ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The 8th Annual Nassau Film Festival will be held in person from May 20-21, 2023 at the Princeton Garden Theatre in Princeton,NJ. Filmmaker submissions closed on April 1, 2023. Updated information about the 2023 festival can be located at nassaufilmfestival.org
Tickets: Now on sale to attend the in person screening of the festival films at the Princeton Garden Theatre on May 20-21. Go to filmfreeway.com/nassaufilmfestival
For those wishing to watch the festival films virtually only from May 22 - June 15, tickets are on sale through the festival's FestiVee virtual platform at nassaufilmfestival.org
FESTIVAL PROCEEDS
In keeping with Festival tradition, we donate the majority of funds collected from sponsors, patrons and filmmakers to a non profit organization.
Proceeds from the 2023 Festival will go toward the Family Resource Network (FRN). FRN provides more than 50 services and programs for NJ residents living with epilepsy, autism, developmental disabilities and chronic illness and support for their caregivers.
In past years, we have supported Homefront, Make-A-Wish Foundation, the American Cancer Society, Womenspace, and the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK). In 2021, Community FoodBank of New Jersey and Mercer Street Friends were the recipients of the proceeds from the film festival and the monies raised provided over 12,000 meals to those who were food insecure.
In 2022, proceeds from NFF went to the Lisa Goldstein Education Foundation(LGEF) and two scholarships totalling $3000 were awarded in 2022. The foundation awards scholarships to high school seniors who want to study education, math or science at college and also to college juniors enrolled as student teachers who are pursuing a career in elementary education or special education. Please visit (LisaGoldsteinEducationFoundation.com) for more information on this non-profit.
FESTIVAL RECOGNITION AND AWARDS
In 2022, the Nassau Film Festival was recognized as the #1 comprehensive short film festival in New Jersey; the #12 comprehensive short film festival in the United States; and the #39 comprehensive short film festival worldwide by international filmmakers and festival directors.
In 2021, the Nassau Film Festival (NFF) was named as one of the top 40 comprehensive film festivals in the world. NFF was named an IMDb qualifying festival.
In 2020, the Nassau Film Festival (NFF) was voted the best solely short film festival in New Jersey in the People's Choice Awards.
In 2019, the Nassau Film Festival was rated by filmmakers as one of the top 100 comprehensive short film festivals worldwide.
In 2018, the Nassau Film Festival was named the number one comprehensive short film festival in the New Jersey/New York/Pennsylvania tri-state region and one of the best 100 comprehensive short film festivals in the United States.
MORE FESTIVAL INFO
The Nassau Film Festival (NFF) screens only short films (30 seconds to 20 minutes) in the following categories: fiction, documentary, animation, student films, episodic, music videos and horror. The historic Princeton Garden Theatre on Nassau Street in Princeton, NJ across the street from Princeton University will once again host the 2023 festival. In years past, the festival has screened films from filmmakers whose countries represent all six populated continents.
Best of Festival awards are given in each of the categories and attendees have a chance to network with filmmakers, actors, actresses, producers, directors and directors of photography at a special festival event. Audience members will have the opportunity to participate in a question and answer session with filmmakers whose films are selected to screen at the Festival.
FILMMAKER INFO
Filmmakers will be notified by April 15, 2023 as to their status after a review of all films by a panel of judges. Those filmmakers whose films are selected for screening at the festival will receive an official selection notice and will be expected to provide a screening copy of their film in DCP or BluRay format along with a 60 second taped introduction about their film and will also be required to upload their film and associated materials onto the FestiVee platform.
Award winners will be notified after the conclusion of the festival.
The Princeton Tiger awards are voted upon by the audience who attend the Fest in each of the categories. Princeton Tiger award recipients can access laurels on FilmFreeway recognizing their achievements.
The Best of Fest Award is a judges award given to films which conveyed the message of their film in a superior manner. Recipients of this special award will also be able to access a laurel after the Fest on FilmFreeway.
Final schedule of films that will be screened showing time and date will be posted on or around the last week in April/first week in May.
Best of Festival and Princeton Tiger Award laurels in each of the following seven categories: fiction, documentary, animation, student fiction films, episodic, music video and horror.
