The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival

15th Year

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Festival Description

"The Borough's Signature Independent Film Festival' - BK READER
"An indie gem... a hub for the area's film scene" - INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

Welcome to the 2026 AoBFF - our 16th season!

The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival is a unique event that connects the next generation of film and media makers to diverse audiences across Brooklyn… and an important part of NYC’s independent cultural scene.

The award-winning AoBFF is an artist-focused event, platform, and showcase for exciting emerging creators and established voices. We partner with distributors and media organizations, host world-class talkbacks, create innovative programming for networking and skill building, and screen in state-of-the-art theaters for enthusiastic audiences across Brooklyn.

Equity is organic to our mission as a 501c3 nonprofit organization. We bridge the opportunity divide by making media accessible to everyone, including those who are underrepresented on either side of the camera.
 
Founded in 2011 by working artists, AoBFF has partnered with film and media companies like Sony, Gravitas Ventures, HBO, NBC/Universal, Fangoria magazine, ESPN Films, LesFlicks, IFC Films and more to realize our programming. AoBFF was named one of “Top 7 Film Fests" in 2014, “Brooklyn Creative Group of the Year” in 2016, one of “Five Film Festivals Worth Traveling For” in 2019, and one of “5 Notable American Film Festivals” in 2020.

As of 2025, 37 of our festival premieres have gotten distribution — and one became an HBO series.

We’ve held events in 24 different venues in 12 neighborhoods across Brooklyn, often partnering with local businesses and organizations to reach the widest possible audience.

OUR GUEST FESTIVAL DIRECTOR PROGRAM:
AoBFF has become well-known for our exceptional programming. It all stems from our Guest Festival Director program, which we instituted in 2016 to keep our creative POV fresh, diverse, and unexpected. Each season we invite different film professionals to oversee our curation process and impart their unique creative vision to our festival.

The position of GFD has been held by members of underrepresented groups over 80% of the time. Welcoming new artistic voices is why AoBFF’s programming is praised each year by filmmakers and audiences.

We believe that democratizing cinema culture is the future of film — and that film festivals exist for filmmakers, not the other way around.

SUBMISSION POLICY:
AoBFF’s ethical and transparent submission policy is a model for the industry. Every entry we receive — until midnight of the last day of submissions— is viewed/read in its entirety and considered for programming. We never pre-select films or screenplays for competition, fill a template, or set our schedule before submissions close.

Every film is screened multiple times, first by our selection committee, a diverse (racially, by gender, and age) group of film professionals and film fans, who represent the popular taste of our audience. They leave detailed notes on each film for the Guest Festival Director(s), for final decisions based on their own complete viewing. We have curated films we’ve received at the very end of our submission process several times, resulting in more than one AoBFF award-winner. So don't hesitate to spend on a late submission to AoBFF, it's worth it.

We employ professional readers to read and score every screenplay entry for placement in our competition.

 •• Only films that we receive through our submissions process are eligible for festival awards.

** AoBFF will NEVER us AI to score or judge any work that is submitted for consideration.**

HOW WE SCREEN:
AoBF is a fully hybrid festival producing live, in-person screenings... plus streaming encore screenings and events with studio grade DRM protection via the Eventive Virtual Festival Platform .

Our screening venues include Cobble Hill Cinemas, Stuart Cinema, 100 SUTTON, and Film Noir Cinemas in Greenpoint, and the screening room at AbelCine in Industry City.

We have produced film events in 22 different venues for diverse audiences in 12 different Brooklyn neighborhoods, including those underserved by art and culture organizations.

Our Technical Director pre-screens every selection in advance, to ensure the best-quality version of your film screens for our audience  • We only screen from digital files to ensure a high quality experience, without the technical pitfalls that can come with DVDs or Blu-Rays.  • Our projectionists always remain in the theater for every screening.

OUR SCREENPLAY COMPETITION:
 We accept Film or TV scripts in any genre. Features and Short Films, and half-hour and one-hour TV scripts. Entries are scored by a team of professional script readers, managed by our Script Contest Director, Gina Leone.

We have created a valuable prize package in collaboration with our partners Roadmap Writers, InkTip, ScriptHop, Midnight Lantern, and more.

(Read more about prizes in Awards & Prizes section.)

OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS:
 We have enjoyed strategic partnerships with Sony, AbelCine, UCLA Extension Writers' Program, Alliance of Women Directors, New York Women in Film and Television, The Alliance of Women Directors, The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment, Prime Latino Media, Gravitas Ventures, BOND/360, IndiePix films, Pratt Institute, ESPN Films, LesFlicks global streaming platform, NBC Universal and LiveStream, among others.

 OUR PREMIERES:
 We strongly prefer to screen premieres, especially for features. We have a great track record of opening films, garnering them press and industry attention with successful screenings. Over 35 of our Feature Premieres have received distribution to date!

THE AoBFF EXPERIENCE:
• We NEVER require filmmakers to purchase blocks of tickets for their own screenings.
• We NEVER make filmmakers pay for their own trophies.
• We NEVER charge filmmakers for marketing or promotion. 
• We DO always partner with filmmakers to make their screenings special.
• We DO create opportunities to connect with your peers and industry at our world-class audience talkbacks, panels for networking and skill building, and our amazing Opening Night Party.  
• We DO promote all our screenings to press and audience using social media and targeted press outreach.
• We DO create dozens of free promotional videos every season, filmmaker interviews, promotional trailers, and more.
• We DO produce broadcast quality interviews with AoBFF filmmakers that we promote on social media and give to filmmakers for their own use — and we NEVER charge extra for them.
• Our post-screening talkbacks are some of the best around. We get incredible feedback on them every year.  
• Your film’s festival run is an important part of its long-term marketing plan. We will partner with you to make the most of your AoBFF screening; before, during and after the festival. Premiering with us pays off!  
• Our communication skills are legendary; you’ll always be in the loop.
 • Our filmmakers love screening with us!

HIGHLIGHTS:
 • 2023 and 2024 saw us have multiple sold-out screenings in venues across Brooklyn.
• In 2022 we returned to a full slate of in-person screenings, plus virtual encore presentations and premieres. 
• In 2021 our first Hybrid Edition combined virtual and in-person screenings and events. 3 of our 2020 features received distribution! We have screened and held events in 20 venues in 10 different neighborhoods across Brooklyn. 
• In 2020 we launched our first Digital Edition (on schedule) in response to the Covid pandemic on the Eventive Virtual Festival Platform 
• We welcome around 2,000 guests to our event every year, including 2020. 
• In 2016, we screened the premiere of the theatrical cut of Spike Lee’s new documentary ‘2 Fists Up’ through a partnership with ESPN Films. 
• In 2018 we hosted a special 25th Anniversary screening of the indie classic "Just Another Girl On The IRT" with director Leslie Harris in attendance. 
• In 2017, we screened Kelly Reichardt's 'Certain Women' and welcomed Neil deGrasse Tyson as a special festival guest for our New York Premiere of the feature 'Future '38' 
• Our Official Selections Hunter&Game (2015) Lake Nowhere (2015), Lemon (2014), American Bomber (2013), Casual Encounters (2013) and You Bury Your Own (2012) all went on to get distribution.
 • Our 2014 Best Animation winner ‘How You Doin’ Boy? Voicemails From Gran’pa’ was sold as a series to HBO Latino. 
• We won a Brooklyn Innovation Award for Creative Group of the Year in 2015

Deadlines

Short Description

The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival is a unique event that brings Brooklyn’s celebrated film and media makers together with their peers across the country and around the world.

info@theartofbrooklyn.org

Official Website

https://www.theartofbrooklyn.org/

Rules+Terms

The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival programs all genres including comedy, drama, documentary, animation, horror, sci-fi, music video and experimental. Our Film Screening Panel —led by our annual Guest Festival Director(s)— view all submissions and selects the films we program. We guarantee that ALL films and screenplays submitted will be considered up until midnight of the final day of submissions.

A Judging Panel of industry professionals selects award-winning films in each category and our winning screenplay.

The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival strongly prefers to program premieres, especially for features, but will consider all films submitted.

All film submissions must include an online screener. Screenplays must be uploaded in PDF form only.

All filmmakers must have a screening-quality digital exhibition format available. We always screen directly from filmmakers' files. (No DVDs or Blu-Ray.)

If your film is accepted, you will be solely responsible for delivering exhibition materials to us and from the festival venue. The Art of Brooklyn cannot be held liable for any materials that are lost or damaged.

