> $1,000 cash prize for Best Feature Film
> $1,000 cash prize for Best Short Film

> all selected films In Competition

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Welcome to New York Film Week.
7th edition runs from October 23 — 27 2024 in NY, a city that breathes film in every possible way.

Our goal is to raise awareness and promote the various aspects of international cinema in all its forms.

Previous Premieres include movies from Wim Wenders, Laura Poitras, Armando Iannucci, Noah Baumbach, Wash Westmoreland, Martin Scorsese, Takashi Miike, Céline Sciamma, Yolande Zauberman, Lee Chang-dong, Kelly Reichardt, Andrea Arnold, Christophe Honoré and many more.

First-time and established filmmakers are being selected and every film genre is considered. The festival only shows bold and iconic content, something to remember.

We look forward to reviewing your entry.

Best Film (Short Film)
Jury Prize (Short Film)
Best Film (Feature Film)
Jury Prize (Feature Film)
Best Director
 (Feature Film)
Best Acting (Feature Film)

Best Screenplay (Feature Film)

1. New York Film Week is being held from October 23rd to October 27th, 2023. The Festival takes place annually in the second half of October.

2. The aim of the Festival is to raise awareness and promote the various aspects of international cinema in all its forms: as art, entertainment, and as an industry, in a spirit of freedom and dialogue.

3. In addition to the sections mentioned in the following paragraphs, the Festival also organizes special events such as film workshops and industry days.

4. Official Selection

4.1 Feature Films
An international competition featuring seven feature films, from both US and world territories. This section will present films that represent the latest aesthetics and expressive trends in international cinema.
In order to submit to this category, the total running time of the film needs to be 45 minutes or over (including credits).
We welcome narrative and documentary feature films at New York Film Week.

4.2 Short Films
An international competition featuring seven short films, from both US and world territories. The aim of this section is to showcase short films demonstrating innovation and creative originality.
In order to submit to this category, the total running time of the film needs to be of less than 45 minutes (including credits).
We welcome narrative, documentary, and animation short films at New York Film Week, as well as music videos.

5. Juries and Awards

5.1 Feature Films Jury
An International Jury composed of personalities from the world of cinema and culture from various countries, excluding any person involved in any capacity in the production of the invited films or who may have an interest in their distribution, will award the following prizes for the feature films:

+ Best Film

+ Jury Prize, for the film demonstrating the most creative originality

+ Best Director

+ Best Acting (features both male and female nominees)

+ Best Screenplay

5.2 Short Films Jury
An International Jury, composed of personalities from the world of cinema and culture from various countries, excluding any person involved in any capacity in the production of the invited films or who may have an interest in their distribution, will award the following prizes:

+ Best Short

+ Jury Prize

There will be no joint winners.

6. Selection of films/projects
6.1 Selection Procedure
Only films that have been registered can be considered for selection.
Film registrations are accepted exclusively online on FilmFreeway.
The Festival Director will be assisted by his staff of programmers, as well as by a group of correspondents and international consultants, each responsible for different geographical areas, in order to select the Projects.
Selection will be made under the following criteria: latest aesthetics and expressive trends in international cinema, films demonstrating innovation, and creative originality. Seven short films and seven feature films will be selected at NYFW23.

6.2 Submission Deadlines
Following deadlines must be met without exception:

Early Submission Deadline: December 4th, 2023
Regular Submission Deadline: July 1st, 2024
Late Submission Deadline: September 9th, 2024

Extended Submission Deadline: September 30th, 2024
All the films have to be registered by September 30th, 2024, via FilmFreeway.

Late submissions can only be made with the express approval of the respective section head.

6.3 Registration Fees
For each film submitted to the selection of the Festival, a registration fee is requested to cover administrative and programming costs. Films will only be considered for selection after the entry fee is received.

Fees are depending on the submission deadline:

Short films: $30 > $50

Feature Films: $35 > $80

Music Videos: $30 > $50

There are special conditions for film schools and film institutes. Please contact the Program Coordinator on our contact page for further details.
This fee will not be reimbursed under any circumstance.

6.4 Materials to submit
Films are to be submitted in their original version for the selection process. Films in English do not require translation. Films in other languages must be subtitled in English.
All Projects must be uploaded via the FilmFreeway Secure Online Screener system or via a Vimeo link entered directly on the online application.

New York Film Week reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the applicant, any Project that is not submitted via one of these formats.

6.5. Dialogues/Subtitles
If your project includes non-English dialogues, please ensure all subtitles are hardcoded to your video file (we do not accept a translated list of dialogue on paper).

6.6 Completion
Projects need to be completed from January 1, 2023, to be eligible for consideration for the 2024 edition of the Festival.

6.7 Premiere Status
Short Films do not need to retain any sort of premiere status. Short Films do not forfeit their eligibility for submission to the Festival if they were previously released theatrically or via any home video platform, broadcast or streamed on television or the internet, or screened at any number of film festivals anywhere in the world.

Feature films need to be Preview screenings in order to be considered. They may have screened in the US beforehand, but may not be on general lease before NYFW24.

Feature films that have been or will be broadcast or streamed on television or the Internet or released via any home video or other public distribution platform (Blu-ray, DVD, streaming, VOD, etc.) in the US prior to NYFW24 are not eligible.

6.8 Re-submission
Projects that have been submitted for Festival consideration in previous years are eligible for re-submission only if the content of the submitted project has changed significantly since the previous year in which the Project was submitted.

