Audience Choice Award Voting will be held on 18 – 31 August.
| Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| Best Narrative Short Film | Cash worth USD 3,000 |
| Best Animated Short Film | Cash worth USD 3,000 |
| Audience Choice Award | Cash worth USD 2,000 |
| Jury Award (Max. 3) | Cash worth USD 500 each |
| Singapore Spotlight Award (Mediacorp) | SGIFF Industry Passes worth USD 500 |
Click here to download Submissions T&Cs in EN | ID | 繁中 | VI
Submissions are free of charge and are open to all independent Asian filmmakers (referring to directors), even if they are not physically based in their country of origin.
Each filmmaker can submit more than 1 film.
Upon submission, CinemaWorld reserves all rights to use excerpts from all film submissions for marketing and promotional purposes of the competition.
Only films that meet the following criteria are eligible to participate.
Submission Criteria:
If your film is shortlisted:
Your shortfilm will receive continued exposure on CinemaWorld & CinemaSHORT platforms, as well as Mediacorp (Singapore) free-to-air channels up till 31 January 2026.
Films must be submitted by 31 July 2025, 2359, SGT.
Late submissions will not be accepted.
Click here to download Winning T&Cs in EN | ID | 繁中 | VI
Winning films refer to Best Animation, Best Narrative, Audience Choice Award, and Jury Award Winners (if any and a maximum of 3 winners).
Filmmakers of the winning film shall consent to the following:
Winning Films T&Cs:
Filmmakers reserve the right to submit the winning film to film festivals and competitions.
Click here to download File Specifications in EN | ID | 繁中 | VI
Participants will provide a link to their low-res screener with English subtitles according to the Initial Screener File Submission requirements in the initial phase.
In anticipation of being shortlisted, please prepare the film materials according to the Shortlisted File Submission details listed below.
Participants confirmed as shortlisted by the committee must submit their materials within one week of notification.
If the participant fails to submit the required materials within the given timeframe, their shortlisted spot will be forfeited.
Initial Screener File Submission:
Shortlisted File Submission:
If the subtitle is unavailable, please provide a scripts/spotting list in .doc/.rtf format
Artwork poster (in layered PSD file if available)
Submissions are open from 1 May to 31 July 2025, 2359, SGT. Late submissions will not be accepted.
No, submission is free.
Films must be under 20 minutes.
We accept live-action and 2D/3D animation, in line with our award categories.
Yes, English burnt-in subtitles are required. Please check our Submission Terms & Conditions and File Specifications for submission material guidelines.
No, only completed films are accepted. Incomplete submissions will not be considered. Please ensure all required materials are provided.
All results will be announced on all our communication platforms. Follow CinemaSHORT’s Instagram or newsletter to stay updated.
*Only filmmakers of shortlisted or winning entries will be notified via the email provided during submission.*
No, all decisions made by the judges and preselection committee are final and cannot be appealed.
Our pre-selection committee will contact you via email to request a higher-resolution file and other necessary materials. Please be prepared to provide these items promptly to secure your spot.
If your film is shortlisted, it will be placed on our partner streaming platforms where it will be made available for free viewing and voting during the Audience Choice Voting Period.
The competition is open to both emerging and established Asian filmmakers. You do not need to be in your country of origin at the time of submission.
Yes, you can submit multiple films as long as they were produced in 2024 or later.
Films previously screened at festivals, on YouTube, or in cinemas may be eligible. Please check our Submission Terms & Conditions for more details.
Yes, you must secure all necessary rights, including music, stock footage, and script rights.
The theme is Untold Stories: A Glimpse into the Everyday. We encourage filmmakers to get creative with their storytelling!
This year, we’re expanding our recognition of Asian filmmaking talent and introducing a Best Animated Short Film category, alongside the Best Narrative Short Film Award.
To celebrate outstanding Singaporean filmmakers in light of the nation’s diamond jubilee (SG60), we’re also introducing the Singapore Spotlight Award, sponsored by our Official Regional Streamer & Partner, mewatch by Mediacorp.
Josune Hahnheiser is a producer and head of development for Black Forest Films, a company that produces high-quality international feature films.
The company’s portfolio covers a wide range of genres and budgets, and most of its films have premiered at major festivals such as Cannes and Venice.
She is also a freelance script consultant who collaborates closely with the acclaimed writer/director Emily Atef.
