Southern Shorts Awards
Major legitimate festival with strong credentials
Southern Shorts Awards is an Atlanta-based short film festival founded in 2016. It held in-theater screenings at Aurora Cineplex in Atlanta until the COVID-19 pandemic, then moved to remote presentation while continuing to program short films and provide judge feedback to filmmakers.
Last updated Aug 21, 2026
Legitimacy Analysis
Positive Indicators (+36 pts)
- 10 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at Aurora Cineplex, Atlanta (in-person through ~2019; remote since COVID)
- 4 verified pro signals
- Verified trusted status
Red Flags (-3 pts)
- Name ends in 'Awards' (common for regional competitions — not decisive alone)
Trust Signals
Positive Signals
- Documented history with archived programs
- Photos/press/video of past screenings
- Positive community reviews on submission platforms
- FF_GOLD_BADGE
Festival Details
Founded
2016
Venue
Aurora Cineplex, Atlanta (in-person through ~2019; remote since COVID)
Screenings
Physical screenings confirmed
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Research
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Quick Stats
How scoring works
Scores are calculated from structural indicators: accreditations, physical screenings, award category count, submission frequency, and acceptance rate. Higher scores reflect more verifiable legitimacy signals.
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