SDG Short Film Competition

A student short film competition at the ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards (AIFFA) in Malaysia.

Awards ceremony 12 November 2025

Submit Film
Learn more

About ASEAN UniFest

ASEAN UniFest invites ASEAN university students to make impactful short films that promote awareness, understanding and action around the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It’s an exciting international competition where student films help foster ASEAN-wide awareness, creativity and collaboration for a more sustainable tomorrow. It’s also a chance for winners to network with film professionals — and learn new skills at AIFFA 2025 in Kuching, Malaysia.

Engaging ASEAN students
in sustainability

Presented by the ASEAN Public Relations Network and WorldComm, ASEAN UniFest is a highlight of the prestigious ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards (AIFFA) 2025 in Kuching, Sarawak.

Winners will be celebrated at the ASEAN Unifest Awards Ceremony on 12 November 2025 and can walk the red carpet at AIFFA’s star-studded gala awards night.

Winners can also network with key players in the ASEAN film industry, attend exclusive filmmaking workshops at AIFFA and connect with other young, talented filmmakers from across ASEAN.

Award Categories

Best Film

The overall best film submitted to the festival this year

Advocacy Award​

For Public Service Announcements and films that most effectively communicate and advocate the need for positive change
Best Documentary​
For factual films of real places, people and activities in the field
Best Drama​
For scripted dramatic films that highlight or explore at least one Sustainable Development Goal
Best Mobile Phone Film
The best film shot entirely on a mobile phone
Change Agent Award
For films that showcase impactful work in the field towards an SDG
Best Cinematography
The film with best camerawork and visual storytelling
Environment Action Award
For films that show practical ways to take better care of our planet

Thursday, 15th May 2025

Submissions for The 2nd ASEAN UniFest SDG Short Film Competition are now open!

Any active student at any ASEAN university can submit their short film to ASEAN UniFest.

Click here to submit

Entry Submission Deadline
17 October 2025 at 23:59 (GMT +7)

Judging
18 October – 31 October 2025

Shortlist Announcement
1 November 2025

ASEAN UniFest Award 2025
12 November 2025

  1. Check out the UN’s 17 SDG goals
  2. Make a film that’s related to at least one of the SDG goals, in any of these categories:
    • Dramatic short – scripted dramas in which actors play characters.
    • Documentary short – films of real people and real life in the real world.
    • Animated short – animated films in any genre
    • Public Service Announcement – films intended to educate the public about an issue and encourage positive change
    • Infographic short – films that use charts, animation, stock footage and other visual elements to explore an SDG or motivate positive change
    • Poetic or experimental short – films that say something important about sustainability in an unconventional, experimental or performance-related way.
  3. Upload your film to an unlisted YouTube link
  4. Fill in and submit the ASEAN UniFest entry form, including your film’s YouTube link, and your ASEAN UniFest faculty recommendation form from your university.

Checklist For Your Film Submission

  • Theme: Clearly related to at least one of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
  • Duration of film including credits: Between 4 and 15 minutes
  • Video format: Full HD (1920 x 1080), .mp4, H264 codec.
  • Production team: All key members of your production crew must be active students at a university in an ASEAN country.
  • Permissions: You must obtain permission or licenses to use all images, audio, likenesses and locations in your film before you submit your film.
  • Subtitles: If your film is in any language other than English, you must subtitle it in English.
  • Deadline for submissions: You must submit your film before 17 October 2025 to be eligible for the 2025 awards.

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SUBTITLE YOUR FILM IN ENGLISH IF YOUR FILM IS IN ANY OTHER LANGUAGE

ASEAN UniFest
Committee and Jury

Jaffri Amin Osman*

Chair of Global Alliance Asia-Pacific & President of the Institute Public Relations Malaysia

Dr. Ben Harbisher*

Ben Harbisher is an Associate Professor in Media Production. He currently teaches video and post-production in addition to supervising Doctoral projects for the Coventry University Group.

Andrew Trigg

Andrew has written, directed and edited many dramatic and documentary short films on social and cultural issues. He is also a theatre director, playwright and actor.

Kaan Lativan

(Formerly known as Muhammad Khan) is an award-winning Indonesian actor with three national film awards, including the 2019 Citra Award for Best Leading Actor.