FESTIVAL 2025

The Astoria Film Festival will be held in person Wednesday May 28- Sunday June 1. 2025, with a celebration of live short films and animated films from around the world.

There will also be a showcase of films made by local students in Astoria Film Festival's

media education programming around NYC as well as a

youth festival with films from around the country and around the world.

Held at the historic Kaufman Astoria Studios, with events at MOMI and KCCNY and online as well, the festival features an impressive lineup of screenings, filmmaker panels, industry panels, parties, guest speakers, and networking events.

FESTIVAL 2025

The 2025 Astoria Film Festival will be held on MAY 28 - JUNE 1 2025

SUBMISSIONS OPEN NOV 1 - MAY 1 on filmfreeway.com/astoriafilmfestival

Notifications May 5, 2025

SUBMISSION DEADLINES:

November 1, 2024 - Opening Date

February 1, 2025 - Earlybird Deadline

March 1, 2025 - Regular Deadline

April 1, 2025 - Late

May 1, 2025 - Last Minute

May 5, 2025 - Notification Date

MAY 29 - JUNE 1 2025 - Event Dates

Accepting: Short films and short animated films (up to 20 mins - documentaries up to 40 mins)

in both YOUTH (up to age 24) and MAIN FESTIVAL (all ages) categories

NEW AWARDS THIS YEAR: BEST HIGH SCHOOL FILM & BEST MIDDLE SCHOOL FILM (

for group films made in school as a class project)

There are separate awards and prizes for filmmakers in the Youth Festival and Main Festival.

MAIN FESTIVAL:

Grand Jury Prize

Best International Short

Best Drama Short

Best Comedy Short

Best Experimental or Dance Short

Best Documentary Short

Best Horror Short

Best Animated Short

Best International Animated Short

Best Directing

Best Editing

Best Cinematography

Best Sound Design

Best Screenplay

Best Performances

YOUTH FESTIVAL

Best Middle School Film (NEW)

Best High School Film (NEW)

Youth Grand Jury Prize

Best Youth International Short

Best Youth Drama Short

Best Youth Comedy Short

Best Youth Experimental/Dance Short

Best Youth Documentary Short

Best Youth Horror Short

Best Youth Animated Short

Best Youth International Animated Short

Best Youth Directing

Best Youth Editing

Best Youth Cinematography

Best Youth Sound Design

Best Youth Screenplay

Best Youth Performances

AWARDS include gift certificates and free subscriptions from our sponsors which vary each year. Past sponsors included Final Draft, SoundStripe, Coverfly, NYWIFT, KTEK, Gotham Sound, Samansa, LawTechTango, Marketing Macabre, MOMI, Bareburger, Sacred Space Astoria, Gamestoria, as well as Astoria Film Festival swag and monetary prizes.