Astoria Film Festival Inc in Astoria NY, is a 501c3 non-profit organization and an official NYC DOE VENDOR. Founded by an Astoria-born First-Gen Woman with a background in TV and Digital Media production, with a majority female board, this festival aims to increase representation in media through the festival itself and also through its education and workforce development programs.

Each year, we produce a Main Festival and a Youth Festival , focused on short films and short animated films, and highlight our Student Programming, where we teach filmmaking workshops to ages 8-adult in schools, after schools, and community centers. In addition, we train high-school and college age youth in our Media Production Lab where we provide instruction in media production skills, real-world production experience, and connections to industry professionals.

Astoria Film Festival is devoted to increasing the representation of emerging creators by providing them with the skills, experiences, and connections needed to obtain jobs in the media industry, and with the exposure and community to build their own bodies of work in media production.

Please follow us on Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook for more info.
You can also visit astoriafilmfestival.org

There are separate awards and prizes for filmmakers in the Youth Festival and Main Festival.

MAIN FESTIVAL:
Grand Jury Prize
Best International Short
Best Drama Short
Best Comedy Short
Best Experimental/Dance Short
Best Documentary Short
Best Horror Short
Best Animated Short
Best International Animated Short
Best Directing
Best Editing
Best Cinematography
Best Sound Design
Best Screenplay
Best Performances

YOUTH FESTIVAL
Best Middle School Film
Best High School Film
Youth Grand Jury Prize
Best Youth International Short
Best Youth Drama Short
Best Youth Comedy Short
Best Youth Experimental/Dance Short
Best Youth Documentary Short
Best Youth Horror Short
Best Youth Animated Short
Best Youth International Animated Short
Best Youth Directing
Best Youth Editing
Best Youth Cinematography
Best Youth Sound Design
Best Youth Screenplay
Best Youth Performances

AWARDS include gift certificates and free subscriptions from our sponsors which vary each year. Past sponsors included Final Draft, SoundStripe, Coverfly, NYWIFT, KTEK, Gotham Sound, Samansa, LawTechTango, Marketing Macabre, MOMI, Bareburger, Sacred Space Astoria, Gamestoria, as well as Astoria Film Festival swag and monetary prizes.

Submissions must be made in an mp4 format via FILM FREEWAY ONLY and should contain subtitles as some of our judges are deaf and will not be able to judge otherwise.

Please do not email or DM us films. They will not be part of the judged films.

Projects should not be more than 2 years old at time of submission.

Projects need to have the rights to use included music or use royalty-free music.

Projects cannot be screened in any other Queens-based festival in May/June 2025.

Selected projects will need to have captions and be 1080x720 or higher mp4s for screening purposes.

Short films and short animated films: 20 mins or less.
Exception: Documentary Shorts can be up to 40 mins.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • A wonderful festival! The films were thoughtful and moving. The panel afterwards was enriching and informative. The prizes -- relevant and generous. The vibes -- welcoming and professional. I feel very lucky that I got to participate and meet so many inspirational filmmakers and filmmaking educators!!

    June 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Thank you!! It was a true pleasure to have your film in the festival and you as a part of the festival!! We are huge fans of you and your work. Thank you!! 🙏🏽

  • Ronald James

    Warm environment, incredible engagement with both the staff and attendees. I experienced one of the best Q and Qs through this festival. The festival also encourages networking and I have met quite a few people . Incredibly rewarding. If you have the privilege of getting in, GO!

    June 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much! That’s what we aim to do so it’s so nice to hear that’s been your experience. Thank you for sharing your gorgeous film with us and for being a part of the festival! It’s been our honor 🙏🏽

  • The best Astoria film festival

    September 2023
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    Response from festival:

    That is so very kind of you. Thank you for your amazing film and for being a part of the festival! It was our honor to have you in it.

  • Defiance Films

    An empowering, motivational, supportive, and caring environment executed with TLC on speed!

    September 2023
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    Response from festival:

    You are wonderful and your film is amazing. Thank you for being a part of the festival! It was our honor to have you in it.

  • Liz Galalis

    Such a lovely fest! I fell in love with AFF's mission to support and uplift young artists and marginalized creatives. It was especially cool to screen in the historic Zukor Theater at Astoria-Kaufmann Studios. Definitely submit!

    June 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so very much!! You and your film are both so lovely and we hope to see you again!!