Programming consists of remarkable independent films, of all lengths, genres and subjects from around the world screened to the public over a ten day period.
Our programmers look for the best in truly independent films. All films selected come from independent filmakers that put their blood, sweat and tears into their productions. No film selected has backing from a major film studio.
Festival of Cinema NYC is the only film festival in New York City to be supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, The New York State Council on the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Support from these nationally recognized foundations is a testament to the hard work our team has put into advancing the careers of filmmakers. Festival of Cinema NYC is a fully rounded film festival that looks to nurture and help develop the careers of emerging filmmakers and writers. The festival particularly seeks feature films from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd time feature filmmakers, as well as shorts and episodic filmmakers that are looking to develop their work into features or series.
Our programmers look for the best in truly independent films, series, music videos, animation and scripts of all lengths and genres. All films selected come from independent filmmakers that put their blood, sweat and tears into their productions. No budget is too big or too small.
Our exquisite press team works around the clock to get the most media coverage for your film at the Festival. Past film selections have been covered by Page SIX of the NY Post, Time Warner Spectrum NY1 News Channel and CSNBC.
Our budding reputation has lead various independent film distributors to send their scouts to our festival, in hopes of acquiring the next big Indie Hit. To date Festival of Cinema NYC has helped over a dozen films land a distribution deal.
Festival of Cinema NYC hosts a variety of workshops, panels and industry Q&A's that are free for everyone to attend. Past workshops have included presentations by SAG-AFTRA, Seed & Spark and Kitsplit. Speakers have included distributors from Cavu Pictures, Artsploitation Films, and Soundview Media Partners.
Festival of Cinema NYC is not just movies! The festival offers opportunities to escape from the theater by inviting locals and attending filmmakers to join us for our Happy Hour get together, Karaoke Night, Trivia Night, Comedy Night and our popular Mid-Week Red Carpet Event Afterparty!
Natalie Shmuel is a seasoned filmmaker, born and raised in Forest Hills. Natalie immerses in film theory and history, and has a keen eye for cinematic aesthetics in scripted narratives. She helped produce a number of features and shorts over the years, and is currently producing a short slated for Fall 2024. Natalie is also an established Archival Producer for scripted films, documentaries and docu-series projects, including network productions by EPIX, PBS, MSNBC, and A+E/HISTORY. She is currently working with CNN Films at Warner Bros, along with an independent documentary feature on a local gem - Forest Hills Stadium.
Natalie is an active member of the Producers Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America East, the Documentary Producers Alliance, and the Archival Producers Alliance.
Raye Levine (SAG Actress & Writer) born & raised in New York City. A William Esper Studio grad. Her current spec pilot: The Fortune Teller’s Daughter, was accepted into Gotham Week, Series Mania Fest, and was a semifinalist in the Sundance TV labs.
Film (Selected): Merry Good Enough (Caroline Keene & Dan Kennedy) *Best Narrative feature award at NHFF* & Pink Flags (Misha Calvert). Theatre (selected): Extinction by Gabe McKinley at Guild Hall (dir. Josh Gladstone), Leviticus by Mandi Riggi (Ensemble Studio Theatre, 59E59 & Zoo Venues @ Edinburgh Fringe), The Vote in Orange (French Embassy), Parkslope (Cherry Lane Theatre), Wetiko (The Actor's Studio), Man in Snow (The Actor's Studio), Freeway by Jen Rudin (Theatre 54/dir. Terry Milner).
www.rayelevine.com @rayelevine
A native of the Bronx, New York, Kevin Corrigan has been acting and writing since the age of 15. He made his film debut in Lost Angels (1989) and around that time, when he was just 17, his original play "The Boiler Room" was produced by the Young Playwrights Festival of New York. He has gone on to star in countless independent films and has made quite an impression. Kevin is also an experienced guitarist and has played in several New York City bands.
Kevin's credits include Uncle Eddie on the sitcom Grounded for Life (2001–2005). His film appearances include supporting roles in Goodfellas (1990), Rhythm Thief (1994), Walking and Talking (1996), Henry Fool (1997), The Departed (2006), Superbad (2007), Pineapple Express (2008), Seven Psychopaths (2012), The King of Staten Island (2020), and co-starring roles in Big Fan (2009) and Results (2015). He has been twice nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male.
Kevin A. Lopez is a New York based independent film and documentary director, editor, and producer known for his work on The Inquisition of Camilo Sanz (2014), Mind Up (2014), The Hudson Tribes (2016), Paradise City (2019), Primera (2021), and La salsa vive (2024). Kevin also passionately advances film and media arts education. As a New York City Public School Principal and Project Director of Motion Picture Technical High School in Queens, NY, Kevin is uniquely positioned to create enduring pathways between CTE Classrooms and the expansive world of Film & Television.
Sofia Rubin is an NYC-based director and cinematographer. A graduate of Northwestern University's Radio/TV/Film program, Sofia has worked on countless projects as a producer, assistant director, sound designer, production designer, and more. She has been freelancing as a cinematographer/assistant camera since 2022, and has shot music videos, live events, short films, and one feature film. Sofia has directed three short horror films: Body God, her Northwestern thesis; Heshereheseesyou.mp4, a no-budget found footage film; and Honey..., a micro-short that exists as part of an anthology. She is currently in pre-production for her next body horror venture, Cub, about her childhood as an MMA fighter.
Simon Sohel TaufiQue is a British-Indian, Emmy-nominated and award-winning producer and composer based in NYC. His films have been distributed by Lionsgate, Universal, Amazon, and HBO and screened or won awards at Sundance, Berlinale, Venice, SXSW, Tribeca and Telluride, Independent Spirit Award nominations and shortlisted for the Academy Award.
Simon has programmed and been a juror at Oscar-qualifying film festivals, was a recipient of multiple industry fellowships such as the Trans-Atlantic Producing Program, ASCAP/Columbia University Film School Composing fellowship, and The Gotham Episodic Lab. He is Co-President of HRTS Associates-NY, created NYU’s SPS Producing curriculum and teaches there as well as at the Sundance Institutes CO//AB program. He is a member of BAFTA’s Diversity Committee, the PGA (Producers Guild-East), the Television Academy and host of the popular Squalor NYC filmmaker salon.
Simon is represented by IAG.
An award-winning writer, director, and showrunner, she’s sold multiple series to networks and campaigned for an Emmy for her series STRUT. Her work centers women, the queer community, and underrepresented protagonists.
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The 2025 Festival of Cinema NYC will take place from August 1 - 10, 2025
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