The 72Hr Film Shootout is a global short film competition challenging filmmaking teams to write, shoot, edit, and produce a short film of up to five minutes within 72 hours based on a common theme. The competition, which is now entering its 21st year under "The 72 Hour Film Network" banner, emphasizes diversity and aims to promote Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) empowerment in film and television. A requirement for submission is that at least one key crew member (director, producer, writer, director of photography, or editor) and one lead actor must be of Asian descent. The top films from the Shootout premiere at the Asian American International Film Festival.