Winter Film Festival Opens Submissions for Its 15th Edition
Winter Film Festival has opened for submissions for its 15th annual edition to be held February 24-28 2027 at venues throughout New York City. The festival is New York City. Like the city itself the organization showcases the eclectic diversity and excitement of the independent arts world per the supplied announcement highlighting its role as New York City’s celebration of local and global indie film.
The Festival’s mission is to promote diversity bridge the opportunity divide and provide a platform for under-represented artists and a variety of genres viewpoints and approaches. The Festival believes that only by seeing others’ stories can we understand each other and only via an open door can the underrepresented artist enter the room.
The Festival features creative fresh voices from emerging filmmakers worldwide in all genres and lengths from feature length and shorts through narrative fiction dramas comedies documentaries animation horror web series and music videos as stated in the announcement.
Filmmakers are invited to submit their latest work via filmfreeway.com/WFA or hiike.com/festivals/winter-film-festival. Submission deadlines are Early September 14 Regular October 18 and Final November 15. Categories cover all genres and lengths including Documentary Narrative Horror Music Video Animation and Web Series.
The 2026 lineup included 103 outstanding films half made by women and half by people of color. Filmmakers came from 27 countries and one quarter of the films were made in the New York City area. Twenty films were made by students and 34 works from first-time filmmakers.
Outstanding work will be awarded for each category along with Best Director Best Student Film and Best NYC Film. Over fifty thousand dollars in cash prizes and distribution opportunities will be awarded. Winter Film Festival is an IMDB-qualifying festival.
“Emerging filmmakers with low budgets and no connections are so often ignored in favor of the standard big budget generic action films. Diverse, exciting low budget films are created all over the world; it is critical for film festivals to showcase them. Indie film festivals are often the sole means for the community to share personal stories, and WFF’s location in the center of the action provides our filmmakers with a dazzling chance to begin their careers in the film industry.” – George Isaacs, Winter Film Festival Founder
Winter Film Festival is an all-volunteer women and minority-run organization as part of Winter Film Awards Inc a 501(c)3 organization founded in 2011 to celebrate emerging talent in local and international filmmaking. Programs are supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with support from the Office of the Governor and New York State Legislature.
Filmmakers from around the world will travel to NYC to attend the Festival’s thoughtfully curated film screenings at NYC’s REGAL Union Square Cinemas fascinating discussion panels professional development workshops and glittering parties at venues throughout NYC.
Press contact Steffanie Finn Executive Director info@winterfilmawards.com WinterFilmFest.org. Winter Film Festival Where extraordinary filmmakers are recognized.
