Liberty Film Festival
New York City, New York | Film Festival
Shorts Program
NYC has the country's best film schools, but their students never share a screen. We're building the first festival to unite them: one night where 900 students from nine campuses watch, compete, and connect. Your support funds the venue, the screen, and a new NYC tradition.
Liberty Film Festival
New York City, New York | Film Festival
Shorts Program
1 Campaigns | California, United States
24 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$1,748
Goal: $18,200 for festivals
NYC has the country's best film schools, but their students never share a screen. We're building the first festival to unite them: one night where 900 students from nine campuses watch, compete, and connect. Your support funds the venue, the screen, and a new NYC tradition.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
One City. Nine Schools. One Screen.
New York City is home to the best film schools in the country: Columbia, NYU, Pratt, SVA, Fordham, Pace, The New School, Brooklyn College, and Sarah Lawrence College. Thousands of student filmmakers work just blocks apart and produce remarkable work, yet there is almost no collaboration between colleges.
We are building the stage where NYC's film students come together to watch, compete, and meet the people they'll be making movies with for the rest of their careers. Furthermore, we provide a space for seasoned industry professionals to scout out the next generation of talent.
OUR TEAM!! (40+ students across all 9 schools)
Liberty Film Festival is a one-night, in-person festival in late February. The first of its kind, bringing together the best NYC student films in front of an audience of 900 students, faculty, and industry guests.
Each school nominates 4–6 of its strongest films. From there, an independent Creative Board, three representatives from every school, selects the final program through blind review, with a strict conflict-of-interest policy. No school reviews its own films. No campus dominates the lineup. The work speaks for itself.
(NYU Skirball Theater– Intended venue)
Why Now
This is the inaugural year. Our Creative Board is seated, three representatives from every one of the nine schools, and the coalition that makes this possible only exists because this specific group of students organized it right now. We are building the infrastructure for a festival the will long outlast any of our college careers.
This is the year it either becomes a real institution or the moment passes.
(BTS from the promo video)
Where We Are, and What Happens Next
Creatively, everything is set. We just need funding: the venue, production staff, festival materials, marketing, insurance (wishlist items). We will confirm our festival date & logistics by October 1.
Every dollar goes toward making student work look and feel the way it deserves: like cinema. This is only year one: we're building the Liberty Film Festival to become a NY tradition, which means this founding class of backers gets permanent recognition as the people who made it possible.
Stretch Goals
If we hit 100% of our goal, we lock in the full night described above. If we go further:
125% funded: we are able to enhance the audience experience with food, drinks, and merch.
150% funded: we are able to seek venues for an after-party so everyone can connect.
How You Can Help Right Now
Pledge whatever you can. Every tier gets you real recognition in this founding year (see our Incentives).
Follow this project so you don't miss updates as we lock in the venue and lineup.
Share this campaign with one person who cares about NYC's next generation of filmmakers.
One city. Nine schools. One screen. Join us for opening night!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Venue Rental (NYU Skirball)
Costs $7,500
We need this venue to accommodate our filmmakers, donors, and general admission.
Venue Staff / Front Of House
Costs $3,600
1 House Manager, 1 FOH Supervisor, 6 Ushers, 2 Ticket Staff, 2 Security, 1 Cleaning
Venue Technical Crew
Costs $3,600
1 Video Technician, 1 Audio Technician, 1 Stage Technician, 1 Lighting Technician, 1 Technical Supervisor
Marketing
Costs $1,000
Aid out marketing team with creating social media content to publicize and fill our theater.
Festival Materials, Programming, & Experience
Costs $1,500
Step and Repeat, Programs/Booklets, Awards, Decorations (camera team, light equipment, etc. can be internally sourced)
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Kallen Fenster (Columbia University) - Festival Director
Evan O'Rourke (NYU) - Managing Director
Emerson Min (Columbia University) - Finance & Administration Director
Abigail Jang (Columbia University) - School Relations Director
Ava Blum (Columbia University) - Columbia School Representative / Guest & Industry Relations Co-Director
Kacey Fifield (Columbia University) - Columbia School Representative / Guest & Industry Relations Co-Director
Chara Blagrove (Fordham University) - Fordham School Representative
Benjamin Mattingly (NYU) - NYU School Representative / Programming & Structure Director
Evalise Abreu (Pace University) - Pace School Representative / Pace Representative #1
Jacqueline Wilson (Pratt Institute) - Programming & Structure Coordinator #1
Ben Mattingly (NYU) - Programming & Structure Director (duplicate of Benjamin Mattingly — likely same person)
Caroline Coia (Columbia University) - Programming & Structure Coordinator #2
Ray Wu (Columbia University) - Creative Development Co-Director #1
Milo Timberake (NYU) - Creative Development Co-Director #2
Isaiah Arias (Brooklyn College) - Creative Development Coordinator #1
Samuel Guzman-Almonte (Fordham) - Creative Development Coordinator #2
Enrique Alverde - Creative Development Coordinator #3
Dimitri Botsacos (Pace University) - Venue & Experience Co-Director #1
Dylan Koa (NYU) - Venue & Experience Co-Director #2
Sanky Chari (NYU) - Sponsorship & Partnership Director
Amethyst Stencik (Fordham University) - Marketing & Publicity Director
Taylor Hutchinson (NYU) - Marketing & Publicity Coordinator #1
Herman Singh (Fordham University) - Marketing & Publicity Coordinator #2
William Yeh (NYU) - Finance & Administration Coordinator #1
Elliot Kim - Finance & Administration Coordinator #2
Manav Sannappanavar (NYU) - NYU Representative #1
Simon Beltran (Fordham University) - Fordham Representative #1
Marc Alexander (School of Visual Arts) - SVA Representative #1
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
One City. Nine Schools. One Screen.
