Atlanta Shortsfest

The 18th Annual Atlanta Shortsfest returns to 7 Stages Theatre in Little 5 Points for three days celebrating independent short films and the people who make them.

Come discover your next favorite filmmaker, meet the people behind the films, and spend a weekend celebrating short-form storytelling.

Founded in 2010, Atlanta Shortsfest (ATL Shorts) has spent nearly two decades celebrating independent short films and the filmmakers behind them.

Each year, we bring filmmakers and audiences together for three days of short films, filmmaker Q&As, after-parties, awards, and conversations that continue long after the screenings end.

From comedy and drama to horror, documentary, animation, and experimental filmmaking, Atlanta Shortsfest celebrates the many ways a great story can be told in a short amount of time.

You might laugh through one film, be moved by the next, and discover something completely unexpected a few minutes later.

That's what makes short films so much fun to watch.

Atlanta Shortsfest is about more than watching films. It's about bringing filmmakers together, introducing audiences to new talent, and celebrating independent filmmaking in a welcoming, social environment.

Many of our screenings include filmmakers in attendance, giving audiences the chance to meet directors, actors, producers, and other members of the creative teams.

After the films, filmmakers share stories about their productions, answer questions, and talk about the challenges and rewards of making independent short films.

These conversations give audiences a closer connection to the films and the people who made them.

The festival continues beyond the screenings, with filmmaker meetups, after-parties, and late-night gatherings throughout Little Five Points.

These informal events bring filmmakers and audiences together to discuss films, exchange ideas, make new connections, and celebrate independent cinema.

Whether you're attending with your first film or have years of experience, it's a chance to meet fellow filmmakers, make new friends, and enjoy the festival beyond the theater.

Short films deserve more than a quick appearance before a feature.

At Atlanta Shortsfest, they're the main event.

We showcase narrative shorts, documentaries, animation, experimental films, comedies, dramas, horror, and work that doesn't fit neatly into any category.

Some films tell complete stories in just a few minutes. Others use their running time to explore complex characters, unusual ideas, or personal experiences.

We believe short filmmaking is an art form of its own, and our festival gives these films the big-screen experience they deserve.

Each year, Atlanta Shortsfest recognizes outstanding films and filmmakers across a range of categories.

Awards include Best Short Film, Best Director, Best Local Film, Best Comedy Short, Best Drama Short, Best Horror Short, Best Concept, Impact Award, Innovative Vision, and Emerging Filmmaker.

The festival concludes with an awards ceremony celebrating the filmmakers and films that made an impression throughout the weekend.

We're looking for original short films with something to say.

Whether your film is funny, dramatic, unsettling, deeply personal, experimental, or unlike anything we've seen before, we want to see it.

We welcome emerging and established filmmakers across all genres and styles.

Selected filmmakers have the opportunity to screen their films for a live audience, participate in Q&As and festival activities, meet other filmmakers, and compete for festival awards.