The Oscar®-qualifying New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival has become the largest film festival for children and teens in North America over its 23-year history. Presented over four weekends at major venues throughout New York City, the Festival showcases approximately 100 short and feature films, filmmaker Q&As, retrospective programs, parties, premieres, and industry forums. As an Academy Award®-qualifying Festival in the Best Live Action and Animated Short Film categories, the Festival attracts a prestigious jury: esteemed directors, academics, actors, and industry leaders such as Sofia Coppola, Peter Ramsey, Taika Waititi, Melissa Cobb, Jorge Gutiérrez, Elizabeth Ito, Kyle MacLachlan, Uma Thurman, Nora Twomey, and more. Winners of the Festival’s juried prizes are eligible for consideration at the annual Academy Awards®. Audience awards are presented in each film category, with audience members of all ages voting on the Festival-winning films. NYICFF receives major editorial coverage in The New York Times, and its Best of the Fest programs tour to major museums, arthouse theaters and film festivals across the U.S.
More than 100 filmmakers participate in the Festival annually, from established veterans to emerging makers. They represent wonderfully diverse voices working in all genres and formats, producing work for audiences of all ages and lending their artistic voice to the festival. We often program films not initially created with a young audience in mind, and we encourage filmmakers to share work that may very well have expanded audience potential. Our audiences are up for the challenge of artistically complex work, and our written materials, intros & Q&As offer compelling context and spark great dialogue around your films.
NYICFF offers travel stipends to feature films in competition and where possible, supports cultural funding and discounted accommodations for shorts filmmakers. Through our industry forums, parties and q&a events, we facilitate meetings with studios, distributors, agents, funders and partner festivals (Sony Pictures Animation, Tonko House, 9 Story, Silvergate Media, Sesame Workshop, NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, and more) and foster inclusive practices and expanded access for talented filmmakers to be heard and grow.
As a world-class event, New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival is, above all, about great films (and filmmakers) that inspire, surprise, delight and challenge audiences of all ages. Expect expert curation, personal attention, care and respect for your artistry as a filmmaker, and a genuine desire to further, as our mission states, a more intelligent, and diverse, film culture for kids. Add to that our Oscar-qualifying status, top-caliber industry jury, industry forum with eye-opening talks, panels, and meet and greets, enthusiastic, sold-out audiences and taste/decision-maker following, moving & inspiring q&a’s, filmmaker community facilitation, national touring options, and more, and you have a recipe for meaningful success through NYICFF!
Film reflects your artistry, a distinct vision, a record of a time. It opens eyes and possibilities, especially key in our young audiences, and sparks meaningful dialogue--all of which has never been more vital than now. Thanks, filmmakers, for being the visionaries that you are. We can’t wait to see -- and share -- your work.
We realize this is a challenging time for everyone, filmmakers included, so we are expanding ways to access discounted submission fees during our early call period. We especially want to encourage submissions by filmmakers of color and under-represented communities; please feel free to reach out to us if submissions fees are an issue for you.
Covid-19 Update:
Our nearly 25 years of experience and the way in which we quickly and successfully adapted to online delivery give us the confidence and know-how to successfully prepare for a fluid situation and the possibility of both in-person and online events. NYICFF staff are already working with major virtual festivals internationally, and in dialogue with the festival/filmmaking community, stay on top of the latest, most engaging practices. Our impressive industry jury to select Oscar-qualifying winners will continue to support the recognition of top talent at NYICFF. Our Industry Forum will again be a major highlight of the Festival and opportunity for emerging and established filmmakers to learn and engage directly with major executives, producers, filmmakers, and others (most recently leaders such as Oscar-winner Karen Rupert Toliver of Sony Pictures Animation, Dice Tsutsumi, Founder of Tonko House, and Julie Ann Crommett, EVP, Walt Disney Corporation). And NYICFF audiences have enthusiastically followed our online offerings, and expressed their hunger for more!
We will also aim to craft amazing in-person experiences in partnership with our major venue partners (IFC Center, Alamo Drafthouse, and others) that adhere to up-to-date guidelines and support the well-being of all participants. We’ll be equally prepared to execute an exciting, content-rich, interactive Festival experience with the capacity to reach audiences and integrate major production markets beyond New York. We’re excited to continue shaping an outstanding Festival for filmmakers, industry, and all ages audiences in 2021, and even more excited to see your work!
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In addition to presenting the annual event, New York International Children’s Film Festival is a multifaceted arts organization that offers national touring programs, special sneak peek and premiere events, education programs, virtual cinema offerings and additional year-round engagement. The Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization.
NYICFF is an Academy®-qualifying festival. Recipients of the NYICFF jury prizes are eligible for consideration in the Live Action Short and Animated Short Film categories of the Annual Academy Awards®. Our 2019 Jury included: Taika Waititi, Elizabeth Ito, Kyle MacLachlan, Melissa Cobb, Sofia Coppola, Jeffrey Wright, Ira Sachs, John Canemaker, Matthew Modine, Geena Davis, Hope Davis, Jorge R. Gutierrez, Zoe Saldana, Nora Twomey, Mark Osborne, Madeleine Di Nonno, Uma Thurman, and Lynne McVeigh.
All official selections, both short and feature, are voted on by our audience and are eligible for our Audience Awards.
Jury Awards
- Best Animated Short Film
- Best Live Action Short Film
Audience Awards for Best Short Film
- Ages 3-6
- Ages 5-10
- Ages 8-14
- Ages 12-18
- Grown Ups' Award (Audience members 18 and over)
Grand Prize Awards
- Short Film
- Feature Film