For Educators


Thanks for your interest in NFFTY 2025!

NFFTY is the world’s largest and most influential film festival for emerging filmmakers ages 24 and under. Now entering its 18th year, the festival offers a jam-packed four days filled with films, great speakers, parties and more. We’ve put together a little guide to help introduce teachers to NFFTY!

We continue to be acknowledged as leaders in our industry — currently one of the Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals on FilmFreeway, one of MovieMaker's 20 Great Film Festivals for First-Time Filmmakers (2022), and twice awarded the One of the 50 Best Fests Worth the Entry Fee by MovieMaker Magazine (2016, 2014). We work very hard to make this festival a meaningful and educational experience for all of our filmmakers and visiting students!

Submitting Your Students’ Work to NFFTY

For full details, take a look at this year's Educator Guide on Submitting Films.

FESTIVAL DATES

IN-PERSON: April 3 - April 6, 2025 in Seattle, WA
VIRTUAL: April 3 - April 13

  • FILM SUBMISSIONS: We use FilmFreeway for our film submission process.
    AGES: We accept films made by directors 24 years old and younger. We’ve had filmmakers as young as 5 years old and as old as 24. We make sure to make room for a variety of ages, and certain awards are limited by age and/or student status.

  • GENRES: We accept short films under 40 minutes, including narrative, documentary, experimental, animation and music videos. This year, for the first time ever, we will also be accepting episodic content! We also have a screenplay contest, as well as filmmaking competitions/contests that your school may be eligible to participate in, which can include cash and/or equipment prizes for your program.

  • NOT ACCEPTED: We do not accept trailers or PSAs.

  • EDUCATORS MAY SUBMIT: Teachers may submit films on behalf of their students.

  • EDUCATOR DISCOUNT: Teachers may receive 20% or more off of film submissions, when submitting three or more films. Please contact info@nffty.org to receive a unique code!


DEADLINES

FINAL DEADLINE - January 10, 2025
Please visit our Submit page for more information.


NOTIFICATION

All students who submit work will be contacted by February 7, 2025.
All filmmakers accepted will receive one (1) All-Access Filmmaker Pass per film. There will be additional filmmaker passes for purchase.

“While Sundance and other film festivals have a program for youth, NFFTY is entirely designed with the young filmmaker in mind. Filmmaking is, by necessity, a collaborative art form, so building a network is a critical first step for every young filmmaker. NFFTY gives youth the opportunity to learn from industry professionals and each other as they meet other young filmmakers from all over the world… We routinely travel out of state to visit college programs, tour the industry, or attend film festivals. If NFFTY was on another continent, the trip would be worth it.”
— Matt Lawrence, Educator, Ballard High School

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