Join us in 2025 for the Oscar®-qualifying New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF), an amazing opportunity for filmmakers to participate in the largest film festival in North America showcasing work for children and teens!
Presented over three weekends at major venues throughout New York City, the Festival showcases approximately 100 outstanding short and feature films in all genres from around the globe. We look forward to hosting premieres, special events, filmmaker Q&A spotlights, receptions and networking opportunities for our amazing filmmakers, culturally savvy audience of families and tastemakers next Spring.
As an Academy Award®-qualifying Festival in the Best Live Action and Animated Short Film categories, the Festival attracts a prestigious jury. Our 2024 Festival jury included Jarelle Dampier (director,The Spider Within), Ilana Glazer (writer/actor, Broad City), Guillermo Martinez (head of story at Sony Pictures Animation), Matthew Modine (actor, Oppenheimer), Chris Nee (creator, Doc McStuffins), Peter Ramsey (director, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), Benjamin Renner (director, Migration), Ira Sachs (director, Passages), Phillipa Soo (actor/singer, Hamilton), Ellen Su (head of artistic recruiting, Titmouse Animation), and Uma Thurman (actor, Pulp Fiction). Each year NYICFF’s prestigious jury awards the Best Live Action short and Best Animation short, qualifying them for Oscar consideration.
Audience awards are presented in each film category, with audience members of all ages (from adults to even the youngest attendees) voting on the Festival-winning films. NYICFF receives major press coverage and attention for its films (including feature coverage in The New York Times), allowing you an excellent opportunity to add to your film’s prestige and portfolio of recognition. And your films have the potential to continue to receive recognition nationwide even after the NYC Festival wraps. NYICFF’s year-round touring Program selects a number of short films from the Festival to include in programs curated to tour major museums, arthouse theaters, film festivals and community festivals across the U.S. Feature films included in the festival also receive valuable feedback in the form of a full portfolio of audience comments and direct commentary on your film’s engagement and successful connection with audience members of all ages.
More than 100 international filmmakers participate in the Festival annually, from established veterans to emerging makers. They represent wonderfully diverse voices working in all genres and formats, producing work for audiences of all ages and lending their artistic voice to the festival.
We often program films not initially created with a young audience in mind, and we encourage filmmakers to share work that may very well have expanded audience potential. Our audiences are up for the challenge of artistically complex work, and our written materials, intros and Q&As offer compelling context and spark great dialogue around your films.
Through our screenings, Q&As, industry conversations and receptions, we facilitate opportunities for engaging with the animation, film and children’s media field and partner festivals (recent participants include Cartoon Saloon, Toei Animation, Titmouse Animation, Sony Kids, Illumination, DreamWorks, Children’s Media Association, Women in Animation and Sesame Workshop). Throughout, we foster inclusive practices in the field and seek expanded access for talented filmmakers to be heard and grow. We especially want to encourage submissions by filmmakers of color and from under-represented communities; please feel free to reach out to us if submission fees are an issue for you.
Film reflects your artistry, a distinct vision, a record of a time. It opens eyes and possibilities, especially key in our young audiences, and sparks meaningful dialogue--all of which has never been more vital than now. Thanks, filmmakers, for being the visionaries that you are. We can’t wait to see -- and share -- your work.
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In addition to presenting the annual event, New York International Children’s Film Festival is a multifaceted arts organization that offers national touring programs, special sneak peek and premiere events, FilmEd Classroom education programs, virtual cinema offerings and additional year-round engagement. The Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization.
NYICFF is an Academy Award®-qualifying festival. Recipients of the NYICFF jury prizes are eligible for consideration in the Live Action Short and Animated Short Film categories of the Annual Academy Awards®. All in competition selections, both short and feature, are voted on by our audience and are eligible for our Audience Awards.
Jury Awards (Oscar-qualifying)
- Best Animated Short Film
- Best Live Action Short Film
Audience Awards for Best Short Film
- Ages 3+
- Ages 3+
- Ages 6+
- Ages 8+
- Ages 10+
- Ages 12+
- Grown ups (18+)
Grand Prize Awards (voted on by audience members in all age groups)
- Animated Short
- Live Action Short
- Animated Feature
- Live Action Feature
NYICFF and Shine Global Resilience Award
Feature film award and $2,500 cash prize conferred to one feature that best exemplifies the resilience and strength of children in the face of adversity