New York City Independent Film Festival

Please be sure to read the submission guidelines before you mail and/or attach a link to the entry. We will try to accommodate people as much as possible. Depending on the number and date of submissions we may have limited time and resources to figure out application mistakes. Please try and be as accurate as possible.

We do not pay screening fees! I wish we could but we just do not have the funds for it. Sorry!

Submissions online are the only way we can review your film, either through FilmFreeway, Vimeo or YouTube. If your film is selected we will be screening all films from hard drives. Final file details will be posted here soon. But an .mov and .mpg always work.

If your submission is selected, we will notify you approximately March 22, 2027 by email. Often when we send our first email to people our emails can go to spam. Around February 15 please start to check you spam folder before deleting everything! If your film is selected to be in the festival, you will be given free admission to the festival. All filmmakers may also choose to be part of one of our panels. (We cannot help with any transportation, food or housing costs.) If you are coming to the festival and want to be a part of a panel during the festivities we need to know by April 1, 2026 so we can make arrangements such as number and size of panels, etc. It will depend on the number of people coming to the festival; both fans and artists.

GENERAL RULES
We hope everyone has fun and enjoys themselves at the festival. but a few suggestions...

Please submit as soon as possible.

We accept online submissions. You may submit through FilmFreeway online secure video as well as a password protected vimeo/youtube link.

Film should have been completed no earlier than January 1, 2023.

Please note that the ONLY difference in the early submission deadline versus the final submission deadline is the fee discount. The submission process and consideration by the Programming Committee is not affected by the date you submit your film as long as it is by the final deadline.

ALL films submitted to the festival are seen and scored by multiple judges. All films that have a high rating average go on to final deliberations. The curators have final say as to the films in the Festival.

Film Submissions are non-returnable for any reason.

If a film is accepted, entrants will be solely responsible for delivering their promotional materials to and from the festival venue. Press kits will be needed as soon after notification as possible. The Festival cannot be held liable for your exhibition print/video materials which are lost or damaged.

In 2026 the awards will be juried. The jury will submit their ratings which will then be tracked and the results calculated. the third party until the evening of the awards where the results will be announced. The process for calculating the winners are;
1 - The films/videos are shown to the judges.
2 - The judges mark the ballots rating the films and other appropriate categories from 1 to 10, 10 being the best.
3 - All the scores are totaled and then divided by the number of ballots.
4 - Highest score wins.
5 - The decision of the festival is final.

Please note festival dates are subject to change.

Unfortunately, the Festival does not provide room, board or travel for filmmakers.

Documentary Feature
A Documentary is a film that depicts true facts, true information presented in a reasonably balanced and accurate way. With a length of between 71 to 140 minutes.
Mid-Length Films Any non-documentary film from 41 minutes to 70 minutes in length is acceptable. Mid-Length Documentaries have their own category.
Short Film
Any non-documentary film from 11 minutes to 41 minutes in length is acceptable. Short Documentaries have their own category.
Super Short Film
A Super Short Film is any film 10 minutes or less that is NOT a music video or a documentary. Music Videos and Short Documentaries have their own categories.
Narrative Feature Films
A full length Feature Narrative Film. A work of fiction from 71 to 140 minutes n length.
Animation
We will accept, Classical (hand drawn, traditional), Digital, Stop-motion, Clay, Cut-out, Paint-on-glass, Drawn-on-film and Experimental animation. Tell a good story and be creative we want to see it!
Art Film (Experimental)
We accept works in film or video of experimental or art or whatever you want to call it (narrative or documentary) on any subject. Be creative and break the rules! The length should be between 1 and 10 minutes.

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
We are proud to present the 19th Annual New York City Independent Film Festival. This year's festival will run from May 31 to June 6, 2027. The festival will strive to promote an open and nurturing environment for artists, writers, actors, film-makers and fans, and will focus on offering great networking opportunities for its participants.

We will screen narratives, documentaries, short films, super shorts, animation shorts. We are looking for documentaries where the filmmaker had a passion, which he/she put into the film. No matter the subject, if the work has merit and the filming is well done; be it a full-length feature, a short or a super short - we are interested in viewing it. We are looking for all genres of narratives from comedy to drama and from thrillers to love stories.

RELEASE FORM for New York City Independent Film Festival

As a condition of entering the New York City Independent Film Festival, hereafter known as NYCIFF, I/we hereby certify that:

1. I/we am/are the sole creators of the film, script, short stories, poems which I/we have submitted to the NYCIFF.

2. I/we warrant as sole and exclusive owner(s) of all legal right and title thereto have absolute authority to submit the enclosed material to NYCIFF.

3. I/we understand that the NYCIndieFF will not return and is not obligated to return my film or any other materials I/we have submitted to the NYCIndieFF.

4. I/we hereby grant the NYCIndieFF the nonexclusive right to use my name, photograph, and likeness in connection with any and all publicity and promotional activities regarding the NYCIndieFF.

5. For filmmakers: NYCIndieFF may transfer the submitted material to a computer for screening, if needed, and if the submitted material is selected for screening a compilation of films may be used by NYCIndieFF for promotional purposes.

6. I/we will indemnify and hold harmless NYCIndieFF, its judges, sponsors and partners, individually and collectively, from and against all claims, demands, losses, damages, costs, liabilities and expenses including legal expenses arising out of or in connection with any and all claims, or third party claims based on material submitted to NYCIndieFF.

7. I/we shall be solely responsible for taking all necessary steps to establish and protect my/our copyright in the submitted material, and the NYCIFF shall have no obligation with respect thereto. NYCIndieFF shall have the right to reproduce all or part of said material for use in its publicity and any and all related communication directly associated with NYCIFF.

8. I/we have read all of the festival rules, regulations and releases, understand them, and have complied with them. I/we understand that the festival rules, regulations and releases may change or be updated, and that it is my responsibility to read, understand and comply with any changes or updates.