Film Rockland has been working with productions seen in cinemas and streams for the past 3 years and now wants to provide filmmakers the opportunity to be a part of New York’s best and newest film festival!

The Northwest of NYC Film Festival honors and celebrates the rich history of film and the arts in Rockland County and the greater Hudson Valley region. Rockland has long been New York’s backlot, from the earliest days of moviemaking with Thomas Edison’s 1898 historic “Loading Ice on Cars” filmed at what is now Rockland Lake State Park to most recently Scorcese’s The Irishman. Rockland has become a prime shooting location for many of your favorite productions: The Manchurian Candidate, Orange is the New Black, Sneaky Pete, and Billions. Is yours next?

Filmmaker Q&A’s as well as an opening night gala and closing night award ceremony allow filmmakers to network with colleagues and industry professionals.

Only 18 miles from New York City, The Northwest of NYC Film Festival is putting New York’s smallest county on the biggest screen.

Laurels will be given to finalists, official selections and winners.

Northwest of NYC Film Festival’s panel of industry professional judges will announce winners, and award NWoNYC official trophy statuettes on closing night of the fest in the following categories:

BEST Documentary Feature
BEST Narrative Feature
BEST Documentary Short
BEST Narrative Short

AUDIENCE AWARD Documentary Feature
AUDIENCE AWARD Narrative Feature
AUDIENCE AWARD Documentary Short
AUDIENCE AWARD Narrative Short

*BEST OF THE HUDSON VALLEY
Hudson Valley based filmmakers who have at least one scene shot in the Hudson Valley can qualify for the BEST OF THE HUDSON VALLEY AWARD.

All BEST PICTURE awards will also receive 1 week free post production/finishing services for their next project at Film Rockland’s state-of-the-art edit suites.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

By submitting a project ("Film"), the submitter (“Filmmaker”) hereby irrevocably offers to Northwest of NYC Film Festival (“Festival”) the right to screen the Film at the 2021 Northwest of NYC Film Festival at times to be determined by the Festival in its sole discretion. Filmmaker understands and agrees that once Festival accepts Filmmaker’s offer by selecting the Film for the Festival, Filmmaker shall have no right to remove the Film from the Festival, but Filmmaker shall not be barred from submitting or screening the Film at any other film festival or event outside a 10 mile radius of Northwest of NYC Film Festival. If Festival selects the Film for the Festival, Festival shall have the irrevocable right, but not the obligation, to screen the film at the 2021 Northwest of NYC Film Festival, in Festival’s sole discretion. Filmmaker irrevocably grants Festival the right to use, for promotional purposes, a trailer from the Film if the Film is selected for screening at the Festival. Films accepted should not be offered for free, unprotected online streaming until after the Festival's screening date.

If a Film is accepted by the Festival, a copy of the film must be provided to the Festival on or prior to the stated deadline, which will be a minimum of four (4) weeks from the date of notification. By submitting a film, the Filmmaker agrees to and abides by the Festival's Rules & Terms as communicated to the submitter by the Festival.

If the Film is revised or re-edited between the date of submission and the date of screening, Festival shall have the right to choose which version of the Film to screen, in the Festival’s sole discretion. Festival reserves the right to revoke selection of the Film for screening if Festival determines, in its sole discretion, it has good cause to do so; one example of good cause as used herein is unprofessional behavior by Filmmaker or Filmmaker’s representative(s). Even if Festival revokes selection of the Film for cause, the terms of this Agreement shall remain binding and in force.

The Festival reserves the right to change, delay or cancel the annual awards announcement ad campaign without prior notice.

The undersigned individual or corporation submitting the Film (referred to as “Filmmaker” herein) hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening and to accept the terms of this Agreement as Filmmaker or Filmmaker’s authorized representative; that it understands and accepts the terms of this Agreement; and that all information it has provided on the FilmFreeway submission form is accurate and may be used by Festival for promotional purposes.

