Inspiring Asia 2026-Other Regions

Inspiring Asia Micro Film Festival 2026
Direct Submission Track – Other Regions

This call is for Direct Submissions—ONLY for participants OUTSIDE the Regional Competitions held in ChinaIndonesiaMongoliaPhilippines, SingaporeThailand, Vietnam , and Hong Kong.

If you are NOT based in one of these regions, you are welcome to submit your entry through this Direct Submission portal.

Anchor Partners

Platform Partners

AI Innovation Partner

THEME: COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT

Inspiring Asia Micro Film Festival 2026 centres on the theme of Community Empowerment, guided by the tagline: Belonging, Resilience, and Thriving.

Community empowerment is the process by which people draw on their collective strengths to shape their futures — bound not by borders, but by belonging, mutual care, and shared purpose. It grows when people come together with trust and commitment to take action, amplify voices often unheard, and build the resilience to thrive with dignity and hope.

Inspiring Asia is a platform that celebrates Asia’s diverse cultures, innovative spirit, and commitment to positive change. In 2026, it will unfold through eight Regional Film Festivals across China, Indonesia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Hong Kong, creating a wider platform for local voices to be seen across Asia.

We welcome submissions from filmmakers, students, NGOs, and changemakers. Whether your work tells a personal story or highlights a community-based project, initiative, or solution, we believe it can raise awareness, inspire action, spark meaningful dialogue, and foster collaborative philanthropy for a better future.

KEY DATES

23 March 2026

Call for Submissions

Call for Submissions Announced

May 2026

Submission Portal Opens (Direct Submission)

6 July 2026

Submission Deadlines

Final Deadline for Direct Submissions

Final Deadline for Direct Submissions

Inspiring Asia Main Phase

Preliminary Round for all categories

Late September 2026

Inspiring Asia Main Phase

Semi Final Round for all categories

25 October 2026

Inspiring Asia Grand Final and Award Ceremony

Location: Manila, Philippines

SUBMISSION AND SELECTION PROCESS

All Direct Submissions will be reviewed centrally by the Inspiring Asia Committee.

The selection process is as follows:

  • Internal Review and Shortlisting
    Selected entries from the Direct Submission pool will be shortlisted based on judging criteria.
  • Inspiring Asia Main Phase
    Shortlisted entries will advance to the Inspiring Asia Main Phase, where they will be evaluated alongside finalists from the Regional Competitions through the Preliminary Round and Semi Final Round.
  • Grand Final and Award Ceremony
    Finalists will compete at the Inspiring Asia Grand Final for top honours. Winners will be announced at the Inspiring Asia Award Ceremony.

AWARD CATEGORIES & PRIZES

For Direct Submissions, entries may be submitted under the following categories:

Best Micro Film Award

  • Recognizes excellence in storytelling, cinematography, and thematic expression.
  • Awarded to the creative team to support their continued contribution to storytelling and social impact communication.


Best AI Film Award

  • Celebrates outstanding AI-generated or -assisted micro films that showcase creativity, storytelling, and social impact.
  • Presented to creative teams to support further practice in AI-driven creation.


Note:

The Best Project Award is not applicable to the Direct Submission track and is only available through the 8 Regional Competitions.

Inspiring Asia Grand Final Award Prizes

All shortlisted entries will compete alongside regional finalists for the festival’s top awards

Best Micro Film Award

USD $50,000

Best AI Film Award

USD $10,000

Best Project Award

USD $100,000

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Film Submission Requirements

  • Format: MP4 / MOV / AVI
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9 widescreen – 720p / 1080p / 4K
  • Duration: 3 to 6 minutes
  • File Size: 100MB – 5GB
  • Language: No restrictions, but non-English films must include English subtitles.
  • Additional Submission Materials
  • Film posters (one landscape, one portrait)
  • Film stills (minimum of three high-resolution images)

Category-Specific Submission Requirements

Best Micro Film Award

  • Film File (meeting technical requirements)
  • Production Team Information: Names and roles of key team members
  • Film Synopsis: Brief description of the story, creative vision, and message
  • Filming details, teaser trailer, technical highlights, director’s statement, etc.

Best AI Film Award

  • Film File (meeting technical requirements)
  • Creator Team Information: Names and roles of key team members
  • Film Synopsis: Brief description of the story, creative vision, and message
  • AI Platform / Tool Used: Identification of the primary AI tools or platforms used
  • Explanation of how AI was integrated into your process

Judging Criteria

Best Micro Film Award

  • Filmmaking Excellence
  • Storytelling
  • Impact
  • Theme Expression
  • Creativity

Best AI Film Award

  • Creativity & Originality
  • Technical Execution
  • Storytelling & Narrative
  • Cinematic Excellence
  • Social Impact & Relevance

COPYRIGHT & LICENSING

Declaration of Accuracy & Submission Rights

  • The participant confirms that all information provided is accurate and that they have the right to submit this film or project on behalf of the production team or organization. The participant understands that the award will be granted to the designated production team or organization, not necessarily the submitter.

 
Copyright & Licensing

  • The participant confirms that they are either the copyright holder or are authorized to submit on behalf of the rights holder(s).
  • The participant grants the Festival a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use the submitted film and materials for non-commercial festival purposes, including review, screening, and promotion (both online and offline).
  • Copyright remains with the original rights holder(s).

Contact Us

contact@inspiringasia.org

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