New York City is home to the best film schools in the country: Columbia, NYU, Pratt, SVA, Fordham, Pace, The New School, Brooklyn College, and Sarah Lawrence College. Thousands of student filmmakers work just blocks apart and produce remarkable work, yet there is almost no collaboration between colleges.
We are building the stage where NYC's film students come together to watch, compete, and meet the people they'll be making movies with for the rest of their careers. Furthermore, we provide a space for seasoned industry professionals to scout out the next generation of talent.
OUR TEAM!! (40+ students across all 9 schools)
Liberty Film Festival is a one-night, in-person festival in late February. The first of its kind, bringing together the best NYC student films in front of an audience of 900 students, faculty, and industry guests.
Each school nominates 4–6 of its strongest films. From there, an independent Creative Board, three representatives from every school, selects the final program through blind review, with a strict conflict-of-interest policy. No school reviews its own films. No campus dominates the lineup. The work speaks for itself.
(NYU Skirball Theater– Intended venue)
Why Now
This is the inaugural year. Our Creative Board is seated, three representatives from every one of the nine schools, and the coalition that makes this possible only exists because this specific group of students organized it right now. We are building the infrastructure for a festival the will long outlast any of our college careers.
This is the year it either becomes a real institution or the moment passes.
(BTS from the promo video)
Where We Are, and What Happens Next
Creatively, everything is set. We just need funding: the venue, production staff, festival materials, marketing, insurance (wishlist items). We will confirm our festival date & logistics by October 1.
Every dollar goes toward making student work look and feel the way it deserves: like cinema. This is only year one: we're building the Liberty Film Festival to become a NY tradition, which means this founding class of backers gets permanent recognition as the people who made it possible.
Stretch Goals
If we hit 100% of our goal, we lock in the full night described above. If we go further:
125% funded: we are able to enhance the audience experience with food, drinks, and merch.
150% funded: we are able to seek venues for an after-party so everyone can connect.
How You Can Help Right Now
Pledge whatever you can. Every tier gets you real recognition in this founding year (see our Incentives).
Follow this project so you don't miss updates as we lock in the venue and lineup.
Share this campaign with one person who cares about NYC's next generation of filmmakers.
One city. Nine schools. One screen. Join us for opening night!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Venue Rental (NYU Skirball)
Costs $7,500
We need this venue to accommodate our filmmakers, donors, and general admission.
Venue Staff / Front Of House
Costs $3,600
1 House Manager, 1 FOH Supervisor, 6 Ushers, 2 Ticket Staff, 2 Security, 1 Cleaning
Venue Technical Crew
Costs $3,600
1 Video Technician, 1 Audio Technician, 1 Stage Technician, 1 Lighting Technician, 1 Technical Supervisor
Marketing
Costs $1,000
Aid out marketing team with creating social media content to publicize and fill our theater.
Festival Materials, Programming, & Experience
Costs $1,500
Step and Repeat, Programs/Booklets, Awards, Decorations (camera team, light equipment, etc. can be internally sourced)
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Kallen Fenster (Columbia University) - Festival Director
Evan O'Rourke (NYU) - Managing Director
Emerson Min (Columbia University) - Finance & Administration Director
Abigail Jang (Columbia University) - School Relations Director
Ava Blum (Columbia University) - Columbia School Representative / Guest & Industry Relations Co-Director
Kacey Fifield (Columbia University) - Columbia School Representative / Guest & Industry Relations Co-Director
Chara Blagrove (Fordham University) - Fordham School Representative
Benjamin Mattingly (NYU) - NYU School Representative / Programming & Structure Director
Evalise Abreu (Pace University) - Pace School Representative / Pace Representative #1
Jacqueline Wilson (Pratt Institute) - Programming & Structure Coordinator #1
Ben Mattingly (NYU) - Programming & Structure Director (duplicate of Benjamin Mattingly — likely same person)
Caroline Coia (Columbia University) - Programming & Structure Coordinator #2
Ray Wu (Columbia University) - Creative Development Co-Director #1
Milo Timberake (NYU) - Creative Development Co-Director #2
Isaiah Arias (Brooklyn College) - Creative Development Coordinator #1
Samuel Guzman-Almonte (Fordham) - Creative Development Coordinator #2
Enrique Alverde - Creative Development Coordinator #3
Dimitri Botsacos (Pace University) - Venue & Experience Co-Director #1
Dylan Koa (NYU) - Venue & Experience Co-Director #2
Sanky Chari (NYU) - Sponsorship & Partnership Director
Amethyst Stencik (Fordham University) - Marketing & Publicity Director
Taylor Hutchinson (NYU) - Marketing & Publicity Coordinator #1
Herman Singh (Fordham University) - Marketing & Publicity Coordinator #2
William Yeh (NYU) - Finance & Administration Coordinator #1
Elliot Kim - Finance & Administration Coordinator #2
Manav Sannappanavar (NYU) - NYU Representative #1
Simon Beltran (Fordham University) - Fordham Representative #1
Marc Alexander (School of Visual Arts) - SVA Representative #1