*The festival is open to filmmakers ages 25 and under at the time of submission.
*Submissions are open to creators based in Brooklyn, New York, and beyond.
*All films must be the original work of the filmmaker(s) and free of any copyright restrictions.
*Films must have been completed after January 1, 2023.
*Entries that have been previously screened or shared online are eligible, provided the filmmaker holds full rights to the work.
*Films in a language other than English must include English subtitles.
*The festival promotes an inclusive, respectful environment for all participants.
*Submissions containing hate speech, explicit sexual content, or graphic violence may be disqualified.
*All filmmakers and attendees are expected to engage respectfully with peers, staff, and audiences.
BYAFF 48-Hour Film Challenge Rule
*Open to individuals or teams with at least one member 25 or under.
*Participants must register by March 20th 2026.
*Each filmmaker/team may submit only one film for the challenge.
The challenge officially begins on March 21st at 12:00 PM, when participants will receive:
*A theme or prompt (e.g., “Change,” “Lost and Found,” “Brooklyn Futures”)
*A required line of dialogue and prop that must appear in the film
*A genre assignment (e.g., documentary, comedy, horror, etc.)
These elements must be clearly integrated into the final film to qualify.
Participants have exactly 48 hours from the launch to complete and submit their film.
All films must be uploaded by March 28th 2026 at 1pm.
Selected submissions will screen during festival and be eligible for a $500 cash prize
*Maximum running time: 5 minutes (including titles and credits).
*Must be original work created entirely during the challenge week.
*All music, images, and footage must be royalty-free or original.
*Films must not contain hate speech, discrimination, or explicit sexual content.
*Films in languages other than English must include English subtitles.
*Acceptable formats: MP4 or MOV, 1080p preferred.
Films must be submitted via FilmFreeway, Google Drive, or private Vimeo/YouTube link with password protection.
Each submission must include:
Film title and runtime
Team name and primary contact
Signed 48-Hour Challenge Release Form (provided at registration)