Josune was a judge at the CinemaSHORT Asian Short Film Competition 2023.
Phạm Gia Quý is a film director and producer from Saigon and an alumnus of the Savannah College of Art and Design and Asian Producer Network (SGIFF).
He is the CEO and Founder of Spring Auteurs, a Vietnam-based film company dedicated to showcasing local stories on the global stage.
He is producing two period-piece feature films: Portrait of a Misty Sun, set in Indochina, Vietnam, and The Chameleon Woman (Asian Project Market 2024, BIFF), set in Cold War-era Thailand.
Quý’s portfolio includes music videos for Ngọt – “Bartender” and “(Tôi) Đi Trú Đông,” and his film “Vô Thường,” which has been screened at the LA Shorts Film Festival and the Brisbane International Film Festival.
His commitment to authentic Vietnamese narratives and innovative storytelling has earned him recognition in the international film community.
Mark Peregrino, more commonly known online as Mick Pilgrim, is a creative producer by trade and a film enthusiast at heart.
With over 15 years of experience in the media industry, he is currently a Creative Producer, overseeing creative operations in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, and spearheading the production of local promotions, short-form content, and other creative requirements.
Previously, he was the Creative Director for a youth-oriented cable entertainment network in the Philippines, where he oversaw the channel’s brand and program campaigns, broadcast design, and short and long-form production, including local formats such as Project Runway Philippines.
Outside work, he produces short-form content focused on cinema, from movie reviews to thematic watchlists, local film events, and worldwide cinemas.
His vertical videos regularly cover the latest movie releases while also highlighting Asian cinema, queer films, and lesser-known titles.
You can find his creative works on Instagram: @mick.pilgrim
Mayu Nakamura is a Japanese writer/Director who earned an MFA from the Graduate Film Program at New York University.
She makes both documentary and fiction films. She made a directorial debut with a fiction feature, “The Summer of Stickleback” (Busan 2006).
Her documentary “Alone Again in Fukushima 2020” (Yamagata 2020) and her fiction features include “Intimate Stranger” (2021 Tokyo IFF), and “She is me, I am her” (2023 Udine).
Her 2022 psychological thriller Intimate Stranger is also available on CinemaWorld.
Catch her interview exploring the inspiration behind the film on CinemaWorld’s YouTube channel.
Leslie has over two decades of experience and expertise in the entertainment industry in Asia across marketing communications, content curation, channel management, content development, and media distribution.
His career includes spells at MediaCorp (Kids and Arts Central), Viacom (Nickelodeon Asia Pacific), The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia, and Warner Bros Discovery Asia Pacific.
His roles have included programming, operations, brand and franchise management, and content direction for leading brands such as Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Nickelodeon, Nick JR, Pogo, Cartoon Network, and Boomerang.
He also spearheaded the creation of Mickey Go Local and Tom & Jerry In Singapore, two award-winning original animated series that took iconic characters and put them in stories set in Southeast Asia.
He was also the executive producer of the series Lamput for Cartoon Network, which was nominated for an International Emmy Award for Best Animated Series in 2019.
He volunteers his time mentoring media students in various Singapore-based institutes of higher learning and is a board member of Centre 42, a non-profit arts organisation that documents, promotes, and develops playwriting in Singapore.
Director: Jaime Morados
Country: Philippines
Runtime: 17 minutes 38 seconds
Genre: Drama
Language: English
Production Year: 2024
Director: Wendi Tang
Country: China/United States
Runtime: 17 minutes 3 seconds
Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Language: English
Production Year: 2024
Director: Daffa Mangussara
Country: Indonesia
Runtime: 23 minutes 19 seconds
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Language: Bahasa Indonesian
Production Year: 2024
Director: Fish Cheng
Country: Malaysia
Runtime: 8 minutes 5 seconds
Genre: Drama
Language: Chinese, Cantonese
Production Year: 2024
Director: Tedd Felisco
Country: Philippines
Runtime: 12 minutes 19 seconds
Genre: Drama
Language: Filippino
Production Year: 2024
Director: Dhiwangkara Seta
Country: Indonesia
Runtime: 18 minutes
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Coming-of-Age
Language: Bahasa Indonesian
Production Year: 2024
Director: Schantelle Alonzo
Country: United States of America/Philippines
Duration: 4 min 32 sec
Genre: Animation | Drama
Language: English
Production Year: 2025
