BFF is a 10-day International-competitive festival. Our 24th event will run from June 4 - 13, 2021.

The 24th BFF will be staged online where all the selected films will play non-stop for ten days. Considering the evolution of the Covid situation and depending on the rules the city of NY will be imposing to indoor events in May/June, the festival decided to get ready to also run its film programs at a physical venue in Brooklyn. For the latest news on this matter, please check our website: www.brooklynfilmfestival.org.

Although we are a fully inclusive organization and our events are accessible to everyone, discovering and promoting independent filmmakers at their first or second film is at the very center of our year-round efforts.

BFF’s mission is to provide a forum to advance public interest in film; to support every year a new generation of filmmakers with a unique vision; to draw worldwide attention to Brooklyn as a center for cinema; and to promote artistic excellence and the creative freedom of artists without censure.

BFF is a festival for and by independent filmmakers. The organizers bring to this annual event 23 years of festival experience. BFF accepts submissions in six categories: Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Short Narrative, Short Documentary, Experimental, and Animation.

Submissions are open from July to March of the following year. The final selection of 140-150 films is announced in May and the event starts in early June. All the films that end up being part of our final lineup come from submissions only.

All selected films are eligible for several awards and even the smallest film can end up winning the very top award: The Grand Chameleon. In addition to our film programs, BFF also hosts multiple filmmaker events and a variety of innovative opportunities to network and get involved.

Many of our award-winning films have been picked up for theatrical releases, nationwide broadcasts on PBS and HBO, and to be nominated and awarded by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the American Academy Awards. BFF is also a proud Canadian Screen Award qualifying festival.

BFF, inc. is a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization with headquarters in Williamsburg-Brooklyn since 1998.

Awards & Prizes

Through the resources of BFF’s sponsors, the festival offers prizes totaling about $50,000 in cash, film services, and products. Our award sponsors include WNET’s ALL ARTS, ABELCINE, BE ELECTRIC, XENO LIGHT, BLUE TABLE POST, SOBRE VISTA RESORT, MPE, FINAL DRAFT, LENTINI COMMUNICATIONS, MEDIA SERVICES, PAPAPIETRO PERRY WINERY, BROOKLYN FILM SOCIETY, NOBLE JEWELRY.

LIST of AWARDS:

* GRAND CHAMELEON AWARD
This Award is intended to reward the film that best represents the annual festival theme.
Eligibility: The 6 winners of the 6 film categories. Often improperly called Best Film of the Year, the Grand Chameleon is chosen regardless of its category.
Jury: This award is assigned by the Festival Board of Directors.
Prize: Chameleon Statuette (trophy)
$3,000 cash offered by Sobre Vista Resort

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BEST IN CATEGORY AWARD
Assigned to the best film in each category
Eligibility: All films in competition
Jury: Assigned by the panels of external Judges.

* BEST FEATURE NARRATIVE
Prizes: $15,000 credit towards a studio rental offered by Be Electric
Final Draft software ($250)
Media Services software ($375)

* BEST FEATURE DOC
Prizes: Camera rental credit at AbelCine ($5,000)
Final Draft software ($250)
Media Services software ($375)

* BEST SHORT NARRATIVE
Prizes: Credit at Xeno Lights ($5,000)
Final Draft software ($250)
Media Services software ($375)

* BEST SHORT DOC
Prizes: $3,000 credit towards post-production equipment rental at MP
$500 credit at Lentini Communications
Final Draft software ($250)
$200 cash offered by Sobre Vista Resort

* BEST EXPERIMENTAL
Prizes: $200 cash offered by Sobre Vista Resort
Media Services Software (value $375)
Final Draft software ($250)

* BEST ANIMATION
Prizes: $200 cash offered by Sobre Vista Resort
Final Draft software ($250)

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* BEST BROOKLYN PROJECT
Assigned to the best film shot in Brooklyn or made by a Brooklyn director
Eligibility: All films shot in Brooklyn or made by a Brooklyn director
Jury: This award is assigned by the Festival Board of Directors.
Prizes: $200 cash offered by Sobre Vista Resort
Final Draft software ($250)

* BEST NEW DIRECTOR
Assigned to the best upcoming director
Eligibility: All filmmakers in competition with their first film are eligible
Jury: Assigned by an external panel of Judges.
Prizes: $8,000 credit towards a colorist with facility at Blue Table Post
Final Draft software ($250)
$200 offered by Sobre Vista Resort

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SPIRIT AWARDS – No prizes
Films in which the festival recognizes its own spirit (festival favorites)
One award in each category (x6) gets assigned
Eligibility: All films in competition are eligible
Jury: Spirit Awards are assigned by the BFF's Board of Directors

* FEATURE NARRATIVE
* FEATURE DOC
* SHORT NARRATIVE
* SHORT DOC
* EXPERIMENTAL
* ANIMATION

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CERTIFICATES of OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
The festival issues only one certificate in each of the below fields of competence which can be assigned within any of the 6 film categories (i.e. Best Editing means "best" among all films included in the festival lineup)
Eligibility: All filmmakers in the festival are eligible
Jury: Certificates are assigned by external panels of Judges and festival board of directors jointly.

