nukhufest is an audience-powered online premiere program and New York City film festival presented by Nukhu, a curated, submission-based streaming platform built to help independent films get discovered, monetized, and supported beyond the traditional festival circuit.

We call our releases Nuvees, meaning Nukhu movies. Nuvees include short films, feature films, documentaries, episodic work, music videos, and genre-bending visual stories curated for Concept, Aesthetics, and Relatability.

Founded in New York by filmmaker and entrepreneur Sanjay Singh, Nukhu began as a creative studio in 2010, launched its streaming platform in 2014, and presented the first Nukhufest in 2015.

Nukhufest 2026 at a glance
• Online premiere program: Selected films premiere on Nukhu and become eligible for audience voting, revenue, and promotional support.
• NYC festival week: September 11 through September 17, 2026, at Cinema Village in Lower Manhattan.
• Theatrical Finalists: The Top 10 audience-voted Finalists will screen during Nukhufest week.
• Awards Ceremony: The Best Nuvee will be announced in New York City on September 19, 2026.
• Creator control: Filmmakers retain their copyrights and participate through a non-exclusive Content License Agreement.
• Monetization: Filmmakers choose an eligible purchase price and currently receive 50 percent of eligible title purchase revenue under a Content License Agreement.
• Mission: Nukhufest and Nukhu Foundation prioritize opportunities for underserved and underrepresented artists.

How selection and activation work
1. Submit your film through FilmFreeway.
2. Films pre-approved by the Nukhu committee will receive a FilmFreeway Selected status.
3. Pre-approved filmmakers will then receive a personalized email from Nukhu containing:
• A proposed Wednesday premiere date
• A unique, one-time upload code
• An upload deadline
• Instructions for providing a trailer and promotional information
4. The one-time code allows FilmFreeway selectees to complete the required Nukhu upload without paying a second submission fee.
5. Once the upload is accepted, the Content License Agreement is completed, and the film premieres on Nukhu, it becomes an official Nukhufest 2026 Semi-Finalist.
6. Nukhu members watch and vote throughout the season.
7. The Top 10 audience-voted titles become Finalists on August 29 and will be programmed for theatrical screenings at Cinema Village.
8. The top-voted Finalist will be announced as the Best Nuvee on September 19.

Online premieres and promotion

Accepted films are generally scheduled to premiere on Nukhu on a Wednesday at 12:00 AM Eastern Time, in coordination with the filmmaker.

The following Thursday at approximately 12:00 PM Eastern Time, Nukhu plans to publish a promotional trailer through its social channels. Filmmakers may provide collaborator handles, cast and crew accounts, and other tagging information before the post is scheduled.

After a Nuvee is published, the filmmaker can complete and expand the title’s profile with:
• A custom trailer
• Subtitles
• Cast and crew credits
• Stills and production images
• Filmmaker and studio information
• Additional title details

Filmmakers can also share the Nuvee’s direct URL and embed its public trailer on compatible third-party websites.

In-person participation

Each activated Semi-Finalist film receives two complimentary admissions to one Nukhufest screening block during the September 11 through September 17 festival week.

Official Semi-Finalist status does not guarantee that the submitted film will screen theatrically. The Top 10 Finalists will be programmed for Cinema Village screenings. Select additional Nuvees may also be considered for programming based on audience demand, Request in Theaters activity, curation, rights availability, runtime, and scheduling capacity.

Finalists are encouraged to attend their screening and participate in at least one filmmaker Q&A during festival week. Finalists also receive complimentary admission to the September 19 Awards Ceremony. Additional tickets and block passes are subject to availability.

Important 2026 dates
• Final upload and activation deadline: August 8
• Top 10 Finalists announced: August 29
• Cinema Village festival week: September 11 through September 17
• Best Nuvee announcement: September 19 at 8:00 PM Eastern Time

Film eligibility
• Films completed in 2024 or later are eligible for Nukhufest 2026.
• The required Nukhu upload must be completed by August 8.
• Prior festival screenings do not disqualify a film.
• Online premiere history may be considered when coordinating the Nukhu release.
• Any genre and any duration may be submitted.
• Submission does not guarantee acceptance, online publication, theatrical exhibition, Finalist status, or an award.

To become a voting member, visit nukhu.com.

To be considered through FilmFreeway, submit your film by August 8.

Awards & Prizes

nukhufest is designed to do more than award a laurel. Participating films can receive an online premiere, audience development, coordinated promotion, revenue opportunities, and a pathway toward theatrical exhibition in New York City.

Official Semi-Finalists receive
• An official online premiere on Nukhu
• A dedicated public Nuvee page and shareable title URL
• Eligibility for Nukhufest audience voting
• Coordinated social promotion, subject to timely delivery of approved assets
• Consideration for additional paid marketing or publicity support
• The ability to price the film within Nukhu’s available pricing structure
• 50 percent of eligible title purchase revenue under the applicable Content License Agreement
• Official Semi-Finalist laurels
• Two complimentary admissions to one Nukhufest screening block
• Eligibility to advance to the Top 10 Finalists

Top 10 Finalists receive
• A theatrical screening during Nukhufest at Cinema Village in Lower Manhattan
• An invitation to participate in a filmmaker Q&A during festival week
• Official Finalist laurels
• Complimentary admission to the Nukhufest Awards Ceremony
• Continued eligibility for the Best Nuvee award

Best Nuvee receives
• The handcrafted Nukhu ball
• The annual Development-to-Distribution Grant, beginning at $3,000
• Best Nuvee laurels and recognition
• Continued support toward the filmmaker’s next stage of development, production, or distribution

Community voting on Nukhu determines which films rise through the festival pathway. The 2026 Best Nuvee will be announced on September 19.

