The Ars ex Meritus Awards

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Ars ex Meritus was founded in 2020 by a collective actors, directors, screenwriters and producers to provide a showcase for independent film. After five years of development and recruiting judges with decades of experience in the film industry, the AEM Awards launched in December 2025. Dedicated to accessibility, AEM keeps submissions fees low; judging cycles are monthly, and every film is evaluated on established criteria—films never compete against each other. For our general guidelines, judging guidelines, and category details, download our FAQ here.

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Submit Now in Three Steps

Submissions received before the 15th of each month will be judged by the 30th of the same month. Submissions received on or after the 15th will be judged by the 30th of the following month.

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Note: If you want to submit more than one film in the same month, each film must have a separate payment and a separate form submission.

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Step 1. Decide which category or categories you want to submit to. Our categories are: Screenplay. Principal Actor. Supporting Actor. Direction. Cinematography. Original Score. Production Design. Nonfiction. Fiction. Find details on each category in our FAQ.

Step 2. Pay the submission fee for the number of categories you chose here. Make sure the email address and/or name associated with your payment is the same name and/or email address you use on the submission form in Step 3.

Step 3. Within 24 hours of sending your payment, complete and submit the submission form below. If we don't receive a submission form within 24 hours, your payment will be automatically refunded.