 | THIRTEENTH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL February 19-23 2025 |
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Winter Film Festival
13th Annual Celebration of the Best of Indie Film
February 19-23 2025
Winter Film Festival showcases films from emerging filmmakers
from around the world in all genres,
with a special emphasis on highlighting the work of women
and under-represented filmmakers.
NEW YORK, January 5 2025 – Winter Film Festival (WFF) is returning bigger than ever for 2025 in celebration of its 13th year. With a commitment to inclusivity, the Festival showcases a rich tapestry of narratives that span genres, cultures, and perspectives and fosters a supportive environment for filmmakers to share their unique voices on the global stage.
Attendees can expect a dynamic program that provides a unique experience for both filmmakers and film enthusiasts. Winter Film Festival is a beacon for creativity, fostering a supportive environment for filmmakers to share their unique voices on the global stage. This year’s festival will showcase 87 films from around the world — from animated films, documentaries, dramas, horror films, music videos, and everything in between, including 15 student films and 29 first-time directors.
Winter Film Festival is dedicated to showcasing the amazing diversity of voices in indie film and our 2025 lineup is more than half made by women and half by BIPOC directors. Filmmakers come from 20 countries, 30% of our films were made in the New York City area and half are local premieres.
WFF2025 Official Artwork was designed by NYC designer Kervin Brisseaux.
“For over a decade, this festival has served as a spotlight for brilliant emerging artists’ work while celebrating and enhancing diversity within the industry. By providing an outlet for the creative community, while celebrating visionaries from under-represented backgrounds, Winter Film Awards expand audiences’ understanding of all that cinema can be and fosters equitable opportunities for filmmakers. New York’s relationship with the film industry is mutually beneficial, creating economic opportunities as well as inspiring movies and television for global audiences.” – NYS Governor Kathy Hochul
“Congratulations to the organizers of the Winter Film Festival on their 12th year, and thank you for once again choosing NYC as the backdrop to this incredible celebration of independent filmmaking,” said Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Pat Swinney Kaufman. “Our office is proud to support this event and its efforts to spotlight diverse filmmakers and storytellers from around the world.”
SCREENINGS
SCREENINGS – February 20-22 all day at LOOK Cinemas, 657 West 57th Street. Screening blocks are 1 ½ – 2 ½ hours long and include a mix of shorts and feature-length films. Most screening blocks include a 20-minute Q&A Session with the filmmakers.
FILM HIGHLIGHTS – details coming soon –
SCREENING BLOCK HIGHLIGHTS
- Documentary Day – Saturday February 22 12:15pm-11:30pm. All documentaries, all day!
- Bloody Saturday Night Horror – Saturday February 22 5:10pm-11:55pm. Two blocks of frightening films from around the world!
- Films from Spain – Thursday Feb 20, 6:10 PM-8:30 PM showcasing 3 shorts & one feature film from Spain
- Films About the Asian Experience – Thursday Feb 20, 8:40 PM-11:30 PM showcasing 5 shorts and one feature by and about Asians/Asian-Americans
TICKETS are $12.50/In Advance, $16.50/Door, $5/Door with Student ID. Tickets will be on sale beginning January 10 at https://wff2025.eventcombo.com/.
EDUCATION & CAREER BUILDING
EDUCATION SESSIONS – The Festival is dedicated to helping emerging filmmakers learn what they need to know to break into the industry. Three sessions each day on Thursday February 20 and Friday February 21 from 12:45pm-5pm at LOOK Cinemas, 657 West 57th Street. Education sessions are free and open to the public and cover topics of interest to emerging filmmakers.
- Details coming soon
PARTIES & SOCIALIZING
OPENING NIGHT KICK OFF BASH – Wednesday February 19 from 7-11pm at CIRCO LOUNGE, 1604 Broadway. Filmmaker’s reception, industry networking and kick-off party. This event is free and open to the public (21+).
MEETUPS & NETWORKING – The Festival Lounge will be open daily at Mirabella Lounge @LOOK Cinemas, 657 West 57th Street. Hobnob with filmmakers, industry professionals and community partners at happy hours and networking events from February 20- 22. Meetups are free and open to the public and include discounted drinks.
GALA RED CARPET + AWARD CEREMONY Sunday February 23 5pm-11pm at Club 230FIFTH, 230 Fifth Avenue. Red Carpet 5pm, Awards Ceremony 7-8pm, After-Party 8pm onwards. With live performances from local NYC talent and appearances from film industry veterans. This event is free and open to the public (21+).
About Winter Film Festival
Winter Film Festival is an all-volunteer, minority and women-owned registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2011 in New York City by a group of filmmakers and enthusiasts. Our 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. We believe that only by seeing others’ stories can we understand each other and only via an open door can the underrepresented artist enter the room.
Winter Film Festival programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Promotional support provided by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment.
Winter Film Festival is thrilled to be included in Film Festival Alliance’s Film Festival Directory, a comprehensive list of more than one hundred reputable film festivals committed to upholding the newly established best practices for professional film festivals. Explore the directory to read through our profile and learn more about our fellow member festivals, their programming philosophies, and more here: https://bit.ly/FFADirectory
For more information about the Festival, please visit: http://winterfilmawards.com/
Or send an email to info@nullwinterfilmawards.com
Corporate & Local Support
Corporate and local support of Winter Film Awards plays an critical role in the life of the Festival and underscores WFA’s commitment to quality, adventure and diversity in the art of cinema. WFA is privileged to work with the following partners and sponsors:
Thank you to Showtime Photo Booth for partnering with us for our event. Showtime stands out as the leading photo booth rental company in the City. Since 2013, they’ve excelled in experiential brand activations, corporate events, weddings, and private parties, offering over 27 different photo experiences for any occasion.
Filmmakers, sign up for a free casting account on Backstage by following this link: https://www.backstage.com/film-video-and-tv-casting/. You can then post casting and crew calls for free using the promo code WFACAST. Use your Backstage login details (email and password) to sign into our sister platforms, Mandy and Starnow, and post for free using the same WFACAST code. Please note that the code can be used each time you post a listing on Backstage, Mandy, and Starnow.
