Cayuga Film Festival will be on hiatus for now.

Whether it was your first festival, or your 30th, there was something really special about having your work screened and celebrated in a community excited about film.

Thank you for supporting CFF for the last five years and hopefully we'll see you again in the future!

✨MAIN CATEGORIES✨
High School: Filmmakers currently in high school.
College: Filmmakers currently enrolled in a college or university.
Emerging: Filmmakers out of college and under 30. (aka baby seasoned filmmakers)
Open category: Filmmakers over the age of 30 (aka seasoned filmmakers)

In association with Cayuga Community College and Auburn Public Theater, CFF provides a space for narrative, documentary, experimental and animated short films to be screened and seen by filmmakers of all ages

Awards & Prizes

All films accepted will be provided with festival laurels and virtual certificates.

AWARDS AND PRIZES:
- Best Open Documentary (both categories), Animation, Narrative and Experimental
- Best Emerging Documentary (both categories), Animation, Narrative and Experimental
- Best College Documentary (both categories), Animation, Narrative and Experimental
- Best High School Documentary (both categories), Animation, Narrative and Experimental

Rules & Terms

Categories:
- High school and college students must submit within the high school and college categories (thesis films are included as student films)
- Emerging Filmmakers must be 30 years old or younger, and projects must have been made independently.
- Open category is for filmmakers 30 years of age or older. Projects must have been made independently.


Eligibility:
- Films must have been made in New York or by New York residents
- Films must have been completed after July 2024.
- Filmmakers can submit as many projects as they like within the completion time.
- No entry may be submitted into more than one category.

- All submissions must be 100% original.
- 
All student submissions must be 100% student produced (faculty supervision is allowed).

Rules:
- 
By submitting to Cayuga Film Festival, entrants understand they have the legal right to submit their works.

- Filmmakers are legally responsible for for their intellectual property, and by submitting to Cayuga Film Festival, filmmakers must have all necessary rights secured, including but not limited to, music, content, and images. 

- Cayuga Film Festival, its' partners, judges, sponsors or organizers are not responsible for losses, damages, etc. etc.

By submitting to this festival, you agree to the following:

- If accepted, Cayuga Film Festival may use video excerpts and film stills from accepted film for marketing purposes (print, web and television). 

- Cayuga Film Festival may also use filmmakers names, photos, contact information, publicity stills, and film logline for print, social media, and the website.

- Winning entries may be shown, but time restrictions may require only excerpts be shown.

- The judges reserve the right to combine or move entries into different categories. 

- The judges reserve the right to make no award in a category in any given year.

14 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Erica Soto

    Our experience at the Cayuga Film Festival was exceptional from start to finish. The festival team was highly communicative leading up to the event and created an atmosphere that was immediately welcoming upon arrival. Their organization and attention to detail made the entire experience feel seamless.

    The Auburn Public Theater proved to be a wonderful and inviting venue, which was an ideal setting that balanced charm with professionalism. The overall vibe of the festival was relaxed yet polished, allowing filmmakers and attendees to feel at ease while still celebrating the craft at a high level.

    Overall, the Cayuga Film Festival offers a well-rounded, supportive, and engaging experience. It’s a festival that clearly values both its filmmakers and its audience. It's truly built around community. We'd love to return again!

    April 2026
    Helpful
  • D C Cummings

    Fantastic festival. As a filmmaker, I felt welcomed the moment I walked in the door. The energy of the staff and the guests made this a very exciting festival. I was proud to be among the group of filmmakers. It was a young crowd, with promising talent. This festival will be top tier one day. It was extremely well organized. They communicated with me personally, and that made me want to attend in person. I'm not a great networker, but that's on me, because there were plenty of opportunities to mingle. I really enjoyed the social media interviews. They hired a social media influencer to interview the filmmakers. It made me feel special, but it is a great way to advertise this fantastic festival.

    November 2024
    Helpful
  • Desoni Cooper

    I enjoyed my time. I am grateful for the award and the opportunity to network with different filmmakers.

    November 2024
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  • Tom Achilles

    I loved this festival so much! The staff and curators of the festival were very welcoming and friendly. Also the Auburn Public Theater was a fantastic venue that complimented the viewing experience of the films. The film block also showcased a great variety of films including documentaries, experimental, and student films. Overall, I thought the experience was absolutely fantastic and would highly recommend to all!

    November 2024
    Helpful
  • Michael Jacoby

    What a great experience, top to bottom. Fantastic curators, amazing creators, and welcoming energy that feels like home. What a great day at the Cayuga Film Festival!

    November 2024
    Helpful