Payment made by credit card via the online submission platform is preferred.
All submission fees must be paid via credit card or PayPal. Festival dates are subject to change. Fees are non-refundable. Refund requests are considered on a case by case basis, and must be made within 1 week of our notification date.

FILMMAKER AGREEMENT:

By submitting my film, I allow it to be screened at The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival if accepted. I allow my screenplay to be read and scored for consideration.

The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any accepted film for any promotional purposes. (Print, press, online.)

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.

The undersigned shall indemnify and hold harmless The Art of Brooklyn from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

By entering (submitting to) The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival, entrants release and hold the The Art of Brooklyn, its Board of Directors, Officers, Staff and Volunteers harmless from and against all losses, damages, rights, claims and actions of any kind arising in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from participation with the competition or participation in any competition related activity.

By entering (submitting to) to The Art of Brooklyn Festival you are granting the right for The Art of Brooklyn to screen your film publicly one to two times in the next twelve months (depending on the festival entered).

By entering (submitting to) The Art of Brooklyn Festival you are admitting that you have read, understood and agreed to follow our Rules and Regulations for festival submission and to abide by our Terms and Conditions of service and our general festival Rules and Regulations.

Failure to comply with The Art of Brooklyn guidelines, rules, regulations, or eligibility will be cause for disqualification and can result in having your film pulled from screening or competition.

All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.

RULES SPECIFICALLY FOR SCREENPLAY SUBMISSIONS:

- Screenplays cannot be submitted over 120 pages without festival permission. Entries over 120 pages will require an additional fee to be eligible.
- Screenplays can be in any format (Feature, TV, Short) as long as they do not exceed the page limit.
- Screenplays must be formatted correctly for consideration.
- The draft of the screenplay that is submitted initially will be the one that is read and scored. A updated draft of a screenplay will not be re-read unless it is submitted as a new entry.

All deadlines are at 11:59pm PST on the date listed. Any deadline alteration or promotion of any kind does not make any entry valid of a refund of any kind.
There are no refunds for any submitted screenplay. Coupons may not be applied to previously submitted scripts.
There is no limit on the number of scripts a writer or writing team may submit.
Prizes are award per script and teams of writers are expected to divide prizes on their own accord.
The decision of the judges will be final and cannot be contested in any manner. There is no score on a scorecard that guarantees advancement to the next level as advancement will be based on all score in the competition.
The contest reserves the right to delay announcements for any reason. Delay may last up to but never more than 90 days. While we never anticipate any delays, such delays will not alter the standing of any screenplay entry and will qualify no script for a refund under any circumstance.
By submitting to the contest you are releasing your script to the film festival and its partners, and holding harmless the festival or any affiliates from any claims, expenses, and liabilities, including but not limited to invasion of privacy, defamation, copyright, libel, trademark infringement, slander, personal property infringement, etc.

Awards + Benefits

** As part of our mission to support emerging writers, everyone who enters will receive a FREE webinar from Roadmap Writers.**

All Entrants:
- Free Webinar from Roadmap Writers

Quarterfinalists:
- Laurel

Semifinalists:
- Laurel
- 2026 AoBFF Festival Pass
- Pitch Fitness Club (formerly On Ramp Program) from Roadmap Writers

Finalists:
- Laurel
- 2026 AoBFF Festival Pass
- Pitch Fitness Club from Roadmap Writers
- 4 month Inktip Pro listing

Grand Prize Winner:
- Laurel
- 2026 AoBFF Festival Pass
- Pitch Fitness Club (formerly On Ramp Program) from Roadmap Writers
- 4 month Inktip Pro listing
- FADE IN screenwriting software
- 2 free entries to IndieBoom Screenplay Contests
- Consultation with our screenplay contest judge: Award-winning screenwriter, filmmaker, and professor of film and TV writing Dave Chan

Accepted Formats + Categories

Feature, Television

Notification

Event Begins

05/01/2026

06/01/2026

Submission Fees

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The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival

15th Year

Deadlines

Notification

Event Begins

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05/01/2026

06/01/2026

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Submission Fees

MENTORS

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ADDITIONAL PICTURES

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Submitted Screenplays

Screenplay name

Project Typ

Description

Submitted By:

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