The New York Independent Film Festival

The New York Independent Film Festival is a celebration of independent cinema in the heart of New York City. NYIFF is focused on bringing immense value to filmmakers: Through our showcase, panels, masterclasses, awards, development, networking, and more. The goal is to ensure everyone involved in every iteration of The New York Independent Film Festival is thrilled with every aspect of the event and the opportunities within it.

The New York Independent Film Festival was built with the love of independent filmmaking in mind. Beyond all else, it's a value-focused event structured with passion for the craft, operated by film industry professionals with worldwide judges from the professional producing, writing and development worlds.

Above all else, the New York Independent Film Festival is dedicated to bringing as much value to independent filmmakers and screenwriters as possible. From educational resources, to collaboration opportunities, to networking, to showcases, to masterclasses: We are all about shining light on excellent independent film work as well as providing the most opportunity for filmmakers across the globe.

**The 2023 Film Festival is coming up, from September 4-6, 2023 - So keep an eye out on your inbox if you've submitted to this year's event!
The season we've just opened for submissions is the 2024 edition of the festival, so if you've submitted to the 2023 event, stay tuned! See you next month!

The 2024 Edition of the festival will be a hybrid event, offering attendance for both the in-person, live version of the festival as well as the online, immersive festival experience.

Jury Award Prizes in the following categories:
-Best Narrative Feature
-Best Narrative Short
-Best Documentary
-Best Experimental
-Best New Media
-Film of The Year

Plus, all winners will be invited through to submit their work to our partnered film distribution company based out of New York City, to take your work to the next level!

All entries should be sent via FilmFreeway with a secure online screener.

-Each accepted film must be submitted in the .mp4 or .mov format, preferably.

-By submitting to the festival you confirm that you own the rights of the film, including the rights to the music in the film.

-There is no minimum running time.

-Films must have been completed on or after Jan 1, 2018.

-All genres are welcome (narrative, animated, experimental, documentary or music video).

-Filmmakers may submit multiple entries as long as each film is submitted with its own Entry Form, online screener and paid Entry Fee.

-Submission Fees are non-refundable

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Dates & Deadlines

August 3, 2023
Opening Date
August 31, 2023
Starter Deadline
September 30, 2023
The Founders Deadline
October 30, 2023
Stage One Deadline
November 30, 2023
Stage Two Deadline
January 31, 2024
Stage Three Deadline
February 29, 2024
Midpoint Deadline
March 31, 2024
Stage Four Deadline
April 30, 2024
Approaching Deadline
May 31, 2024
Regular Deadline
July 31, 2024
Extended Deadline
August 14, 2024
Notification Date
September 4 – 6, 2024
Event Date

