🎬 Syracuse International Film Festival (SIFF) 23rd Anniversary Celebration 🌟

As SIFF embarks on its 23rd anniversary, we are thrilled to announce an exciting expansion of our programming, marking a new chapter in the festival’s history. In honor of Black History Month, we are proud to introduce a groundbreaking event on February 24, 2026, dedicated to celebrating Black culture and creators through a juried competition. This special event will showcase incredible work from talented filmmakers and content creators, shining a spotlight on stories that matter and voices that need to be heard.

As we kick off this exciting new year, SIFF is honored to present a diverse range of films from around the globe, across the nation, and right here in New York State. This inaugural event will serve as a platform for both emerging and established talent to share their vision with a wider audience.

Eligibility & Categories

Eligible films for this special February TBD event may explore any subject matter and fall under any genre, including Narrative, Animation, Experimental, Music Videos, and more. Music Videos will be evaluated based on their creative quality and conceptual strength, particularly their visual aesthetics.

Please note that submissions must meet at least one of the following criteria to be considered:

Primarily led and/or owned by a Black creator (director, producer, etc.), regardless of the subject matter, cast, or crew demographics.

Composed of a predominantly Black production crew, regardless of the story, cast, or subject matter.

Featuring a majority Black on-screen cast, regardless of the demographics of the creator, production crew, or subject matter.

The judging panel will consist of Black content creators, filmmakers, and community leaders, ensuring an insightful and culturally informed evaluation process.

How to Submit

All films must be submitted via FilmFreeway. For full details on submission guidelines, eligibility, and categories, please refer to the submission section of our website or reach out directly to our festival team.

For further inquiries, please contact Festival President Michelle DiBernardo at Michelle@SyrFilm.com or visit us online at www.SyracuseFilmFestival.com.

Event Schedule – February 24th
🕔 5:45 PM – Doors Open
Guest arrival and seating
Red carpet photo opportunities
Networking and mingling before the program begins

🎤 6:15 PM – 6:25 PM | Opening Remarks & Welcome
Brief welcome and introduction to the evening's program

🗣️ 6:25 PM – 6:45 PM | Guest Speakers
Devin Sherman — Journey of faith, courage, and transformation
Kamar Boatman — Youth advocacy and community empowerment

🎬 6:45 PM – 7:52 PM | Featured Films & Videos
IN DUE TIME — 4:37
VIRAL — 6:38
LIVING MOMENTS — 11:09
SLEEPER — 24:33
The Sixth Stage — 20:00
Total Duration: ~1 hour, 6 minutes, 57 seconds

☕ 7:52 PM – 8:00 PM | Intermission

🎶 8:00 PM – 8:15 PM | Performance
Kiki Michelle performs two songs
Acknowledgement of Dr. Carlyle for Honorable Mention

🌳 8:15 PM – 9:30 PM | “Willow’s Tree” – Program 2
Screening duration: 1 hour, 14 minutes, 23 seconds

🏆 9:30 PM – 10:00 PM | Honoree Recognition
Introduction and remarks honoring Marc John Jefferies

🍸 10:15 PM – Close | Networking Mixer
Networking continues at 64 Albany until close

Awards & Prizes

All films accepted for screening within the festival will be adorned with Festival laurels, denoting their participation and recognition within our esteemed event.

Furthermore, each film accepted for screening shall be duly considered for a plethora of non-monetary accolades, citations, and certificates, emblematic of their artistic contribution. These commendations extend beyond mere participation, encompassing a spectrum of esteemed awards crafted to acknowledge excellence in various cinematic disciplines. Among these accolades, but not limited to, are distinctions such as:

Narrative Feature
Documentary Feature
Short Films
Animation
Experimental
Super Short Films
Music Video
Trailers
Movie Poster
Fantasy
Mystery / Crime / Noir
Historical / Period Piece
Family / Children’s Film
Sports Film
Web Series / Episodic Content
LGBTQ+ Voices
Women in Film
Mental Health Awareness

Such recognition not only celebrates the merit of the selected films but also underscores our commitment to fostering artistic excellence and innovation within the global cinematic community.

Rules & Terms

Submission to the festival implies your agreement to abide by the following Rules and Terms. Please note that submission deadlines are based on postmark dates. Waivers from submission fees are not granted. SIFF retains the authority to refuse entries or reject any film or screenplay containing content deemed offensive or inappropriate at its sole discretion. SIFF reserves the right to amend these Rules and Terms at any time without prior notice, with such amendments taking immediate effect. It is the submitter's responsibility to periodically review for updates.

The Festival is open to any film completed after January 1, 2022.

Films may only be submitted through FilmFreeway.

Films in non-English languages must include EMBEDDED (baked-in) English subtitles.

The submitter warrants authorization to commit the film for screening and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless SIFF from any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses arising from copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, or any other reason.
SIFF will not refund fees if the filmmaker fails to submit the film in the correct category. Films submitted without the correct fees or proper submission media may be deemed ineligible at SIFF's discretion. The Festival does not cover expenses incurred by the filmmaker.

Submitters must provide an official trailer, poster and/or stills, synopsis, and a link to the film. SIFF reserves the right to re-assign films to the appropriate category.

Monetary awards are provided by check or sent through our PayPal account. If not claimed within 30 days after notification, the winner forfeits the prize.

As a condition of submission, the applicant agrees that the film and/or trailer may be shown online for a limited time, not exceeding six months after the Festival's last day, through our website, SyrFilmFest.com, or other online platforms, for public viewing.
Entrants are responsible for obtaining necessary licenses, royalties, release forms, clearances, and permits for their work. SIFF is not liable for any claims related to copyright, trademark, credits, royalty infringement, or damage to materials incurred during shipping to or from the Festival.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS DISCLAIMER: Submission does not guarantee selection. All films officially selected into competition will receive a certificate and be listed on our website as an Official Selection. Official Selection status does not guarantee screening at the Festival but signifies eligibility for nomination and permission to use the Festival logo on promotional materials.

All filmmakers grant SIFF full and unrestricted permission to screen the film at times of its choice and charge an admission fee. Filmmakers understand they do not receive proceeds from the Box-office, which are retained by the Festival.

Filmmakers release SIFF from liability for damages or destruction of the entered film and understand that SIFF assumes no liability for theft, copyright violations, piracy, or technical difficulties during screening.

SIFF reserves the right to make changes to program dates, times, and screening decisions.

For additional information, visit www.SyrFilmFest.com.
1 Review
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  • Harold Dudley

    Thank you for screening my film, Sleeper, at your festival. It was an incredible experience that brought me together with so many wonderful people. Michelle and her team truly excelled in this festival. Being recognized as an Outstanding Black Filmmaker was a profound honor.

    February 2026
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