Welcome to the IMDb qualifying New York Independent Cinema Awards.

We believe in the power of cinema and independent filmmaking.

The festival is a creative event which stands with all the artists involved in film and script projects. U.S. and international projects are selected in various categories of the competition.

Every edition, our team will announce the best in each category through NY Arts & Cinema as our sponsor. Film and script projects are evaluated and screened by our programmers and the official selections are forwarded to jury members assigned to each category.

The winners are promoted on IMDb, social media and through the magazine every month. The award winners can request for further online screening of films through our partnered screening platforms.

Every year, we also screen our best feature and best short of the year in New York.

Members of the jury are chosen from award winning film directors, producers, actors, critics and artists from New York, Chicago, Toronto, Los Angeles and all over the world. We also select our jury from the award winning artists of the past editions.

Awards & Prizes

U.S. Narrative Short
International Narrative Feature
International Narrative Short
U.S. Documentary Feature
U.S Documentary Short
International Documentary Feature
International Documentary Short
Best Script
Best Director
Best Producer
Best Cinematographer
Best Actress
Best Actor
Best Composer
Best Editor
Best Animation
Best Comedy
Best Experimental
Best Science Fiction
Best Horror
Best Music Video
Best Trailer
Best Student Film
Best TV Series-Web-Pilot

Rules & Terms

We consider films regardless of their completion date. You can submit any film no matter when it was made.
Shorts must be less than 50 minutes.
Films over 50 minutes should submit to the feature category.
New York Independent Cinema Awards can use trailer/teaser/film poster for promotional purpose.
Entry fees are non-refundable.
You own all the rights to the film.
88 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Paul Sliwinski

    Communicative and organized festival - was very happy to have my short script "Pigeon" recognized in their Best Unproduced Screenplay category. Will enter projects in the future.

    July 2021
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  • aliu gafar

    I feel very honored and Excited that my project Peregun (TALE OF A WARLORD) was selected. You’ve made this year a huge success for me by selecting my project, And I can`t thank you enough. It`s encouraged me and let me know I`m being recognized through my work. New York Independent Cinema Awards, I`m indebted to you and I`ll keep trying till I become one of your winners. Thank you once again. I love you all

    July 2021
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  • Maria Brenda

    A well-organized festival. Thank you for recognizing my film. It was a great honor. I will definitely enter my future projects.

    July 2021
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  • Giovanni Sanseviero

    NY Independent Cinema Awards is a sound and professional venue, continuing to pay homage to the heavenly gift of storytelling and to the hopeless mortals dedicated to making this gift that much better.
    NYICA describes themselves as "...dedicated to independent filmmaking, arts, and the language of cinema." This is a very accurate description. Thanks for everything. GS. Face Painters

    July 2021
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  • kim jaeyoung

    Thank you for allowing me to participate in this wonderful festival program. Excellent festival!

    July 2021
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