Aster Film Festival, formerly known as the Centrally Isolated Film Festival (CIFF), is proudly organized by the Phi Chapter of Delta Kappa Alpha (DKA). We aim to celebrate and connect emerging filmmakers who are pursuing post-secondary education. We welcome submissions from students from the U.S. across various disciplines, including narrative, documentary, animation, and experimental films, with a runtime of under 20 minutes.
Our two-day festival, held in person each spring in the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, is curated by a dedicated team of Cornell University students. Films are carefully selected for screening, and a panel of non-student judges evaluates each submission, awarding the top films in their respective categories.
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- Submission for the 12th annual festival can be done through FilmFreeway. It is free and opens December 24th, 2024.
- Students can submit one narrative, documentary, animation, or experimental film under 20 minutes for the competition.
- The best film in each category will be awarded $200 (narrative, documentary, animation, experimental, and audience choice).
- Selected films will screen on April 12th & 13th, 2025.
List of Awardees
2024 Awardees
Experimental Film Award Winner: T-130 by Samuel Felinton, West Virginia University
Documentary Film Award Winner: Between This Life and Others by Blake Knecht, Northwestern University
Narrative Film Award Winner: Secret Seed by Jung Yeon Byun, Chung-Ang University
Audience Choice Award Winner: Class Crush by Katherine Lynn-Rose, Cornell University
2023 Awardees
Narrative Film Award
Turkey on Rye, Lucas Huie, USA, Towson University
Honorable Mention
Happy Anyway, Ahmet Serdar Karaca, Turkey, University of York
Documentary Film Award
Digital Realism, Mikaela Zuiderduyn, Australia, Curtin University
Honorable Mention
The Good Harvest, Melanie Cedeño-Lopez, USA, University of Central Florida
Experimental Film Award
Lone Star State, Sarah Soucek, USA, Bard College
Honorable Mention
WALD, Christian Groen, USA, Chapman University
Audience Choice Award
Walk With Me, Kofi King, USA, Columbia University
Honorable Mention
It Lives With Me, Kenneth Ikaika Aune, USA, Cornell University
2022 Awardees
Best Narrative Film
Tha Magik Change—Monami Roy
Best Documentary Film
Bee Conscious—Kate Campolieta, University of Connecticut
Best Experimental Film
Plastic Ecosystem—Stevie Gan, University of Southern California
Audience Choice Award
The World’s Greatest Neighborhood Watch Specialist—Jack Muench, Cornell University
2021 Awardees
Best Narrative Film
The Bag—Sam Azghandi, Syracuse University
Honorable Mention: Remember Me in Therapy—Jacob Mollot, Ithaca College
Best Documentary Film
What An Ivy League Restaurant Taught Me About Success—Ryan Ng
Honorable Mention: Jornada—Mary Conlon, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
Best Experimental Film
Bibi Amir—Zelikha Zohra Shoja, Syracuse University
Honorable Mention: Pictorial Abstraction—Nick Rockwood, Binghamton University
Audience Choice Award
La Cena Italiana—Alex Chu, Colgate University
Honorable Mention: Panto—Justin d'Emilio, Ithaca College
2020 Awardees
Best Documentary
The Butterfly Effect—Jeremy Coyle, Cornell University
Best Narrative Film
Distant Interiors—Kieu-Anh Truong, Syracuse University
Best Experimental Film (tie)
In Transit—Ruby Que and Iyanah Bativala, Cornell University
Untitled—Wanrong Zhen, Syracuse University
Audience Award
정리해 (Make it Clean)—Nicholas (Nick) Fletcher, Sergio Muñoz, and Hyunjun (Alex) Ryu, Syracuse University
2019 Awardees
Best Documentary
Ms. Jackson—Nate Bellavia, Rochester Institute of Technology
Best Narrative Film
an American family—Kieu-Anh Truong, Syracuse Universiity
Best Experimental Film
CRW no. 1—Katiana Weems, Syracuse University
Audience Award
XXX—Danial Khan, Syracuse University
2018 Awardees
Best Documentary
DACAmented—St. Clair Detrick-Jules, Brown University
Best Narrative Film
O.B. and the Galactic Three in: The Staff of Funk—Evan Montgomery, Ithaca College
Best Experimental Film
Building Room—Claire G. McClusky, Ithaca College
Audience Award
ZVOOV—Lee Manor, SUNY Purchase
2017 Awardees
Best Documentary
Pig—Holly McHahon, Rochester Institute of Technology
Best Narrative Film
What Comes From a Swamp—Tyler Macri, Ithaca College
Best Experimental Film
Astral Migrant—Emilio Seri, City College of New York
Audience Award
Let's Rob a Fucking House—Casey Creveling, Ithaca College
2016 Awardees
Best Narrative Film
How They Fall—Tyler Macri, Ithaca College
Best Documentary Film
Paul's Ride—Benjamin Davis, SUNY Purchase
Best Experimental Film
Trash Fever—Kristi Gogos, Ithaca College
2014–15 Awardees
Best Narrative Film
Pluto—Christopher Maher, Ithaca College
Best Documentary Film
Beats of the Southern Style—Samantha Yu and Adam Mantell, Ithaca College
Best Experimental Film
Burn After Viewing—Daniel Torres, Cornell University
Audience Award
Kids Making Things Happen—Jake Geller and Jesse Kreuzer, Cornell University
2013 Awardees
Best Film
Winter Rye—Victoria DeMartin, SUNY Purchase
Best Screenplay
The Playground—Rachel Ellicott, Cornell University