Filmmaker shall indemnify and hold Northwest of NYC Film Festival harmless from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim in connection with the Film involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and/or loss of or damage to the screening videos submitted. In particular, Filmmaker expressly warrants it has obtained all necessary copyright clearances for original works of authorship used in the Film.

If the Film is selected as an official film of the Festival and is not removed from the Festival for cause, Filmmaker shall have the right to promote the Film as an Official Selection of the Northwest of NYC Film Festival in perpetuity. Any award and nomination granted to Filmmaker may be promoted in perpetuity. Festival will pay Filmmaker no additional compensation nor be liable to Filmmaker under any circumstances.

GENERAL TERMS

Northwest of NYC Film Festival categories are open to United States and international entries. Feature films, short films, and documentaries must be submitted via the FilmFreeway online portal or via on DVD or Blu-Ray for preview–NTSC only. Foreign language entries must have English language subtitles. Entries must have been completed after January 1, 2018. Applicants may submit multiple entries.

Include contact information, with both an email address and phone number if possible, on all DVD and Blu-Ray submissions. For DVD and Blu-Ray submissions, please submit in sturdy containers and/or bubble wrap to avoid damage. DVD, Blu-Ray and screenplay submissions will not be returned to the submitters.

Payments can be made through FilmFreeway by credit card, or by check or money order. Checks and money orders should be made payable to “Film Rockland”. Checks and money orders should be sent to: Film Rockland, 2 Blue Hill Plaza, suite 1622 Pearl River, NY 10695. Submission fees are non-refundable.

Notification of Official Selections will be made by September 1st, 2021. All responses will be made by email. Film Rockland has the absolute, unconditioned right to screen any film or project submitted to Northwest of NYC Film Festival.

Prizes are conditioned upon winners’ personal presence and acceptance at the festival’s Gala Awards Ceremony. The winner of the jury awards for Best Feature Film, Best Documentary Feature, Best Short Film, and the Audience Award Best of the Festival, must be personally accepted by the projects’ producer, director or executive producer in order to be eligible for the prizes.

In the event that Film Rockland pays for airfare, hotel accommodations and/or ground transportation for any filmmakers and/or any individuals whatsoever and/or provides any free tickets(beyond the two complementary passes given to filmmakers) for any filmmakers and/or any individuals whatsoever, those said filmmakers/individuals shall forfeit the right to receive any cash prize(s) in a monetary value up to an amount equal to Film Rockland's payment of his/her airfare ,hotel accommodations and/or ground transportation and/or tickets (beyond the two complementary passes given to filmmakers).

Officially selected films will not have their screening format (eg – DVD, Blu-Ray) returned unless the filmmaker pays for the shipping. In that event, the filmmaker must supply Northwest of NYC Film Festival with pre-paid self-addressed packaging, or another form of payment agreed upon by Northwest of NYC Film Festival.

Please see specific categories for more information. All filmmakers submitting projects must agree to Northwest of NYC Film Festival – which are found on the Submit Films pages of this website (in each submission category) and are also found on FilmFreeway – and by submitting to Northwest of NYC Film Festival, every filmmaker submitting automatically are bound by said Northwest of NYC Film Festival's Terms and Conditions.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • This was my first festival, and it was a blast watching from home! I will be back!

    October 2022
  • Had a great experience with this festival. They pivoted really well to virtual; it's a brutal year for film festivals but they rose to the challenge. Can't wait to submit next year.

    November 2020
  • Bobby McGruther

    I had a great time participating in the virtual festival. It was a new experience and a little hectic at first as we all adjust to this new normal. It was no small task to make a festival go from in person to online in a matter of weeks and these folks crushed it. I also really appreciate their patience with me and my team.

    October 2020
  • Mimi Garrard

    Happy to be part of this fine festival. Mimi Garrard

    October 2020
  • christina orfanoudakis

    Great festival that adapted to the new norm during Covid. I would reccomend this festival to other filmmaker and will be submitting future projects!

    October 2020