 10.05$
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Submissions deadline
30 Jun 26
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This category highlights full-length fiction films that bring stories to life through compelling characters, dynamic plots, and bold artistic vision. From intimate dramas to sweeping epics, grounded realism to genre-bending fiction, these films showcase the breadth and depth of narrative cinema today. We welcome submissions from filmmakers who push boundaries, challenge norms, and offer fresh perspectives—whether through language, structure, or theme.
Documentary Features
Short and Feature Films >30' 180'<
Standard Fee15$ -8% 13.8$ PRO 33% 10.05$
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Submissions deadline
30 Jun 26
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This category showcases powerful, full-length nonfiction films that explore truth, uncover stories, and provoke thought. From deeply personal journeys to bold investigations, these documentaries reflect a wide spectrum of real-world subjects—culture, history, politics, identity, the arts, and beyond. We celebrate filmmakers who use the documentary form to inform, inspire, challenge, and connect audiences through vivid storytelling, cinematic craft, and authenticity.
Documentary Shorts
Short Films >1' 30'<
Standard Fee15$ -8% 13.8$ PRO 33% 10.05$
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Submissions deadline
30 Jun 26
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This category honors short-form nonfiction films that illuminate real stories, real people, and real perspectives. Spanning personal narratives, investigative reporting, cultural profiles, and social justice themes, these films reveal truth through powerful imagery, thoughtful editing, and authentic voice—all within a short format. Whether reflective or urgent, poetic or journalistic, these documentary shorts showcase the art of capturing reality with purpose and impact.
Experimental Films
Short and Feature Films >10' 180'<
Standard Fee15$ -8% 13.8$ PRO 33% 10.05$
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Submissions deadline
30 Jun 26
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Experimental programming highlights avant-garde films that are driven by a re-consideration of the elements of cinema itself. These films often reject traditional narrative structure, redefine filmmaking tools, and seek to convey meaning through unconventional and often abstract applications of the film medium. Experimental films, as we see it, do not have the linear, conventional story structure found in narrative or documentary shorts. If your film does not heavily employ formal experimentation and non-narrative tools, it may not belong in this category.
Animated Shorts
Short Films >10' 30'<
Standard Fee15$ -8% 13.8$ PRO 33% 10.05$
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Submissions deadline
30 Jun 26
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A celebration of imagination in motion, this category showcases short films that use animation in all its forms—2D, 3D, stop-motion, mixed media, or experimental styles. Whether abstract or story-driven, whimsical or profound, these films explore the limitless possibilities of animated storytelling. From visual artistry to emotional depth, these shorts highlight the technical skill and creative vision of animation artists from around the world.
Compact Film (Under 10 minutes)
Short Films >1' 10'<
Standard Fee15$ -8% 13.8$ PRO 33% 10.05$
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Submissions deadline
30 Jun 26
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This category celebrates the power of storytelling in its most compact form. Open to all genres—narrative, documentary, experimental, or animation—these short films demonstrate creative impact, emotional resonance, and technical excellence in under 10 minutes. Whether it's a striking visual poem or a tightly woven plot, these films prove that big stories can come in small packages.
Best Actress
Short and Feature Films
Standard Fee15$ -8% 13.8$ PRO 33% 10.05$
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Submissions deadline
30 Jun 26
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This award recognizes an outstanding performance by a lead female-identifying actor demonstrates exceptional emotional depth, authenticity, screen presence, and the ability to elevate the story through their craft in a short or feature-length film. Performances from all genres are considered, and nominations may include emerging talents as well as established professionals. The Best Actress winner is selected by our jury and honored as part of both monthly recognitions and the annual Grand Jury competition. ATTENTION: All submissions to this category require the name of the person you are registering to the category. You can send us the name with the cover letter.
Best Actor
Short and Feature Films
Standard Fee15$ -8% 13.8$ PRO 33% 10.05$
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Submissions deadline
30 Jun 26
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This award recognizes an outstanding performance by a lead male-identifying actor demonstrates exceptional emotional depth, authenticity, screen presence, and the ability to elevate the story through their craft in a short or feature-length film. Performances from all genres are considered, and nominations may include emerging talents as well as established professionals. The Best Actor winner is selected by our jury and honored as part of both monthly recognitions and the annual Grand Jury competition. ATTENTION: All submissions to this category require the name of the person you are registering to the category. You can send us the name with the cover letter.
Best Director
Short and Feature Films
Standard Fee15$ -8% 13.8$ PRO 33% 10.05$
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Submissions deadline
30 Jun 26
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This esteemed award celebrates the singular architect behind a compelling cinematic work. It honors the director who exhibits profound artistic integrity, an acute understanding of narrative, and the remarkable ability to translate a vision from script to screen with exceptional precision and emotional resonance. The recipient of this award masterfully guides performances, shapes visual language, and orchestrates every element to create an unforgettable and impactful filmic experience. The Best Director winner is selected by our jury and honored as part of both monthly recognitions and the annual Grand Jury competition.
Festhome holds accountable fees festivals by holding the payment of the fees of most newer festivals until they have viewed the submissions, held their festivals and other methods.
-8%
13.8$
Festhome holds accountable fees festivals by holding the payment of the fees of most newer festivals until they have viewed the submissions, held their festivals and other methods. 