Our latest Live Event took place at the CINEMA VILLAGE | SEPTEMBER 29th - OCTOBER 5th, 2023.
Welcome to IMDb qualifying NEW YORK INDIE SHORTS AWARDS, TOP 50 most popular and 100 best reviewed festivals.

🎞🎞 Check out the pictures of our 2023 sold out event above! 🎞🎞

We enjoyed more than 🌟100🌟 international films, networking cocktails, masterclasses, panels and Q&A's.📽.

Our main goal is to find talented filmmakers from all around the world who stand out for having something to communicate through art and help them promote their work.
Some of our former contestants include Iggy Pop, Pauline Chalamet, Julie Pacino, Kevin Bacon, Oscar nominees Jude Law, Brenda Blethyn, Golden Globe winner Kyra Sedgwick and a new wave of talented directors like Student Academy Award Winners Akanksha Cruczynski, De’Onna “Tree” Young, Curry Sicong Tian, Pilar Garcia-Fernandezesma, Kristen Hwang, Murad Abu Eisheh, Simon Denda, Tribeca winning award director Peter Sluszka and so many more.

You can submit your film in any of the Main Competitions and automatically your film will be considered for all Technical & Performance Categories with no extra cost and participate for Cash Prizes.
You don’t need to pay any additional category fee! Just submit your film in any of the Main Competitions where you feel your project fits better.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
Once you submit your film, our international screeners team will watch and review your project. The highest scored films will become finalists and automatically will join the Official Selection with +90 films to be screened at our live event.
The entire Official Selection films will receive the festival laurel. At the end of the live event we will announce all Main Competitions and Technical & Performance winners chosen by our industry jury.
Winners will receive the corresponding Certificate of Achievement and Laurel.
Moreover, we will announce the winner of the AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD who will receive a cash prize of USD 1000.

SEMIFINALISTS
In addition, each quarter the festival will distinguish a selection of films as semifinalists. All semifinalist projects will be invited to be part of our online event and will receive the corresponding laurel.
All films at our Online Event will participate for cash prizes.

Awards & Prizes

COMPETITIONS:

NARRATIVE SHORT
FOREIGN SHORT
DOCUMENTARY SHORT
ANIMATION SHORT
NEW FILMMAKERS SHORT
EXPERIMENTAL SHORT
STUDENT SHORT
HORROR SHORT
MUSIC VIDEO
COMEDY SHORT

TECHNICAL & PERFORMANCES CATEGORIES:

All these categories are complimentary. When you submit a film in a MAIN COMPETITION, it is automatically considered in all Technical & Performance Categories. Tick all the free categories you want to be considered and add the names of the artists for that specific category in the Custom Form.
BEST PRODUCER
BEST FEMALE DIRECTOR
BEST MALE DIRECTOR
BEST FEMALE STUDENT DIRECTOR
BEST MALE STUDENT DIRECTOR
BEST ACTRESS
BEST ACTOR
BEST NEW ACTRESS/ACTOR
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST EDITING
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
BEST SOUND DESIGN
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
BEST SCREENWRITING

Rules & Terms

1- In order to submit a film, you must own the rights or have permission from the owner.
2- All fees are non-refundable.
3- Any Foreign film that is not in English must have English subtitles.
4- The Festival relationship will exclusively be related to the film submitter.
5- NEW YORK INDIE SHORTS AWARDS will not be responsible for damaged copies.
6- A DCP of the film is required for the Live Event.
7- Students must present a valid Student ID in order to receive our student discount.
8- Not all the submissions are selected for the Official Selection. Our Judges are free to make their own choices and no answers will be given about not selected films.
9- NEW YORK INDIE SHORTS AWARDS can consider any film to be disqualified if the festival considers the content inappropriate. If you have any question regarding this decision you can contact us at our email address: nyc@indieshortsawards.com
10- A fee is required for all the Main Competitions. All Technical & Performances Categories are free of charge and are included by submitting your film in any Main Competition. For payment structure visit FilmFreeway website.
11- The applicants (submitters) must accept NEW YORK INDIE SHORTS AWARDS Rules and Terms.
12- When you submit your movie in a Main Competition, you can choose your film to be considered in any Technical & Performances Categories you want. Please select all free categories you want to be considered and add the names of the artists in the Custom Form.
13- By submitting your movie, you authorize NEW YORK INDIE SHORTS AWARDS to use, distribute and share the film poster, trailer, synopsis and movie stills in our social media.
14- Maximum length allowed is 40 minutes.
15- When submitting your film, you are consenting to our Privacy Policy. We are committed to respecting each filmmaker's preferences. We might contact you through your email or social media provided in the submission page to communicate updates on your submission status, screening and DCP requirements, events ticket confirmation, as well as to provide information about events, services, promotions that we think you might be interested in. You can unsubscribe from any marketing or advertising newsletter from us or any partner festival simply by clicking unsubscribe.
Even when unsubscribing from a marketing newsletter, you can still receive any communication regarding your submission status through the FilmFreeway system. For more information about our associated event, please refer to indieshortsawards.com/newyork. If you need further information, please contact us via nyc@indieshortsawards.com, and we will be happy to help you.
118 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Mariam Momani

    In my seven years in filmmaking, this festival stands out as one of the finest I've had the pleasure to collaborate with. The festival's organizing team exhibits a remarkable level of professionalism, and the audience arrives with open minds and open hearts. The film selection is not only inclusive but also exceptionally humanely captivating.

    October 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Mariam, it was an honor for us to have IN HER SHOES in our LINEUP and it was so nice meeting you! We really wish you all the best. You are an amazing filmmaker! Can't wait to see what's up next! All the best!

  • Arthur Gay

    A lovely festival with some really wonderful organizers. I was unfortunately not able to attend in person but the team were so lovely to deal with and super quick to respond.
    Thank you for playing our film!

    October 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks Arthur for your kind words! Really hope you can come to our next one in October 2024! Warmest regards, NYC ISA Team

  • Dylan Gary

    So happy to have had our film The Uniform shown at the New York Indie Shorts Awards... Tere and Mariano put on a great event from top to bottom with an entire week full of amazing shorts from all over the world. Excellent Q&A's every night, master classes, and they, along with Delfi and Lil create a great atmosphere for filmmakers to interact and get to know each other.
    Communication leading up to the event was great and they even have an assigned person to help filmmakers make their DCP if needed.
    These people truly love film and filmmakers, and that love is felt in every aspect of the festival.
    Great experience and an honor for our lead Jammie Patton to have won the award for Best Actress.
    Hope to be back with the next film!

    October 2023
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  • Brenna Goodwin-McCabe

    Our team was so excited to air "I Can't Go On" in the New York Indie Shorts Awards 2023 lineup. While we couldn't attend in person, the festival was very approachable, helpful, and sure to include us in social media. Just a lovely experience!

    October 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much for your feedback Brenna! It means a lot to us! We really wish you can make it next year. Wishing you all the best!

  • Taekyu Kwon

    NEW YORK INDIE SHORTS AWARDS was amazing. Truly an event that I will remember for life. The director and the team showed much interest in and appreciation for the films and filmmakers. I was humbled by the words of the director of the film festival who recognized the message and gems of my film.
    Communication was very good. I highly recommend this film festival. Thank you again for your hospitality and all the great work in hosting the event this year.

    October 2023
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