"At NewFest, an LGBTQ film festival becomes a form of resistance" --Entertainment Weekly

Founded in 1988, NewFest: New York’s LGBTQ Film Festival is an annual celebration of the year’s best queer films from the U.S. and abroad, as well as parties, panels and events bringing together filmmakers, movie lovers, and the LGBTQ community.

This year NewFest will celebrate its 31st annual edition of New York’s LGBTQ Film Festival, which takes place over seven days and kicks off on Wednesday, October 23rd! Presented by HBO, NewFest’s collection of narratives, documentaries and shorts portrays the diverse and compelling stories from across the LGBT spectrum. NewFest 31 is a festival that is not to be missed!

New York's LGBTQ Film Festival is produced annually by NewFest, New York’s LGBTQ Film and Media Arts Organization. NewFest gives voice and visibility to the full spectrum of the LGBTQ experience by championing films, supporting storytellers, and engaging audiences in order to inspire dialogue, shift cultural bias and empower our diverse community.

Awards & Prizes

GRAND JURY AWARDS
Grand Jury Award for Best International Narrative Feature
Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature
Grand Jury Award for Best US Narrative Feature
Grand Jury Award for Best New York Short Film

AUDIENCE AWARDS
Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature
Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
Audience Award for Best Documentary Short
Audience Award for Best Narrative Short

Rules & Terms

Films should be of interest to, and inclusive of, the queer community. We are seeking narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated films (both features and shorts) in 35mm, 16mm, or DCP (upon acceptance, NewFest will provide projection options for the specific venue in which the film will screen—IF THE FILMMAKER CANNOT PROVIDE THE CORRECT PROJECTION FORMAT, THE FILM WILL NOT BE SCREENED).

Rough cuts and works-in-progress are eligible for submission if the completed film will be ready for QC by September 1st, 2019. Please label the screener “Rough Cut” and specify what is missing (i.e. temp sound, needs color correction, etc).

By submitting your work to NewFest, you grant to NewFest a non-exclusive license to use an excerpt of your submission of up to two minutes in length, for promotional purposes only.

Still photos from your work are requested with your submission and are required for all films selected for the festival. Good stills make a difference in film placement and press coverage, particularly for short films. Even the shortest short can get press coverage or festival prominence with a captivating still. Stills must be in TIFF or JPEG format and 300dpi (dots per inch).

You are also encouraged to enclose a synopsis, production credits, press information, and other collateral regarding your film.

CERTIFICATION
I have read and agree to the festival submission and participation requirements and certify that I am authorized to submit this film NewFest. I hold NewFest harmless from damage to or loss of the print en route or otherwise during the course of the festival’s possession of the film.
4 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Matthew Montgomery

    This festival is just downright amazing. They bring together such an amazing group of films and filmmakers from all over the world and provide a space to actually talk to each other and meet new filmmakers. We screened our feature film, Devil's Path, there for two screenings and we sold out on our second screening. This is all due to the great marketing and promotion team at NewFest. The venue is awesome and the events that are part of the festival make it feel like a real community.

    January 2019
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  • Fred Guerrier

    Fantastic film and filmmaker centered fest.

    January 2019
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  • Shwenn Shunya Chang

    Great and Awesome festival!! It is a honor to be an official selection in NewFest: New York's LGBT Film Festival. I really appreciate that I have this chance to be part of it. It was a great time to see my film with all the crowds in your festival. I cannot wait to submit my works more to you in future.

    January 2018
    Helpful
  • Ashley George

    Great fest! The team is very responsive and communicative. Great networking events, screening and programming quality is solid and overall had a fantastic time. Highly recommend submitting to NewFest!

    October 2017
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