What Gets In? A Look Inside the PAIFF Selection Process

The Premiere (2025 PAIFF Official Selection and Honorable Mention)

Each year, the Puerto Aventuras International Film Festival receives submissions from passionate filmmakers, storytellers, and visual artists from around the world. This season, we’re already seeing a significant increase in submissions, a sign that more creators are discovering the magic of screening their work in our vibrant Riviera Maya community.

Whether you're an emerging filmmaker, a seasoned director, or a screenwriter with a fresh new voice, this is the perfect time to join us. With more submissions coming in across every category, it’s clear that the momentum is building—and we want you to be part of it.

So, what gets selected? And how do we decide?

We believe in a transparent, structured judging process that celebrates both creative vision and technical execution. Whether you’re thinking about submitting this year or just curious about how we curate our lineup, here’s an inside look at how it all comes together—along with tips to help your project stand out.

Breaking Down the Numbers

In Season Two, we received 125 total submissions, up from 89 the previous year—a 40% increase. Out of those, 77 projects were selected, giving an overall acceptance rate of 61.6%. Here's a look at some of the most recent numbers by category:

• Feature Films: 17 submitted, 11 selected (64.7%)

• Short Films: 39 submitted, 24 selected (61.5%)

• Doc Features: 16 submitted, 7 selected (43.7%)

• Doc Shorts: 11 submitted, 10 selected (90.9%)

• Animation / AI Films: 22 submitted, 10 selected (45.4%)

• Music Videos: 6 submitted, 4 selected (66.6%)

• Screenplays: 14 submitted, 11 selected (78.5%)

We also saw remarkable growth in categories like experimental, student, and first-time director films:

• Experimental Films: 41 submitted in 2025, up from 15 in 2024

• Student Films: 19 submitted, up from just 1 the year prior

• First-Time Directors: 50 submitted, with 28 selected (56%)

This kind of growth reflects not only the diversity and creativity of our submitters, but also the unique appeal of PAIFF as a festival that values emerging voices, bold ideas, and cinematic risk-taking.

Room to Grow: Music Videos and Works-in-Progress

While we’re excited about the overall growth, two areas stood out as underrepresented in our 2025 submission pool.

Music videos dropped from 11 submissions in 2024 to just 6 in 2025. These short-form visual pieces offer a powerful fusion of music and film, and they’ve always been a crowd-pleaser at our opening night screenings. We’d love to see more artists and directors take advantage of this category, especially those looking to showcase original music, conceptual storytelling, or cinematic flair.

We also noticed a total absence of works-in-progress, trailers, and sizzle reels—a category that we’re eager to expand. PAIFF welcomes pitch reels, teasers, or proof-of-concept videos from creators who are preparing to launch larger projects. Whether you’re gearing up for crowdfunding, industry pitching, or just want early exposure, this is your opportunity to get your project in front of the right audience and potentially connect with collaborators.

If you’re working on a film, series, or creative hybrid, we encourage you to submit even if it's not yet complete. We support visionary projects at every stage of the process.

The PAIFF Ratings System: What Judges Look For

To ensure fairness and consistency, every submission is scored using a detailed 1-to-5 scale across multiple creative and technical categories.

For films, we evaluate:

• Originality and creativity

• Direction

• Writing and dialogue

• Cinematography

• Performances

• Production value

• Audio quality

• Pacing and rhythm

• Marketability / audience appeal

• Emotional connection

For screenplays, we rate:

• Concept and originality

• Plot and structure

• Character development

• Dialogue

• Theme or message

• Formatting and grammar

• Visual and emotional impact

Each submission receives an average score based on multiple judge reviews. We also ask each judge to leave a final summary offering internal notes that highlight strengths and suggest areas for growth. These insights fuel our programming discussions and help us build a well-rounded, high-quality selection.

Tips for Submitting to PAIFF

If you're planning to submit this season, here are a few pointers that can give your project the edge:

• Start strong. A compelling opening can make all the difference. Pull us in early.

• Be intentional. Whether it’s your edit, your pacing, or your dialogue—make sure every element serves the story.

• Polish your work. Clean audio, correct formatting, and attention to detail always help a project stand out.

• Own your voice. Don’t chase trends. The most memorable submissions are authentic, raw, and original.

• Pace with purpose. Several great ideas fell short last year due to timing issues or long, uneven scenes.

• Submit early. Projects submitted earlier in the season often get more focused attention and allow time for dialogue or follow-up if needed.

Join the Judging Panel

We’re also expanding our judging committee for the current and upcoming seasons. If you have a sharp eye for storytelling, a deep love for cinema, and no conflict of interest (meaning you’re not submitting a project this year), we’d love to hear from you.

Most of our judges choose to remain anonymous, allowing them to offer thoughtful, unbiased critiques without outside influence. Our panel includes a wide range of industry professionals—filmmakers, screenwriters, critics, festival alumni, and creative specialists—each uniquely qualified to evaluate the artistic and technical elements across different categories. We take care in vetting all new judge applicants to ensure their interests align with the integrity and spirit of the festival.

Our judges play a vital role in shaping the festival’s voice and helping elevate independent films from all over the world. If that sounds like you, send us an email to learn more.

Now is the time to submit your work—or help champion others behind the scenes. The 2026 edition is already taking shape, and we can’t wait to see what stories rise to the surface.