New York Shorts International Film Festival provides a showcase for emerging and established independent filmmakers from around the world.

NY Shorts offers short-form filmmakers an ideal platform to screen their film and gain recognition in the heart of New York City. NY Shorts premiered Ricky Gervais ‘Derek” in 2012, which became a popular British television show written, directed and starring Ricky Gervais. The series is now available on Netflix.

NY Shorts events include receptions, as well as workshops with industry experts and top filmmaking professionals sharing their practical advice to attending filmmakers. The heart of the festival is the quality and scope of extraordinary film programming to enthusiastic audiences in the vibrant filmmaking enclave of New York City.

NY Shorts feels that short form cinema and its creators should have their own premiere film festival in New York deserving similar recognition given to the feature film and its creators.

Awards & Prizes

The following awards will be announced:

Grand Prize
Best International
Best Drama
Best Comedy
Best Animation
Best Documentary
Best Experimental
Best Music Video
Best Web Series

* Note if any category does not meet the standard deemed award worthy by the judging committee, it’s possible that there will be no award announced in that category.

Rules & Terms

2019 Entry Requirements

Films must NOT have screened in NEW YORK.
We prefer films NOT screen in New York prior to our festival. We factor in previous screenings in New York when determining our selection.
Films must have been completed after July 1, 2018
Films must be submitted via online screener.
All non-English films must have English sub-titles.
Works-in-progress will be considered, provided they will be completed prior to the Festival.
Please do NOT send stills or press kits. If your film is selected we will ask you to email us a still image.
All films selected for the Festival grant NY Shorts the rights to use press materials from the film for promotional purposes.
You may enter more than one film- entry fee is required for each film.
Entries will NOT be viewed without entry fee payment

Selection
Film selection for the festival will be made by the Festival Committee.
The selected filmmakers will be responsible for all shipping fees.
All filmmakers will be notified via email of acceptance.

11 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Lukas Hassel

    A solid festival. Great screening quality and a lovely filmmaker mingler in the iconic Ace bar in the East Village. i recommend this festival for anyone who'd welcome a NY screening and have people to invite.

    November 2018
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  • Fredric Lehne

    Although I appreciate that our film was accepted, this festival has problems. Terrible venue - a large conference room on the 16th floor of an office building. The filmmakers and small audience were kept waiting in the ground floor lobby until the previous block finished. They were running late. The quality of the shorts block was pretty good, but the mc babbled on a bit too long (about his budding acting career), leaving no time at the end for the Q&A. Filmmakers and audience were immediately rushed out. Unless they step it up big time you don't wanna waste your money and time here.

    November 2018
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  • Michael Schaar-Ney

    This was a great festival for The Moustache to have it's New York premiere! I was unfortunately unable to attend, the posts on social media looked great, hopefully I will be able to make it next year!

    June 2018
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  • Jenny Paul

    "Fantastic little gem of a fest. My team was so impressed with the caliber of production and how unique and interesting each of the films was! Great staff, great program, would recommend to anyone getting their feet wet in the biz!"

    Jenny Paul
    Writer/Producer
    Parent Teacher Conference

    June 2018
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  • Jack Kenny

    A fantastic experience all around. I'd highly recommend submitting to NYShorts! Thank you, Julie!!

    June 2018
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