Australian feature films and creative documentaries are invited for the 2027 competitive awards edition of AAFF.
The Asian Art Film Festival (AAFF), an international art-cinema festival based in Macao, is inviting Australian feature films and creative documentaries for consideration in its 2027 edition. AAFF is a competitive, award-based festival, with films progressing through review, shortlist, nomination and awards stages.
For the Australian Features Spotlight, the Australian selection team will curate up to five eligible Australian feature films (70+ minutes) for internal recommendation to the AAFF selection committee. Recommended films receive priority viewing and in-depth discussion during the festival’s programming process. Internal recommendation does not guarantee official selection, nomination or an award.
The Australian Features Spotlight is coordinated by INCHFILM, with Ke Liang and Kevin Hewen Qian serving as selection coordinators.
The 2026 Australian selection produced notable recognition at AAFF: Yurlu | Country received a Best Cinematography nomination, while The Wolves Always Come at Night received a Best Documentary nomination and a Jury Award.
“The response to last year’s Australian selection was very encouraging, and it reinforced our belief that there is a meaningful place for Australian independent cinema within AAFF. For 2027, we hope to continue discovering distinctive and artistically ambitious Australian work, and to create another pathway for these films to receive international recognition in Asia.” — Kevin Hewen Qian
AAFF is particularly interested in recent works that explore distinctive visual languages, personal perspectives and innovative storytelling forms. Both narrative and creative documentary features are eligible. Films do not need to be produced in Australia, but for the Australian Spotlight at least one key creative (director, writer or producer) must be Australian.
Competition and awards
The 2027 Main Competition includes awards such as Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Documentary and acting awards. Nominations are scheduled to be announced on 1 March 2027, with the festival and awards ceremony taking place in Macao in May 2027.
Key eligibility
• Running time: minimum 70 minutes
• Premiere date: the film must not have premiered before 1 July 2025
• Nationality: for the Australian Spotlight, at least one of the director, writer or producer must be Australian
• Format: narrative or creative documentary feature
• Rights: the applicant must be the legal copyright holder (or authorised representative) and able to provide relevant copyright documentation upon request
Once a submission has been accepted by the festival, the applicant may not withdraw it from the festival selection process.
How to submit
Filmmakers, producers and authorised rights holders can submit through the Australian Spotlight internal recommendation path:
Australian Spotlight – internal recommendation path
Submissions through the Australian Spotlight are free of charge and handled directly by the Australian Selection Coordinators. Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis, and early submission is strongly encouraged. Please email:
• Screener link (preferably password-protected Vimeo)
• Press kit
○ Short synopsis (150–200 words)
○ Director’s statement
○ Main credits and key creative biographies
○ Country/year of production and premiere information
○ Contact details
Overall AAFF submission deadline: 20 January 2027. Australian Spotlight submissions will be considered on a rolling basis ahead of the festival deadline.
Materials and enquiries should be sent to:
Ke Liang & Kevin Hewen Qian
INCHFILM
Australian Selection Coordinators – Asian Art Film Festival 2027 (on behalf of INCHFILM)
aaff.australia@gmail.com
For more information about the festival, visit: www.aaff.org.mo
About the Asian Art Film Festival
The Asian Art Film Festival (AAFF) is an international film festival centred on art cinema in Macao. It is approved by the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region and organised by the Asian Art Film Association and the Macao International Art Film Association.
AAFF combines curated screenings with a competitive awards programme. The festival’s judging process moves through multiple review stages, followed by shortlist, nomination and awards announcements. Its 2027 programme includes the Main Competition as well as dedicated sections for experimental and avant-garde cinema, rural and regional stories, auteur filmmaking, and films centred on women’s perspectives.
Across its competition and selection programmes, AAFF seeks films that demonstrate artistic achievement, distinctive cinematic language and cultural insight, with particular attention to emerging and independent filmmakers.