About Atlanta Spotlight Film Awards Film Festival

The Atlanta Spotlight Film Awards takes place on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at the Limelight Theater in Atlanta, GA.

The Atlanta Spotlight Film Awards is a prestigious annual short film competition that honors the best independent films of the year. Selected films are invited to compete live at our year-end event in Atlanta, where winners are chosen by a combination of festival judges and audience voting.

The event celebrates originality, creativity, and storytelling across all genres, offering filmmakers a chance to earn meaningful recognition—including custom crystal trophies, digital awards, and featured promotion. It’s more than an award—it's a spotlight on cinematic excellence.

Our final nominees are announced November 1.  All winners will be revealed at the Awards Presentation at the end of the night in the main theater Saturday, December 6, 2025

Audience members will vote for their favorite films in each category using a mobile-friendly voting system. Voting will be open immediately after the final film in each screening block, and the winners will be announced during the Awards Presentation at the end of the night.

• Single Screening Ticket: $12 – Access to one screening block.
• All-Day Pass: $40 – Unlimited access to all screenings and the Awards Presentation.

Yes, but seating is limited, so we recommend purchasing tickets online in advance to guarantee entry.

 Yes! The venue will have concessions available for purchase, but feel free to bring anything you want.

Yes! The Lounge is an exclusive area for pass holders, filmmakers, and industry professionals to connect.

Yes! All-Access Pass holders can move between screenings in both theaters, subject to seating availability.

Yes! Street Parking available or you can park in the Pencil Factory Flats and see the front desk at the theater for a validation QR code when you arrive. 

Submissions are accepted exclusively through FilmFreeway. Visit our FilmFreeway page to review submission guidelines and deadlines.

The competition is open to short films under 46 minutes in various categories, including Narrative, Documentary, Horror, Comedy, Animation, Experimental, AI-Integrated Films, and more.

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