The Shortie Film Festival, a rapidly expanding annual event situated in New York, has garnered attention for its showcase of cutting-edge, independent, and foreign films. In previous years, screenings were hosted at the iconic Anthology Film Archives, one of Manhattan's oldest theaters, as well as the stylish Syndicated movie theater located in Williamsburg.

For the 2023 season, the festival is set to take place at the esteemed Angelika Film Center. Renowned for its role in introducing groundbreaking films to the United States, the Angelika Film Center provides an ideal venue for the festival's offerings. With its central location and reputation for fostering cinematic innovation, the Angelika promises to be an exciting new setting for the Shortie Film Festival's continued growth and influence within the film community.

Shortie is a platform for young filmmakers which helps them to launch their careers and get discovered in the filmmaking capital, NYC. We represent filmmakers of all backgrounds and levels of experience. We promote and support great films by helping them to get industry recognition in the US.

Our judges are film industry professionals from different countries around the globe. They carefully review movies sent to the Shortie film festival and decide on the finalists and the winners.

We consider movies made with small and big budgets. Our festival wants to give recognition to every movie based on a strong story.

All winning works will be screened in front of a live audience in NYC.

'Official selection' movies will be carefully picked by our judges, film experts, and filmmakers. All movies of 'Official selection' will receive a Shortie film festival laurel.
All semi-finalists will receive the Semi-finalist festival laurel. All winners of the festival will receive special Winner of Shortie film festival laurels, certificates of recognition, free tickets to the festival.

All winners, as well as selected participants of the festival, will receive recognition on our website and on our social media.

Shortie will announce winners in the following categories:

Best Short Film of the Festival
Best Social Justice Short
Best Narrative Short
Best Documentary Short
Best Animated Short
Best Student Short
Best First-time Filmmaker
Best Short Script
Best Directing
Best Producing
Best Cinematography
Best Acting
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Editing
Best Sound Design
Best Original Score
Best Sound Design
Honorable Mention

All the movies are evaluated following the category specification.

Films can be submitted to multiple categories. The sub-category must be added to the main category.

All the films must be 45 minutes or less.

You can submit multiple projects.

We don't require premiere status. Although we would suggest it.

Please submit the director's statement and image, description of the project with all the specifications, promo photos/videos of the project.

If you decide to make any changes to your movie you have to go through the submission process again.

If the film makes it to the official selection, the filmmaker will be notified via the contact method listed in the submission form.

Films must be made in or after 2022.

Shortie accepts movies in all languages. If the film is not in English it must have English subtitles by the time submitted. Shortie doesn't cover any subtitling expenses.

Shortie takes the quality of films very seriously. We only accept HD films, so any movies below 720p resolution with poor audio quality will not be considered.

Submissions for the festival must be accompanied by the submission fee and a filled online entry form. Films must be submitted via online streaming services such as Youtube, Vimeo, etc (using a private link) or via FilmFreeway submission platform. If you change the password or link after submitting, you must email info@shortiefilmfestival.com. The submission will be considered failed if the applicant doesn't notify about password changing.

Shortie encourages all the filmmakers to send us promotional material such as posters, stills, trailers, and teasers so we can fully promote the movie. Shortie reserves the right to use any promotional materials on our website, social media, and press releases.

Applicants are responsible for having all the rights and permissions for all third-party materials in their films, including but not limited to music, trademarks, logos, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights.

By submitting a film you give us rights to screen it in front of a live audience during the festival if selected for the program.

Films of the 'Official selection' will be notified via email which was listed by the applicant.

Once the project is submitted, submission cannot be canceled or refunded.
Shortie doesn't waive any submission fees. This rule applies to all applicants.

Shortie doesn't cover any travel expenses or lodging for those participants who decide to travel to NYC for the time of the festival ( even though we strongly encourage that).

We retain the right to change the date and venue of the festival under urgent circumstances.

Shortie Film Festival has the right to add, alter, change, or delete any portion of the guidelines at any time without notice.

The Festival reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any project for any Festival program or submission category.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • LucĂ­a Florez

    Shortie Film Festival is a great space to share your projects and get to have interesting conversations with other filmmakers. Been attending two years in a row and truly happy!

    May 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks a lot, Lucia! it was a great honor to have your film 'Mama' as a part of the Shortie 2020 film festival. Good luck to you!

  • Isabelle Grignon-Francke

    Short Film Festival was a great event for us. The organizers were really nice and welcoming. We're eager to go back with a new film!

    October 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you for your review, Isabelle. We can't wait to watch your new films!