The Aesthetica Short Film Festival (ASFF), founded in 2011, is a BAFTA recognised international film festival which takes place annually in York, UK, at the beginning of November. It a celebration of independent film from around the world, and an outlet for supporting and championing filmmaking.

ASFF is a hotbed for talent discovery and a key annual event for emerging and established filmmakers to meet alongside industry professionals. British and international films are in competition from their genre, alongside the Best of Festival Award, Audience Award and Best Screenplay.

The festival programme is curated and culturally rich; ASFF believes that great filmmaking has the power to change lives. As such, screenings are curated by genre to reflect both personal and universal narratives. Films have gone on to win awards at BAFTA and the Oscars as well as other festivals such Sundance, SXSW amongst others.

Each year, ASFF attracts thousands of entries. One of the UK’s most exciting site-specific events, the festival showcases over 400 international films from emerging and established filmmakers in various venues across the city of York. The programme also includes industry masterclasses from the likes of BBC, RADA, i-D and Vice, as well as networking sessions, panel discussions and guest programmes, which, in recent years, welcomed Iris Prize, British Urban Film Festival and Imperial War Museum.