FirstGlance Film Festivals are the longest running bi-coastal indie film festivals in the United States, after 27 years in Philadelphia and 24 years in Los Angeles, in 2025, we are introducing new cities to our yearly line-up of film festivals!

The Inaugural FirstGlance Film Festival New York will screen regional, national, and international professional, first time, and student filmmakers. It will celebrate the best in indie film making from across the globe as well as regional talent in the New York area.

All selected films will be screened LIVE on a BIG SCREEN at Manhattan's LOOK Dine-In Cinemas.

FirstGlance Film Festivals has many accolades including:

One of the 100 TOP RATED Film Festivals on FilmFreeway
Five times named as one of the "Best Film Festival Investments" and "50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee" by Movie Maker Magazine
Named "One of the Festivals for the Rest of Us" by Time Magazine

Horror, SciFi, Fantasy, Drama, Comedy...Screening Everything INDIE Plus Red Carpet and a Live Awards Presentation.

There are more than 20 nominating categories for Official Selections, plus Best of Audience Choice awards for each category, and a BEST OF FEST award winner selected by the audience.

FirstGlance is an all inclusive diverse event open to all genres, from filmmakers of every gender, color, race, ethnicity, country, religion and skill level.

FirstGlance Film Festivals are the longest running international bi-coastal indie film festivals in the United States. FirstGlance has theatrically screened almost 3000 films to over 275,000 attendees. 99% of the feature films screened at FirstGlance over the past 10 years (Narrative and Documentary) have acquired Theatrical, VOD and Streaming Distribution.

Awards & Prizes

BONUS CASH PRIZES:
EVERY category that receives over 100 submissions, Audience Choice category winner will be awarded a $500 CASH PRIZE

Awards Presented by the Screening Committee and Festival Director:
Best Director (Feature)
Best Director (Documentary)
Best Director (Short)
Best Director (Web Series)
Best Comedy
Best Science Fiction/Fantasy
Best Horror
Best Drama
Best Short
Best Ensemble Cast (Feature)
Best Ensemble Cast (Short)
Best Ensemble Cast (Web Series)
Breakout Performance
Best Cinematography
Best Actor (Feature)
Best Actress (Feature)
Best Actor (Short)
Best Actress (Short)
Best Actor (Web series)
Best Actress (Web series)
Best Young Actor
Best Special Effects
Best Editing
Best Sound Design
Most Imaginative Film
Mela Hudson Award (Female Filmmaker)
Best Shot in New York Film

Audience Choice Awards:
Best Trailer
Best Music Video
Best Student Film
Best Shorts Too
Best Short
Best Web Series
Best Documentary
Best Feature
BEST OF FEST (All Around Winner)

Best of Fest Award Winner prizes furnished by some of the following: Red Giant, Boris FX, Glidecam, Jungle Software, Beachtek, Shot Lister, Look Cinemas and more.

Rules & Terms

Student entries must provide proof by email with a copy of current semester bill and copy of student ID. All official selections will be notified of acceptance by E-mail. (Make sure your address is current and you have a back up email address on Film Freeway)

Accepted projects cannot be publicly exhibited (within 60 miles) of the New York area at any time within a one-month period (30 days) of the festival start date. If this occurs, FirstGlance has the right to refuse exhibition. After acceptance of projects, the entrant is free to publicize his/her work to any and all media she/he/they deems necessary. Please notify FirstGlance of any media support you receive. The undersigned entrant shall release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless FirstGlance Films, and its agents, respective officers, directors, employees, representatives, contractors, partners, sponsors, and volunteers from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, costs and expenses (including, without limitations, attorneys' fees). The undersigned entrant authorizes FirstGlance Film Festival, to promote the entry for any publicity purpose prior to, during, and after the competition. You agree to be bound by these guidelines and the decisions of the judges, which are final and binding in all respects and to waive any right to claim ambiguity in the contest or the rules. The signature of applicant constitutes that the entrants information is true and correct and agrees to all competition rules and guidelines. Disclaimer: If any categories submissions does not receive high enough scores from our screening committee, FirstGlance has the right to discontinue the category for a particular festival.

Filmmaker Requirement: A physical DCP will be required by the venue. All Official Selections agree to deliver a physical thumb drive or hard drive with a professionally authored DCP (Digital Cinema Package) or will create one to deliver to FirstGlance for Theatrical screening.