The Americas Film Festival NY (TAFFNY) has been celebrating the rich cultural tapestry of the Americas for 12 years, bringing together the stories, languages, and voices of North, Central, and South America—along with their islands. A project of CUNY’s City College and the Center for Worker Education, in collaboration with Instituto Cervantes NY and the National Museum of the American Indian, TAFFNY is a hub for cinematic discovery.

TAFFNY is free and open to the public and very popular among film lovers in NYC. The festival bridges communities through bold storytelling and dynamic discussions by showcasing premieres, award-winning films, and timeless classics. TAFFNY fosters connections among emerging filmmakers, industry professionals, and diverse audiences through special screenings, retrospectives, panels, and lively receptions. More than just a festival, it’s a vibrant celebration of multiculturalism, uniting film lovers and creators in the heart of NYC.

Awards & Prizes

TAFFNY's Short Film Competition fosters reflection on the short film format while promoting cultural exchange among filmmakers, students, and industry professionals across the Americas and its associated islands. The ceremony takes place at the Smithsonian Museum in NYC.

Rules & Terms

Eligibility Requirements:

Open to films from or about Latin America, North America, and the associated islands.

Genres: Documentary, fiction, animation, experimental.

Foreign-language films must have English subtitles.

Maximum runtime: 20 minutes. Films must have been released within 24 months of the festival date.

Submission format: Online screener via weblink (no downloadable files).

Exhibition format: 1080p H.264 (.mov, .mp4) or ProRes. Other formats will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The Festival Programming Committee will appoint jury members. This Jury will fulfill the following conditions: It will comprise at least three members. No person interested in the production and/or exploitation of a competing film may form a part of this Jury. The Jury will deliberate in secret and adopt its decisions by simple majority. The Festival Programming Committee will be present at the deliberations but will not take part in the voting. The Jury members firmly undertake not to publicly express their opinions of films in competition for an award prior to the official announcement of the awards.

The Jury has the obligation to grant the following awards to a Fiction, Animated film categories:

The Americas Prize for Best Fiction (for the Director / Producer)

The Americas Prize for Best Animation

The Jury for documentary / Experimental films must grant the following awards:

The Americas Prize for Best Documentary

The Americas Prize for Best Experimental Film

Both Juries can grant the Special Award to a film of their own free choice. The Jury must give its reasons for granting this award. Only one of these awards may be granted ex aequo.