New York No Limits (NYNL) is now in its 15th year as one of the premier exhibitors of curated films on the East Coast, and since launching in 2011, the series has curated & screened over 1,400 films from across the globe in every film genre.

We produce two forms of live film events throughout the year: the Art of the Short and our annual Film Summit. The Art of the Short is an ongoing collection of one-night short film screenings that occur twice from February to August. It presents the best short films, from narrative to experimental, foreign language, and student films. The Film Summit is a three-day festival event that exhibits feature films and short films near the end of each season.

NYNL's mission is to sustain diversity in film, create discussion among the audience, and inspire filmmakers to push forward and perfect their craft to their fullest potential. The series provides filmmakers with the platform to explore innovative narratives that focus on the human experience. As programmers, we aim to curate films that emerge as stories personal to the filmmaker. We encourage foreign language, documentary, dance, and student films to submit.

Awards & Prizes

New York No Limits Films will present awards for Best Film as selected by our Jury of industry professionals and Special Jury Recognitions after the NYNL Film Summit in December 2025.

Short films that exhibit at our Art of the Short Film events throughout the season are eligible for an additional Best Of screening at the Summit. Please note, feature films are only screened at the Summit along with NYNL premiere and the Best Of short films.

Currently accepting short and feature-length films.

Rules & Terms

Films of any genre are accepted for consideration in NYNL. Short films completed within the prior 12 months of the submission date and under 39 minutes in length are eligible for consideration for screening in our periodic Art of the Short Film screening series.

NYNL's programmers will select the 'best of' short films from our Art of the Short series for inclusion in the 2025 Summit.

Feature films should be completed within the prior 12 months of submission and 40 minutes or longer in running time. NYNL programmers will also select features for inclusion in the Summit.

The NYNL Jury will select the Best Film, which will be announced after the Summit.

All films must be received by the listed deadline dates. Any applications received after each deadline will be considered for the next film series.

By submitting to New York No Limits Film Series, you consent to the exhibition of your film, the use of all cast/crew names, and images associated with the film for exhibition and promotional purposes.

New York No Limits does not offer a screening fee to filmmakers.

By submitting a film, the submitter grants New York No Limits the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes. The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations.

When submitting a film, the submitter shall indemnify and hold harmless the New York No Limits Film Series from and against any claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees and court costs) that may be incurred because of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

67 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
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Networking
  • Pig to Pig Pictures

    We had our world premiere here, and it went exceptionally well!
    Upon acceptance of our film, I immediately felt very welcome and appreciated by the team at New York No Limits Film Series. The email communication was swift. Their social media presence was on point. When I arrived at the venue for the show the organization team greeted me with a smile and thanked me for submitting.
    The venue and its location was a pitch perfect New York experience. I felt surrounded by real artists and true film fans as they were able to attract not just the filmmakers' family and friends, but actual cinephiles from the city and surrounding area.
    After the show they hosted a Q&A session that gave us filmmakers an opportunity to expand on our vision and goals for the future.
    I very much enjoyed the experience at NY No Limits. I plan to submit again and attend as a guest in the future.
    Highly recommend submitting here!

    December 2024
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  • Bean Mckee

    Had so much fun. I Had never shown anything of mine at a festival and Tom made it painless. One of the most fun nights I've had in a long time. Thank you New York No Limits

    December 2024
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  • Rob Gonzalez Freedman

    Our film Kiddo screening at New York No Limits was a wonderful experience. Tom and Robert curated an amazing night of quality films and drew in an interested and engaged audience. The space and theater were perfect. It was a really memorable night and honored they chose us to be part of it.

    March 2024
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  • Salwa Khan

    Had a great time at New York No Limits! Tom and Rob are generous hosts and the event was very well attended. I had great communication and this was a great networking opportunity! Thank you so much for showcasing my short!

    January 2024
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  • KWAME BERRY

    Very inspirational and fun event. Our “Ursula” team had a great time at New York No Limits and were treated amazingly by the organizers- an amazing way to start off the year!

    January 2024
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