April 2025 Events

Time is running out! Don’t miss your chance to attend the AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Francis Ford Coppola on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Alumni tickets, available at a special price of $175, include access to a private reception and Mezzanine 2 seating. RSVP by April 11 to secure your spot! In honor of the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award, each ticket includes a $50 tax-deductible donation to support scholarships at the AFI Conservatory, empowering the next generation of filmmakers.

BUY TICKETS

AFI FEST Presented by Canva returns to the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood from October 22–26, 2025, celebrating bold, transformative stories from groundbreaking artists. Submissions for live action, animated and documentary short films are still open. AFI FEST is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an Academy Award® and BAFTA-qualifying festival. To receive a submission fee waiver as an AFI Conservatory Alum, please email fest.programming@AFI.com.

Short Film Submission Dates

• Official Deadline – April 12, 2025
• Final Deadline – May 31, 2025

SUBMIT YOUR FILM

Join us on Tuesday, April 15 at 5 p.m. at the Lawrence Herbert Alumni Center where AFI Producing Alum Selina Ringel (AFI Class of 2014), an award-winning filmmaker who writes, produces, and stars in her own projects, will present an actionable, motivational guide that tackles everything you need to know (and how you should think) about making your first feature film. Regardless of where you are in your career, Selina will teach you how to bring your projects to life and will give you the most important tools that filmmakers need to succeed:

• The relentless mindset needed in creative industries
• How to get funding – and how to get things done without it
• How to build and steer the right team into the station
• How to find joy and fulfillment in the process

Join us for a conversation, reception and book signing!

RSVP TODAY