We focus on truly independent filmmakers who struggle to have their voices heard. Participating filmmakers who are Female, People of Color, and those in the LGBTQ community, are invited to our industry panels, to speak about diversity and the importance of inclusion in the film industry

Heralded by The Wall Street Journal as the film festival event that New York City's avid moviegoers are taking note of, and as featured on The Huffington Post, Time Out NY and NY1 News, Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema is a non-profit organization established to support the development of and help expand the audiences for independent cinema from around the globe. Our second year festival will take place Aug. 3-12, 2018.

Offering over $15,000 in prizes, Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema is honored to partner with a variety of local and international sponsors, including SAG-AFTRA, IndiePix Films, Soundview Media Partners, Moviemaker Magazine, Variety 411, Final Draft, and Yelp. Audience choice winners, along with winners of Best Feature and Best Short categories will each receive a distribution offer from IndiePix Films. Other awards include an InkTip Script Listing to promote themselves and their scripts to InkTip’s entire network of producers, managers, and agents; a sales consultation with Soundview Media Partners; a subscription to iPitch.tv; and full writing software provided by Final Draft, along with other sponsored prizes.

Giving incredible exposure to fantastic filmmakers, KGFC Film Fest is quickly becoming the festival to have your film recognized. In 2017, we received 400 submissions, both feature and short length films from around the world, of which 157 were carefully selected. Two feature films received a distribution deal, while two other feature films earned the attention of independent film distributors in Los Angeles, leading to acquisition interest.

Additional promotional opportunities to our filmmakers included an invitation to participate on the KGFC Festival Talks Daily Podcasts. KGFC Film Fest also invites selected filmmakers to participate on their independent filmmakers panels, and works to get as much press coverage for all the films as possible. (our 2017 festival saw over 30 films being featured in numerous media coverage across Queens and NYC!)

Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema accepts all lengths and genres, so we encourage filmmakers from around the globe to submit their work for a chance to have it screened at The Kew Gardens Cinema. Built in the 1930's, it is Queens, New Yorks oldest and only operating Art House Movie Theater, and at Queens Museum in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Because our festival takes place in a small town, we offer filmmakers a more intimate experience, allowing them to network with their audience and their peers. We also want our filmmakers to succeed, so every filmmaker that submits their film(s) will automatically be receiving a 1 year subscription to Videomaker.com, a leading subscription service that focuses on guiding independent filmmakers with online tutorials and publications (a $20 value). In addition, this years selections will all be converted to DCP for optimal quality, offering filmmakers the opportunity to purchase their DCP at an incredibly discounted rate.

You can rest assured that all submitted films are watched in their entirety by our programmers, which we know is a major concern when it comes to choosing which festival to submit to. Along with our daily screenings, we plan on hosting intimate panel conversations with independent filmmakers, producers, distributors and sales agents. Something many festivals often overlook. You can expect red carpet premieres and familiar faces. The Festival staff will be hard at work promoting every film that gets accepted, to ensure that audiences attend your screening.

Finally, we want this to be an amazing experience for everyone that attends - so expect to have activities such as Karaoke, Movie Trivia Night, Stand-up Comedy Night, Outdoor Screenings and After Parties hosted by our wonderful sponsors!