Southeast Asia International Film Festival (SEAIFF) (4)

Festival start: 01 January 2026      Festival end: 12 December 2026

2026 SEAIFF SUBMISSIONS OPEN FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FILMMAKERS TO GAIN RECOGNITION!

HOLLYWOOD & BAFTA WINNER MATT DEARBORN WELCOMES ALL!

PATTAYA, THAILAND -- Mark Starks of the United States is an award-winning documentarian, and 2026 SEAIFF is proud to welcome him again as we build long-standing relationships with our filmmaker friends from around the world!

From among early submissions worldwide, Mark has followed up last year's award-winning short doc Marilyn the Bookworm with this year's short doc entry--Glaciers: Nature's Resilient Water Towers.

"For generations, glaciers have stood as silent sentinels, vast and seemingly immutable, providing the lifeblood for rivers, ecosystems, and billions of people worldwide," said Mark. "

Yet, as our planet warms at an unprecedented rate, these majestic 'water towers' are receding, revealing a stark and urgent truth: what we once considered permanent is now profoundly vulnerable."

Officially endorsed by the Uniter Nations, "Glaciers" production took Mark to some of the remotest corners of the world, including the Himalayas. "Glaciers" has been honored by the Academy of Film Archive (AFA).

Early entries for 2026 include films from Thailand, USA, China, Russia, Iran, South Korea, China, Dominican Republic, and Asian and European countries as 2026 SEAIFF brings the world together in an artistic collaboration of expression.

In addition, Matt Dearborn continues to serve as festival director. Matt has worked for all the major Hollywood studios as a writer, producer, and director and has won a BAFTA award and earned three Emmy nominations. Matt encourages screenwriters worldwide to contribute to 2026 SEAIFF.

GREATER OPPORTUNITIES: 2026 SEAIFF is now offering greater value for high-quality horror and comedy shorts. For further information about distribution opportunities, please contact Tim at seaiff@yahoo.com.

2026 SEAIFF supports filmmakers of all ethnicities and nationalities. We welcome films from our host nation of Thailand as well as films from all Asian countries. We greatly support international films and those by minorities, feminists, LGBTQ, environmentalists, social activists, and students. We welcome all filmmakers with the passion and skills to bring a new experience to the world!

SCREENING POLICY: SEAIFF has a strict screening policy. As with all festivals, we cannot screen every film. Unlike many festivals, we do not charge a screening fee. However, we only screen in the Pattaya Holiday Inn Movie Theater complex short films by attending filmmakers.

Longer and award-winning films are screened on-line during the festival weekend for attending filmmakers and on-line participants. If you have questions about screening your film, please contact Tim Lee at seaiff@yahoo.com.

Awards & Categories:

All official selections will be eligible for awards, including Best Short Film, Best Screenplay, and SEAIFF jury prizes, along with honors in the following categories:

Filmmaking:

Drama, Comedy, Horror, Action, Musicals, TV Series, Documentaries, Experimental, Music Videos, Animation, Student Films, Influencers, Instructional, and YouTube Programs.


Scriptwriting:

Awards include recognition for Feature Film, Short Film, Feature Documentary, Short Documentary, and Genre Films, as well as special Achievement Awards.


Submissions:

Filmmakers worldwide are encouraged to submit via FilmFreeway, where full guidelines, fees, and deadlines are listed:

Deadline: December 10, 2026

Features: $75

Shorts: $50

For details, visit FilmFreeway or contact Tim Lee, festival coordinator at seaiff@yahoo.com.

Awards & Prizes

CATEGORIES FILMMAKING:
(Features & Shorts)
Drama
Comedy
Horror
Action
Musicals
Television Series
Documentaries
Experimental
Music Videos
Animation
Student Films
Influencers
Instructional
Youtube Programs

CATEGORIES ADDITIONAL:
Scriptwriting

AWARDS:
Feature Film
Short Film
Feature Documentary
Short Documentary
Genre Films
Achievement Awards

Rules & Terms

DEADLINES:

December 12
Features $75
Shorts $50


GUIDELINES:

All ethnicities and nationalities worldwide encouraged to enter motion picture works and scripts.

We strive for fair and impartial judging.

Features are over 60 minutes.

Shorts are under 60 minutes.

Scriptwriting competition follows same fee schedule as feature submissions.

Submissions placed through Festhome fall under its guidelines.

Screening Policy: On the day of the event, we only screen in the movie theater works of attending filmmakers. Short films (plus 30 minutes), feature films, and other award-winning films are screened online for attending parties at the discretion of the filmmaker. We do not charge a fee for screening films. During the year, we conduct early acceptance periods so international filmmakers have additional time to make travel plans.