The American Film Institute (AFI) announced on Thursday the dates for AFI Fest 2023.
The 37th edition of the Institute’s annual festival will take place exclusively in person on Oct. 25-29 2023 at the TCL Chinese Theatre. The five-day festival will include red carpet galas, special screenings, world cinema, documentaries and short films.
“As we look ahead to AFI FEST, we are reminded of the power of film festivals to immerse, to inspire and to bring us together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “We look forward to shining a proper light upon films from around the world that move us and to celebrating the artists that lead the way to a brighter future.”
Entries for the AFI Fest 2023 Short Film Competition program open Thursday, and filmmakers are invited to submit fiction, documentary, experimental and animated short films. Short film submission deadlines include an early deadline of March 2, 2023, an Official Deadline of April 13, 2023 and a Final Deadline of June 1, 2023.
Films under 40 minutes count as short films, and those 40 minutes or longer are considered Feature films. AFI Fest will not be accepting submissions in the features category.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI Fest as a qualifying festival for the Live Action, Animated and Documentary Short Film categories for the annual Academy Awards.
AFI Fest 2022 included the Opening Night World Premiere of “Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me,” the United States premiere of Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” and red carpet premieres of “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths,” “Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio,” “The Son” and “Living.” 2022’s festival presented 125 films from 31 countries – 53% directed by women – with in-person screenings in the heart of Hollywood and select virtual screenings available for a national audience.