New York International Children's Film Festival 2027

Festival Description: NYICFF is about great films (and filmmakers) that inspire, surprise, delight, and challenge audiences of all ages and is a globally recognized, sought-after Oscar®-qualifying Festival.  Filmmakers can expect expert curation, personal attention, care, and respect for one’s artistry, along with a genuine desire to further, as NYICFF’s mission states, a more intelligent, and diverse, film culture for kids. Over the course of one-month next spring, the Festival will feature tastemaker screenings, filmmaker forums, receptions, and thought-provoking Q&A’s – in theatres across New York City and virtually into attendees' homes. Engaging and inspiring audiences of all ages, the film programs from NYICFF provide an opportunity to network with industry leaders; films are judged by a world-class jury and seen by an audience that appreciates innovative content. 2025 Festival jury included Lake Bell (actor, filmmaker & author, All About Brains: A Book About People), Guillermo Martinez (head of story at Sony Pictures Animation), Seth Meyers (comedian, Late Night with Seth Meyers), Matthew Modine (actor, Oppenheimer), Chris Nee (creator, Doc McStuffins), Bob Odenkirk (Emmy winning writer and actor, Better Call Saul), Erin Odenkirk (author, Zilot and Other Important Rhymes!) Ellen Su (Animation director and artistic recruiter), and Kay Wilson Stallings (Executive Vice President, Chief Creative Development and Production Officer for Sesame Workshop).

2027 Call For Entries 

Eligibility criteria:

To be eligible to screen in competition, production must be completed no later than January 1, 2026. NYICFF designates “short films” as works with a running time of less than 40 minutes in length. Works with running times of 40 minutes or longer are designated as “feature films.

Awards:

Jury Awards (Oscar-qualifying)
- Best Animated Short Film
- Best Live Action Short Film
Audience Awards for Best Short Film
- Ages 3+
- Ages 3+
- Ages 6+
- Ages 8+
- Ages 10+
- Ages 12+
- Grown ups (18+)

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®.

• Festival Regulations and FilmFreeway Entry Form
• Deadlines: 15 June 2026 (early) 15 October 2026 (regular), 15 November 2026 (late), 1 December 2026 (extended)