Categories & Fees

Feature Film
Anything above 45 minutes in length
- Starter Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- The Founders Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $28
- Gold Members: $28
- Stage One Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $38
- Gold Members: $38
- Stage Two Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $44
- Gold Members: $44
- Stage Three Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $50
- Midpoint Deadline
- Standard: $65
- Student: $55
- Gold Members: $55
- Stage Four Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $60
- Gold Members: $60
- Approaching Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $60
- Gold Members: $60
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $60
- Gold Members: $60
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $60
- Gold Members: $60
Submit Now
Short Film
Anything below 45 minutes in length
- Starter Deadline
- Standard: $25
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- The Founders Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Stage One Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Stage Two Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Stage Three Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Midpoint Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Stage Four Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Approaching Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
Submit Now
New Meda
Any length new media content
- Starter Deadline
- Standard: $25
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- The Founders Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Stage One Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Stage Two Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Stage Three Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Midpoint Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Stage Four Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Approaching Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
Submit Now
Feature Screenplays
Screenplays 30 pages or longer.
- Starter Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $24
- Gold Members: $24
- The Founders Deadline
- Standard: $36
- Student: $28
- Gold Members: $28
- Stage One Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $38
- Gold Members: $38
- Stage Two Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $44
- Gold Members: $44
- Stage Three Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Midpoint Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Stage Four Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $50
- Approaching Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $50
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $50
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $50
Submit Now
Films - With Extended Feedback (Includes Regular Submission!)
The team will screen your work and create a detailed analysis and star-rating breakdown of the strongest elements, the elements that need work and more detail about their view on the project as a whole. The goal of this is to provide as much value as possible, and help filmmakers develop their craft by understanding their strengths and weaknesses, directly from our jury. This report will focus on execution, originality, voice, directing, writing, performance, technical filmmaking, and more. As mentioned above, this category includes the actual submission of your work into competition as well. This category covers both short-form and feature-form.
- Starter Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $52
- Gold Members: $52
- The Founders Deadline
- Standard: $65
- Student: $56
- Gold Members: $56
- Stage One Deadline
- Standard: $70
- Student: $62
- Gold Members: $62
- Stage Two Deadline
- Standard: $75
- Student: $67
- Gold Members: $67
- Stage Three Deadline
- Standard: $75
- Student: $67
- Gold Members: $67
- Midpoint Deadline
- Standard: $80
- Student: $71
- Gold Members: $71
- Stage Four Deadline
- Standard: $80
- Student: $71
- Gold Members: $71
- Approaching Deadline
- Standard: $80
- Student: $71
- Gold Members: $71
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $80
- Student: $71
- Gold Members: $71
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $80
- Student: $71
- Gold Members: $71
Submit Now
(SPECIAL OFFER) Professional Interview Package
Through our partners at FilmFestNetwork.com - We're offering filmmakers the chance to have a professionally-published interview. Our interviews give you the opportunity to present yourself professionally in film festival submissions, networking situations, and general online presence. Visit FilmFestNetwork.com for more specific information!
- Starter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $44
- Gold Members: $44
- The Founders Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $44
- Gold Members: $44
- Stage One Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $44
- Gold Members: $44
- Stage Two Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $44
- Gold Members: $44
- Stage Three Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $44
- Gold Members: $44
- Midpoint Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $44
- Gold Members: $44
- Stage Four Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $44
- Gold Members: $44
- Approaching Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $44
- Gold Members: $44
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $44
- Gold Members: $44
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $44
- Gold Members: $44
Submit Now
(SPECIAL OFFER) Published Film Review
Through our partners at FilmFestNetwork.com - We're offering filmmakers the chance to have your short film professionally reviewed & published. This creates a high quality, credible material to include within your film press kit when submitting to festivals, as well as an incredible calling card for bringing in new audiences online.
- Starter Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- The Founders Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Stage One Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Stage Two Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Stage Three Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Midpoint Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Stage Four Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Approaching Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Short Screenplays
Screenplays 30 pages or under
- Starter Deadline
- Standard: $26
- Student: $22
- Gold Members: $22
- The Founders Deadline
- Standard: $36
- Student: $32
- Gold Members: $32
- Stage One Deadline
- Standard: $46
- Student: $41
- Gold Members: $41
- Stage Two Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Stage Three Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Midpoint Deadline
- Standard: $57
- Student: $51
- Gold Members: $51
- Stage Four Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $54
- Gold Members: $54
- Approaching Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $54
- Gold Members: $54
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $54
- Gold Members: $54
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $60
- Student: $54
- Gold Members: $54
Submit Now
ADDITIONAL CATEGORY: Best Director
This is an optional additional category for filmmakers to submit to
- Starter Deadline
- Standard: $25
- Student: $22
- Gold Members: $22
- The Founders Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Stage One Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Stage Two Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Stage Three Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Midpoint Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Stage Four Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Approaching Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
Submit Now
ADDITIONAL CATEGORY: Best Cinematography
This is an optional additional category for filmmakers to submit to
- Starter Deadline
- Standard: $25
- Student: $22
- Gold Members: $22
- The Founders Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Stage One Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Stage Two Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Stage Three Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Midpoint Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Stage Four Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Approaching Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
Submit Now
ADDITIONAL CATEGORY: Best Performance
This is an optional additional category for filmmakers to submit to
- Starter Deadline
- Standard: $25
- Student: $22
- Gold Members: $22
- The Founders Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Stage One Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Stage Two Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Stage Three Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Midpoint Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Stage Four Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Approaching Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
Submit Now
ADDITIONAL CATEGORY: Best Student Film
This is an optional additional category for filmmakers to submit to
- Starter Deadline
- Standard: $25
- Student: $22
- Gold Members: $22
- The Founders Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Stage One Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Stage Two Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Stage Three Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Midpoint Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Stage Four Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Approaching Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $48
- Gold Members: $48
Submit Now

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