The Pictorial Foundation is a space for dialogue between artists and audiences, where photography and the visual arts engage with contemporary thought and experience. We foster the creation, exhibition and exploration of multidisciplinary art. Our program advances visual storytelling as a critical framework for connection and reflection.

The Pictorial List Inc. is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit arts organization founded by Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico and Melanie Meggs, united by a shared belief in the power of photography to elevate diverse voices and foster meaningful connection. We are a vibrant and growing community of over 500 artists from across the globe. Our exhibitions, programming, publications and dynamic international network are shaped by mutual support, artistic excellence, and meaningful exchange. This interconnected ecosystem bridges local, national and international spheres.

The Pictorial Foundation Film Festival mission is to expand the experience of "The Pictorial List" and Pictorial Foundation global artist community into film! We will be featuring Short Art films 3 minutes to 30 minutes in length, exploring Art, Experimental, Performance, Documentary and more!

Screenings will take place at the Pictorial Foundation ArtSpace. Our indoor/outdoor ArtSpace, located at the Art, Design, Spirit Warehouse, is a dynamic environment positioned in the heart of the Arts and Historic District of Newburgh, NY.

Susan Hillary Shapiro will be our guest curatorial Festival Director of the Film Festival. Susan is creator of the award winning The PRATT in the HAT, a documentary short about civil rights leader Frances Pratt who has 300 hats. It has reaffirmed her voice as a filmmaker committed to justice, memory, and community storytelling.

Susan is the archival cinematographer of the acclaimed documentary Studio 54, now streaming on Netflix. Her footage was featured in the Edges of Ailey Show at the Whitney Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum of Art. The first film she produced was GINGER ALE AFTERNOON which won best screenplay at Sundance Film Festival in 1990. Its soundtrack by Willie Dixon was nominated for a Grammy.

Susan was the cinematographer and co-producer of BEING RAPA NUI a documentary feature bout the indigenous Rapa Nui community and petroglyphs funded by National Geographic. CANNES MAN is an improvisational feature comedy which Susan directed at the Cannes Film Festival featuring Seymour Cassel, Johnny Depp, John Malkovich, Treat Williams and many others. She production managed the Los Angeles portion of NIGHT ON EARTH directed by Jim Jarmusch, starring Gena Rowlands and Winona Ryder. When Susan was President of Production for CINEVILLE INTERNATIONAL she developed scripts, obtained financing and produced many independent feature films from concept through final delivery and distribution.

We look forward to your submissions as Pictorial Foundation continues to build and expand our vibrant community of artists.

Rules & Terms

By submitting to the Pictorial Foundation Film Festival, applicants acknowledge that they hold all necessary rights, permissions, and clearances for the submitted work, including image, sound, and music.

Films must be between 3 and 30 minutes in length and align with the festival’s focus on art, experimental, performance, documentary, and related forms.

All submissions must be completed through Film Freeway, and entry fees are non-refundable.

Selected films grant the Pictorial Foundation permission to screen the work at the Pictorial Foundation ArtSpace and to use excerpts, stills, and promotional materials for marketing, educational, and archival purposes, with full credit to the artist. Artists retain full ownership of their work.

The Pictorial Foundation Film Festival reserves the right to determine final programming, scheduling, and presentation format. Submissions that do not meet the stated criteria or are incomplete may not be considered.