* BEST PRODUCTION
Prizes: $200 offered by Sobre Vista Resort
Final Draft software ($250)
Media Services Software ($375)

* BEST SCREENWRITING
Prize: Final Draft software ($250)
$200 offered by Sobre Vista Resort

* BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Prizes: $200 cash offered by Sobre Vista Resort
Final Draft software ($250)

* BEST STYLE
Prize: Case of Papapietro Perry Wine ($700)

* BEST EDITING
Prizes: $200 cash offered by Sobre Vista Resort
Final Draft software ($250)

* BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Prize: $200 offered by Sobre Vista Resort

* BEST ACTING (female)
No prizes

* BEST ACTING (male)
No prizes

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AUDIENCE AWARDS – No prizes
Audience Awards are assigned in each of the 6 categories below:
Eligibility: All films in the lineup are eligible.
Jury: Festival Audience.

* FEATURE NARRATIVE
* FEATURE DOC
* SHORT NARRATIVE
* SHORT DOC
* EXPERIMENTAL
* ANIMATION

Rules & Terms

DEADLINES
Earlybird: November 30, 2020
Regular: January 27, 2021
Late: February 17, 2021
Extended: March 10, 2021

CATEGORIES
Feature Narrative
Feature Doc
Short Narrative
Short Doc
Experimental
Animation

OVERALL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Language: All films must be in English or with English subtitles.
Film Age: Submitted films must be not older than 2 years

SCREENING or RENTAL FEES:
BFF does NOT CONSIDER films that require SCREENING/RENTAL FEES.

TOTAL RUNNING TIME:
- Feature Narrative: No less than 40 minutes
- Feature Documentary: No Less than 40 minutes
- Short Narrative: Less than 40 minutes
- Short Documentary: Less than 40 minutes
- Experimental: no limitations
- Animation: no limitations

PRIOR SCREENINGS:
Entries cannot have a theatrical run (commercial release) or be broadcast (TV) anywhere in the US before June 7, 2021. Previous screenings at other film festivals, as well as private, industry, and press screenings are OK. The "New York Premiere" status is preferred, but not mandatory.

COMPLETION DATE:
Projects submitted to the Festival must have been completed after June 7, 2019. Works-In-Progress are considered only during the final submission deadline stage and only if the film can be completed by May 8, 2021.

INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION:
Films produced, financed, or initiated by a major motion picture studio are not eligible for the BFF competition.

FILM PROMOTION & INTERVIEWS:
BFF will forward any interviews requests directly to filmmakers or their publicist for them to arrange and coordinate. The BFF PR Department pitches the overall festival program and events to maximize exposure and build buzz in advance of and during the festival by procuring curtain raisers (festival preview features) and capsule reviews/film picks/highlights with local media including print dailies & weeklies, TV & Radio, and online/blogs. Brooklyn Film Festival may use segments from any film submitted and accepted into the final lineup for promotional purposes.
51 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Timothy Wolfer


    One of NYC best festivals. They did an amazing job moving online and still getting the word out about our film with lots of Instagram live streams as well as a lot of traditional press. It was a honor to screen here and we plan to do it again in the future!

    July 2020
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  • Gibrey Allen

    Due to covid-19 this year’s festival was a virtual experience. However I thoroughly enjoyed the festival! I was able to watch so many wonderful and inspiring films. Listening to so many filmmakers discussing their projects was incredibly motivating. Screening my Feature film ‘Right Near the Beach’ was a huge honor and something I’ll never forget. Be sure make this BFF a part of your future festival experience.

    July 2020
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  • Shaheen Sheriff

    Really loved the festival- glad to have been part of it! Very active online presence during Corona. Very helpful and lively people, and great online setup. Got to know stories of other filmmakers too, which was nice.

    July 2020
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  • Annika Ivarsson

    I am so happy to have shown my film at the Brooklyn Film Festival. Even tough it had to be online because of the pandemic, I felt very welcomed and I loved what the festival did on social media with Q&A:s and the red carpet challenge. Thank you!

    July 2020
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  • Nageena Ahmed

    Despite the global pandemic, BFF ran a successful online film festival that was viewed around the world. This was no small technological feat but it all worked very well in terms of viewing, voting and filmmaker engagement and feedback.

    June 2020
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