Rules & Terms

Nukhu is a curated media platform, marketplace, and festival program that allows accepted short films, feature films, documentaries, episodic work, music videos, and other audiovisual projects to be made available through Nukhu-branded platforms.

1. Submission
To submit through FilmFreeway, the entrant must complete the official submission process, pay any applicable submission fee, and provide access to the submitted audiovisual work. Multiple submissions are permitted. Submission fees are non-refundable and subject to change.

Submitting a project does not obligate Nukhu or Nukhufest to accept, publish, market, exhibit, return, or otherwise use the submission.

2. Eligibility
Projects completed in 2024 or later are eligible for the 2026 season. Any genre and duration may be considered.

The entrant must be authorized to submit the project and enter into any required agreement on behalf of the project and its rights holders.

3. FilmFreeway selection and Nukhu activation
A FilmFreeway Selected status represents conditional pre-approval by the Nukhu committee. It does not, by itself, make the project an official Nukhufest Semi-Finalist or guarantee an online or theatrical screening.

A pre-approved filmmaker may receive a unique, one-time code to complete the required upload through Nukhu without paying a second submission fee. The code:
• Is intended only for the approved project and recipient
• Is non-transferable
• Has no cash value
• May expire if the required upload is not completed by the stated deadline
• May be invalidated if duplicated, shared, sold, or misused

A project becomes an official Semi-Finalist only after all required steps are completed, including account creation, upload, technical review, acceptance, execution of the applicable Content License Agreement, and publication on Nukhu.

4. Rights and warranties
By submitting, the entrant represents and warrants that:
A. The entrant owns or controls the copyright and all rights required to submit, license, distribute, market, promote, stream, sell, and, if selected, publicly exhibit the project.
B. Any music, clips, artwork, performances, trademarks, archival materials, or other third-party content incorporated into the project are either owned, properly licensed, in the public domain, or otherwise legally authorized.
C. The project and submitted materials do not knowingly infringe the rights of another party.
D. The entrant will promptly notify Nukhu at partner@nukhu.com if the project’s ownership, rights, availability, or distribution status changes.

5. Content License Agreement
If Nukhu wishes to publish a project, the filmmaker will be offered a separate Content License Agreement. That agreement may grant Nukhu non-exclusive rights to distribute, market, promote, reproduce, perform, display, stream, and sell access to the project through Nukhu-branded platforms and approved festival exhibitions.

The Content License Agreement will also describe revenue participation, term, rights, withdrawal procedures, and other applicable conditions. If a conflict exists between these listing terms and the executed Content License Agreement, the executed Content License Agreement will govern.

Submitting through FilmFreeway does not transfer copyright ownership to Nukhu.

6. Marketing and materials
Accepted filmmakers may be required to provide:
• A downloadable trailer
• Film stills
• Poster artwork
• Captions or subtitle files
• Cast and crew information
• A director headshot and biography
• Social media handles
• Press materials
• Other materials reasonably required for publication or promotion

Please do not send additional materials unless requested.

Nukhu may determine the timing, format, and extent of promotional activity. Coordinated social promotion does not guarantee a particular number of impressions, views, purchases, votes, or paid advertising expenditure.

7. Audience voting and awards
Semi-Finalists may be made available for viewing and voting by Nukhu members. Audience voting determines the films that advance through the Nukhufest pathway.

Nukhu may take reasonable measures to detect or address suspicious, manipulated, automated, fraudulent, or otherwise invalid voting activity.

An award, Finalist designation, grant, marketing benefit, or theatrical exhibition is not guaranteed by submission or Semi-Finalist participation.

8. Theatrical programming
The Top 10 Finalists are intended to screen during Nukhufest at Cinema Village from September 11 through September 17, 2026.

Official Semi-Finalist status does not guarantee theatrical exhibition. Additional films may be invited to screen based on audience demand, Request in Theaters activity, curatorial considerations, rights, technical requirements, runtime, and scheduling capacity.

Dates, venues, times, program formats, speakers, and screening schedules are subject to change. Unless separately confirmed in writing, Nukhu and Nukhufest do not provide travel, lodging, transportation, per diem, or appearance fees.

9. Complimentary festival access
Each activated Semi-Finalist film is eligible for two complimentary admissions to one Nukhufest screening block, subject to the stated redemption process, deadlines, and capacity.

Finalists receive complimentary Awards Ceremony access as described in their Finalist notification. Other Awards Ceremony tickets and festival passes may require separate purchase.

10. Changes and withdrawal
The entrant must promptly notify Nukhu of any requested withdrawal or material change affecting the film. A withdrawal does not entitle the entrant to a refund of submission fees or previously incurred promotional, technical, or administrative costs.

Nukhu reserves the right to disqualify or remove a project for rights issues, inaccurate representations, failure to complete activation, code misuse, technical problems, misconduct, voting manipulation, or violation of these terms or the applicable Content License Agreement.