Festival Components
Short Film Showcase
Creative Competitions
Concept Art Challenge
Pantomime Animation Competition
SHORT FILM SHOWCASE
Create and submit your best short film.
Duration: 2 to 10 minutes
Open to Individuals, Students, Studios and Independent Creators
SHOWCASE CATEGORIES
Animated Short Film
2D Animation / 3D Animation / Stop Motion / Experimental Animation
VFX-Based Short Film
Live Action + VFX / CGI / Motion Graphics
Selected films will be screened during AAFF 2026
THIS SHOWCASE IS NOT RESTRICTED BY THE FESTIVAL THEME
CONCEPT ART CHALLENGE
Create a single image representing your vision of Nepal
Submission Deadline
20 September 2026, 11:59 PM
UTC +5:45
Theme
मैले देखेकाे नेपाल
My Nepal, Reimagined
Accepted Formats
Traditional Art, Digital Painting, Matte Painting, 3D Render, Environment Design, Character Design, VFX Concept Design
AI GENERATED ARTWORK IS NOT PERMITTED
ANIMATION COMPETITION
Create an original animation inspired by Nepal
Submission Deadline
20 September 2026, 11:59 PM
UTC +5:45
Theme
मैले देखेकाे नेपाल
My Nepal, Reimagined
Pantomime Animation
NO dialogue required.
(10 to 30 Seconds)
Open to 2D and 3D animation
Acting | Body Mechanics | Emotion | Storytelling
Dialogue-Based Animation
Choose 1 dialogue from the Official Dialogue Package
and create an animation.
Open to 2D and 3D animation
Submission Period: 2 Months
Acting | Lip Sync | Timing | Character Performance
Pantomime Animation
NO dialogue required.
(10 to 30 Seconds)
Open to 2D and 3D animation
Submission Period: 2 Months
Acting | Body Mechanics | Emotion | Storytelling
Dialogue-Based Animation
Choose 1 dialogue from the Official Dialogue Package
and create an animation.
Open to 2D and 3D animation
Submission Period: 2 Months
Acting | Lip Sync | Timing | Character Performance
Exhibition & Screening
Selected works from all categories will be showcased during AAFF 2026.
Why Participate ?
Showcase your talent | Gain recognition | Build your portfolio | Connect with artists | Win awards
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General Questions
AAFF 2026 (AVAAN Animation Film Festival 2026) is a festival celebrating animation, visual effects, concept art, and digital storytelling in Nepal.
The theme for AAFF 2026 is:
“मैले देखेको नेपाल” (My Nepal, Reimagined)
Artists are encouraged to imagine and visualize their own vision of Nepal through animation, VFX, and concept art.
AAFF 2026 will take place in October 2026.
Detailed dates and venue information will be announced soon.
Anyone with an interest in animation, VFX, concept art, or digital storytelling may participate.
This includes:
Students
Independent Artists
Freelancers
Animation Studios
VFX Studios
Creative Professionals
Yes.
The entry fee is NPR. 500. AVAAN members are exempt from the fee and can submit their entries free of charge.
Not a member yet? Sign Up for our Membership today and submit your film for free.
Yes. Both Nepali and international participants are welcome unless otherwise specified in the competition guidelines.
Short Film Showcase
The Short Film Showcase is a non-competitive screening program where creators can submit their animated or VFX-based short films for public screening during AAFF 2026.
No.
The showcase is intended to celebrate and share creative work. There are no rankings or awards for showcase submissions.
There are two showcase categories:
Animated Short Film
VFX-Based Short Film
Films must be between:
2 minutes and 10 minutes including credits.
No.
The Short Film Showcase is open-themed.
Participants may submit any original story or subject matter.
Yes.
Both individual creators and studios may participate.
Concept Art Challenge
Participants create a single artwork inspired by the festival theme:
“मैले देखेको नेपाल” (My Nepal, Reimagined)
The artwork should represent the participant’s vision of Nepal.
Accepted mediums include:
Traditional Art
Digital Painting
Matte Painting
3D Rendering
Environment Design
Character Design
VFX Concept Design
No.
AI-generated artwork is not permitted.
Participants must create original artwork themselves.
Submission limits will be announced in the official competition rules.
Yes.
Selected artworks will be showcased during the AAFF 2026 exhibition.
Yes.
Winners will receive awards and prizes.
Details will be announced later.
Animation Competition
The Animation Competition invites participants to create original animations inspired by the festival theme.
Both 2D and 3D animation are accepted.
Participants may enter:
Pantomime Animation Competition
Dialogue-Based Animation Competition
Yes.
Participants may enter one or both categories.
Pantomime Animation Competition
A pantomime animation tells a story through movement, acting, and emotion without relying on dialogue.
Animations must be between 10 and 30 seconds
Yes.
Entries must reflect the theme:
“मैले देखेको नेपाल” (My Nepal, Reimagined)
Yes.
Sound effects and music are permitted.
Dialogue is not required.
Dialogue-Based Animation Competition
AAFF will provide a selection of dialogue clips.
Participants choose one dialogue and create an animation based on it.
Yes.
Different interpretations are encouraged.
No.
Only the official dialogue clips provided by AAFF may be used.
The animation length should match the provided dialogue clip. Additional guidelines will be announced with the dialogue package.
Submission Questions
20 September 2026, 11:59 PM UTC +5:45
Updates may be allowed before the submission deadline. Details will be provided in the submission guidelines.
Accepted file formats and technical requirements will be announced before submissions open.
Participants retain ownership of their work.
By submitting, participants grant AAFF permission to screen, exhibit, and promote the submitted work in connection with the festival.
Entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges based on creativity, originality, storytelling, artistic quality, technical execution, and interpretation of the theme.
Follow AAFF’s official website and social media channels for announcements, deadlines, and festival news.
Yes.
Participants may enter multiple categories and competitions.
For example, a participant may submit:
A Short Film Showcase entry
A Concept Art Challenge entry
A Pantomime Animation Competition entry
A Dialogue-Based Animation Competition entry
As long as each submission meets the requirements of its respective category.
Yes.
Submissions may be created by individuals or teams unless otherwise specified in the category guidelines.
3D Animation Questions
Yes.
Participants are encouraged to use their own original models, rigs, environments, and assets.
Yes.
Participants may use free-to-use assets, models, and rigs obtained from legitimate sources, provided that:
The asset’s license permits such use.
Proper credit is given to the original creator when required by the license.
The participant has the legal right to use the asset.
Yes.
Commercial assets may be used if the participant holds a valid license to use them.
No.
Judging will focus primarily on:
Animation Quality
Acting and Performance
Storytelling
Creativity
Theme Interpretation
Technical Execution
Participants are encouraged to focus on creating the strongest animation possible.
Yes.
Participants may modify assets and rigs where permitted by the original license.
Yes.
Any third-party assets, rigs, models, audio, or other materials that require attribution must be properly credited during submission.
Failure to provide required attribution may result in disqualification.
Originality & Fair Use
Not necessarily.
Participants may use legally obtained third-party resources, such as:
3D Models
Character Rigs
Textures
Sound Effects
Music (with appropriate rights)
However, the creative work being evaluated—such as the concept art, animation, storytelling, performance, and artistic execution—must be the participant’s own work.
No.
To promote artistic skill and creative craftsmanship, AI-generated visual content is not permitted in competition submissions.
This includes AI-generated:
Artwork
Concept Art
Character Designs
Environments
Animation
3D Models
Rendered Images
Participants must create or legally source their assets through traditional artistic and production methods.