6.9 Declaration of Rights Upon Submitting a Film
New York Film Week will only accept the submission of a film if the submitter is the holder of all usage rights to the film necessary for the submission and use of the film within the context of participation in NYFW. NYFW reserves the right to demand appropriate proof of these rights and to reject the submission upon failure to provide it.

6.10 Notification
All the submitted films will be notified on October 2nd, 2024 in writing if their film has been successful or not.
If your film is invited to the official selection of New York Film Week, you will be contacted by the Festival in regards to all the logistical and practical details of your screening during the Festival.

7. Selected Films/Projects
The invitation to participate is issued by the Festival Director or the section heads, respectively. Only officially selected films/projects can participate in the New York Film Week.
Upon completion of the Festival selection process, NYFW will attempt to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form to notify the Applicant of the Project’s acceptance status. NYFW disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for any failure to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form. It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that the contact information provided on the submission form is correct.

8. Participants Obligations
No film may be withdrawn from the festival program after its participation has been publicized. During the festival, no participating film may be screened outside the festival venues prior to its official presentation at the festival.
Participation in the festival requires unconditional adherence to all regulations set out in these guidelines.
The Director of New York Film Week reserves the right to rule on any cases not provided for in these guidelines.

8.1 Acceptance Form
Selected films will receive an Acceptance Form to be duly completed and returned no later than 10 days after the end of the extended submission deadline. Receipt of the form by the Festival implies the legal acceptance of the invitation by all concerned and will be considered definitive and irrevocable.

8.2 Announcement
The invitation of a Project to participate must remain confidential until the announcement of the program by the New York Film Week. Failure to comply will result in its exclusion from the selection. The general scheduling and screening times are the sole responsibility of NYFW.

8.3 Screening Formats
Short + Feature Films
Selected films MUST provide an adequate DCP file to be screen (with English subtitles).
The Festival reserves the right to refuse any copy that, on the advice of the Festival technicians, is considered to be of inadequate quality for public screening.

8.4 Catalog
All the material required for the Festival catalog (synopses, cast and credits, biography and a complete filmography of the director, photographs of the director, of actors and scenes from the film in b/w and color, plus a brief director’s comment on the film) must reach the Festival as soon as possible, but no later than 10 days after the end of the extended submission deadline.

8.5 Press Material
The presenters of films participating in the Festival must send the promotional material for distribution to the press and potential buyers (press book, digital images of the film and the director, video material, audio clips, etc.) under separate cover, at their own expense, no later than 10 days after the end of the extended submission deadline, in the quantities that will be requested after the invitation.

8.6 Official Logo
All forms of promotional activity after the presentation of the program by the New York Film Week must mention their participation in the New York Film Week, including the official logo of the NYFW, as supplied by New York Film Week. Films awarded a prize must also state which award was won, in accordance with the official graphic designs predetermined and supplied by NYFW.

9. Hospitality
Our hospitality department will be in touch with selected filmmakers to organize attendance and post-screening Q&As.

10. Shipping
All shipments from outside the United States must get customs clearance before being imported. For this purpose, all shipments sent by courier from outside the US must have three copies of proper customs documentation, containing all the necessary information (i.e.: proforma/commercial invoice), attached to the outside of the package together with the courier’s waybill.

10.1 Shipping Insurance
All insurance costs covering the transport of films and press material to and from New York Film Week will be at the expense of those presenting the films.

11. Insurance during New York Film Week
New York Film Week provides insurance coverage for the entire period during which the copies are in the care of the Festival. The insurance value of a film may not exceed the average laboratory costs for a standard copy. Furthermore, all necessary measures will be taken by the Festival to protect the author’s copyright for works entrusted to the Festival, in accordance with the FIAPF dispositions regarding safeguarding against piracy.

12. Usage Rights
The participant declares and guarantees that he/she is the holder of all usage rights necessary for the use of the film in the context of this agreement. The participant affirms that any third parties involved in the production and distribution of the film have agreed, where necessary, to its use in the context of New York Film Week as specified in this agreement. The participant guarantees that by using the film in the context of this agreement, no rights of third parties, including persons depicted in the film, are infringed.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Jon Ryan Sugimoto

    Really great programming. Playing with some fantastic acclaimed films and filmmakers.

    November 2023
  • Éva Benke

    I am very happy to be a part of this festival with the film 'Not a Thing'. The talented actress of the film won the Best Acting Award. Thank you to the entire staff for the professional organization and management!

    October 2022
  • Anna Hopkins

    Great people running this! Fast and clear communication, and super interesting films.

    October 2022
  • Alisha Liu

    This was a very well organized festival and I enjoyed the experience. Thank you!

    October 2021
  • Justin Time

    Thank you, New York Film Week, for this great opportunity. I am proud to win "Best Documentary" at New York Film Week, which is a wonderful start in the festival round for a film. What I really loved at the festival was the mix of experimental, documentary and fiction films, which was the ideal environment for my experimental documentary that does´t always fit in otherwise. The program felt very thought through - well curated!
    The festival focuses "on films, not on stars" - still, it would have been nice to have Q&A and talks with the audience. Why not add time for that? In terms of communication: The time frame from notification to screening date was quite short, so for me to organize and consider flying to NYC was very hectic. Also, it would be great to put clear dates, so instead of "please send us a download link as soon as possible" i would have preferred to have a date and a deadline with a description of exactly what you need and when. For some emails, i did not get any response and so i just hoped it would turn out all right, which it did. But 1 or 2 more emails would not have hurt ;)
    During the festival, I had a good time with the team and enjoyed it a lot. For independent filmmakers with unusual aesthetics, who can not spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on submissions, as well as for the audience with free admission, it is a good opportunity. Thanks, NYFW!

    August 2017