Coney Island Film Festival

Our festival by the sea has gained a reputation for fostering a relaxed atmosphere where filmmakers and industry veterans alike gather to enjoy a jam-packed weekend of great films, an opening night party and amusement park rides. MovieMaker Magazine named us one of the and "25 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee" and "25 Coolest Film Festivals"!

Coney Island's independent spirit and irreverent attitude have helped the fest quickly thrive as something distinct from other NYC events. The opening night celebrations pay tribute to Coney Island's renown carnival history with live performances by the Coney Island Circus Sideshow!

Early in 2001, the non-profit arts organization Coney Island USA aligned with indiefilmpage.com founder Rob Leddy to create an annual film festival, to raise funds for the not for profit arts organization, Coney Island USA. That fall, the Coney Island Film Festival became a reality.

The festival is entirely run by film, television and audio/visual professionals, ensuring a high quality standard to the event.

Coney Island's characteristic blend of grit and whimsy has inspired filmmakers for generations. From Thomas Edison's first magical motion pictures of the Steeplechase ride to 2010 Festival Honoree Darren Aronofsky's harrowing masterpiece Requiem for a Dream, Coney has a long and intimate history with American cinema. CIFF represents the latest chapter in that history. The Coney Island Film Festival screens a truly eclectic range of films. Our festival screens films from all genres including the following categories - Drama Short, Comedy Short, Feature, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Horror, Sci-Fi, Music Video, Experimental, Animation. We are as diverse as the neighborhood that we represent.

We have no film premiere requirements or date of completion requirements and all entries are watched in their entirety, by our screening committee. We prefer that your film not be streaming publicly on sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, etc. and films not streaming online are given preference in the selection process. Whether you submit early or late, has no bearing on the selection process. All films are given equal chance for selection, regardless of when they are submitted! We do not invite films to play with us, we rely solely, on our call for entries!

Now in our 25th year, The Coney Island Film Festival has gained a solid reputation from filmmakers and film fans. Check out our FilmFreeway reviews to read quotes from filmmakers and to see our photo galleries (all photos courtesy of Norman Blake).

"Without a doubt, The Coney Island Film Festival has the greatest location in the world. It also gives out the best trophy I've ever received." Darren Aronofsky (Director Black Swan, The Wrestler, Requiem for a Dream, Pi)

"A showcase worthy of the neighborhood's amusement-rich history." - Christopher Zara, MovieMaker magazine

Awards:
The festival jury will present awards to films and videos selected as best in these categories: Drama Short, Comedy Short, Feature, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Horror, Sci-Fi, Music Video, Experimental, Animation and "Made in Coney Island",

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Entries must be submitted via FilmFreeway's online screener option. Foreign language work must be dubbed or subtitled in English. Entry fees are non-refundable. We have no film premiere requirements or date of completion requirements.

SELECTION & NOTIFICATION
All entries will be viewed by the selection committee. All entry fees are non-refundable. Selected films will be announced on or around March 28, 2025. All entrants will be notified by FilmFreeway's email system. The festival does not pay rental/screening fees for submitted/selected work. For selected films, exhibition file format is .mp4, h.264, 1920x1080, stereo.

For more information email us at info@coneyislandfilmfestival.com. We will respond within 24 hours.

Terms and Conditions:
I have carefully read and understand the complete rules of the festival. By entering your film for consideration for the 2025 Coney Island Film Festival, you authorize that your work is cleared for festival screening and accept full legal responsibility for the intellectual property therein. Entry into the festival constitutes permission to screen your work at the 2025 Coney Island Film Festival. The undersigned shall indemnify and hold harmless the Coney Island Film Festival, indiefilmpage.com, Coney Island USA and any other agents, owners and employees of said entities from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

Overall Rating

Quality

Value

Communication

Hospitality

Networking

Joseph Columbo

Rob and his team do an excellent job of organizing this festival. The level of communication was all encompassing (even providing the most cost efficient parking arrangements!).

It was more than just a film festival but a complete entertainment experience.

May 2025

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Response from festival:

Thanks Joseph, creating a welcoming and entertaining experience is what we thrive for.
David B Jacobs

Oh wow, this was so much fun!! From the sideshow opening night to the bumper cars closing, to the exceptionally strong block I screened in, it's clear that Coney Island Fest is my kind of freak. I felt so much at home and had a blast. Would love to come again!!

May 2025

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Response from festival:

Glad you felt at home and had fun!
Matt L Hahn

We were so grateful to be a part of the Coney Island Film Festival! The museum where the festival takes place is a really cool venue and the crowd really comes out! We nearly had a full screening for the Sci-Fi program where Generation Hack played. And the quality of films and filmmakers surrounding us was stellar! This festival was so much fun and in such a unique area of Brooklyn, we wish we could have spent more time there. We will definitely be submitting future projects to the festival! Thank you Rob Leddy and the Coney Island team!

May 2025

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Response from festival:

Thanks Matt, glad you had a fun time!
Joe Thayer

Highly recommend CIFF. Rob and his team put together a great festival. From the opening party to the final awards ceremony, all top notch. Coney Island, the side show and the museum are the perfect place to throw a festival! All the films we saw were really good too! We were proud to be included with Before You Go!

May 2025

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Response from festival:

Thanks Joe, much appreciated!
Gibran Saleem

This festival was pure magic.
It has heart, it has soul, and Rob, the director, truly cares. From the moment I arrived, I felt welcomed not just as a filmmaker, but as a friend. The programming was excellent, the opening night party was unreal, it all felt very special and every detail was thoughtfully crafted.

GIBRANISTAN had its premiere here, and I couldn’t have asked for a more special setting to share it. Huge thanks to Rob and the whole Coney Island team for making it unforgettable. I hope to return again another year; even just to hang and celebrate the other artists.

May 2025

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