A Festival built on access

The American International Short Film Festival champions new voices in short film and creates the access that moves their work forward.

Over four days high above Los Angeles at City Club, emerging storytellers from around the world screen their films and meet the people who decide what gets made next.

Why short film

Short film is where the industry finds its next directors. What used to take years now happens fast, and a short can lead straight to a feature. We exist to put the filmmakers making that leap in front of the people who can make it happen.

In partnership with the alliance of women directors

We’ve partnered with the Alliance of Women Directors, who share our commitment to access, to open more doors for emerging directors.

The festival

Selected films screen in a private-club setting on the 51st floor of City National Plaza, presented with the seriousness the work deserves. AISFF is a registered 501(c)(3).