Our 5th Anniversary!
Film Festival in the Kaufman Arts District in Astoria NY
Opening Night Part at Heart of Gold Sept 30
Films are screened October 1 and 2, 2022, in the famous Kaufman Astoria Studios and are Screened Online via the festival's YouTube Channel throughout the month of October 2022.

Includes the regular festival, a Halloween Horror Film Festival, and the Astoria Youth Film Festival for filmmakers 22 & Under (Youth Festival submissions fee is $20 for the entirety of the open call)

The Astoria Film Festival 555 Film Contest - sign up your team any time. Emails with directions go out on Aug 18. Contest Films due on Aug 23. $30 per team.

Festival includes Filmmaker Panels, Workshops, Master Classes, Red Carpet Interviews, and Parties.

For more information visit astoriafilmfestival.org

Awards & Prizes

The Zukor Award
(named after Kaufman Astoria Studios' founder, is awarded to a film that brings positive attention to an underrepresented topic or group)
Best Feature Film
Best Drama Short
Best Comedy Short
Best Documentary Short
Best Experimental Short
Best Dance Short
Best Horror Short
Best Youth Short
Best Narrative Feature
Best Documentary Feature
Best Youth Feature
Best Narrative Web Series
Best Documentary Web Series
Best Youth Web Series
Best Narrative Podcast
Best Interview Podcast
Best Youth Podcast
Best Interactive Project (2)
Best Youth Interactive Project
Best Lead Performance
Best Supporting Performance
Best Cinematography
Best Director
Best Editing
Audience Awards (4)
Honorable Mention (4)

555 FILM CONTEST WINNERS

Rules & Terms

*To be sure that your work is accessible to everyone, please include closed captioning.

*For Web Series and Podcasts, please submit only ONE episode of the series that you think captures the essence of the series.

*Selected work cannot screen at any other Queens Festivals within a month of screening at our festival.

Categories:
Selected submissions will screen in ONLINE FESTIVAL and IN PERSON FESTIVAL and filmmakers will be invited to participate in panels at both ONLINE and IN PERSON FESTIVAL:
Drama Short
Comedy Short
Documentary Short
Experimental Short
Dance Short
Narrative Web Series
Documentary Web Series

Selected Submissions will screen only in ONLINE FESTIVAL and filmmakers will be invited to participate in panels at both IN PERSON and ONLINE FESTIVAL:
Narrative Podcast
Interview Podcast
Narrative Feature
Documentary Feature
Interactive Project

YOUTH FESTIVAL: can submit shorts, web series, interactive projects, podcasts (all under 40 mins) or Feature Films (Under 90 mins). Selected shorts and web series submissions will screen IN PERSON and ONLINE; other selected submissions will screen ONLINE ONLY but ALL FILMMAKERS/CREATORS will be invited to participate in panels at both the ONLINE AND IN PERSON FESTIVALS.
42 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Jasmine Dorothy Haefner

    I had my world premiere of 28 is Great at the Astoria Film Festival in 2021. The festival was a blast and Nina, the executive director, definitely puts together a fun line-up of events. The film festival is definitely community centered. One of the key-speakers was Richard Gladstein, who was very interesting, and definitely indicates that this festival is gaining in notoriety. They had several online workshops for filmmakers throughout the month following the in-person festival, many of which were incredibly beneficial. I do wish there was greater opportunity to network with other filmmakers, and that the filmmakers were given free tickets to screenings other than their own. All that being said, I would submit to this festival again for sure.

    January 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much Jasmine! It was a pleasure to have you be a part of the festival!! We did hold networking events (meet and greets) both in person and online, but we unfortunately can't control how many people attend them. We will be holding more regular filmmaker meetups as we did pre-Covid, but virtually, starting in January. Sadly we also need to meet the costs of running the festival, which, even with an all-volunteer staff, we just about do each year, so free tickets to all in person events isn't possible, but filmmakers did get free access to all of the online screenings and events, to see all the selected work and online filmmaker panels and workshops. It's definitely different in these times to network than it was pre-covid, but I think it's still possible - just takes a bit of following up with folks in email/instagram/tiktok, etc. Thank you again for all your participation!

  • Shidan Majidi

    The huge heart and passion that Founder, Nina Fiore, has dedicated to this Festival has created a community spirit that serves to empower and inspire all of us who had the pleasure of being a part of this great journey and celebration of film. Thank you Astoria Film Festival for this exceptional experience and can't wait to do it again soon!

    November 2021
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    Response from festival:

    You are a LOVE and I am honored to know you and have seen your work. Thank you for being a part of the festival, and I hope to see much more of you in the years to come. Thank you!!

  • Judy Copeland

    We really loved this festival. Nina, the founder, was warm, very communicative, and made the filmmakers feel like they were family. You don't find this sense of community at every film festival so it felt very special. We saw some excellent films at a great theatre as well as online. I would jump at the chance to screen at the Astoria Film Festival again.

    November 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much Judy! For your brilliant film and for your participation in the festival. It was wonderful to meet you and your team, and I hope to see more of you in the future and to keep in touch in general.

  • Pablo Velez

    Excellent festival! We were proud to have two of our projects selected and look forward to participating again in the future. All were welcoming and accommodating.

    November 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much Pablo!! We love your work and it was a pleasure to have you be a part of the festival. Thank you!!

  • Vincenzo De Sio

    Great Pleasure and Honor to be a part of Astoria Film Festival! Communication always very punctual and kind from the Staff. Wonderful filmmaking and social network experience. Special Mention for Nina Fiore! Grazie!

    November 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Grazie Vittorio! It was an honor to have you and your film as a part of the festival. Thank you very much for submitting and for being such a great participant.