Our festival by the sea has gained a reputation for fostering a relaxed atmosphere where filmmakers and industry veterans alike gather to enjoy a jam-packed weekend of great films, an opening night party and amusement park rides. MovieMaker Magazine named us one of the and "25 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee" and "25 Coolest Film Festivals"!
Coney Island's independent spirit and irreverent attitude have helped the fest quickly thrive as something distinct from other NYC events. The opening night celebrations pay tribute to Coney Island's renown carnival history with live performances by the Coney Island Circus Sideshow!
Early in 2001, the non-profit arts organization Coney Island USA aligned with indiefilmpage.com founder Rob Leddy to create an annual film festival, to raise funds for the not for profit arts organization, Coney Island USA. That fall, the Coney Island Film Festival became a reality.
The festival is entirely run by film, television and audio/visual professionals, ensuring a high quality standard to the event.
Coney Island's characteristic blend of grit and whimsy has inspired filmmakers for generations. From Thomas Edison's first magical motion pictures of the Steeplechase ride to 2010 Festival Honoree Darren Aronofsky's harrowing masterpiece Requiem for a Dream, Coney has a long and intimate history with American cinema. CIFF represents the latest chapter in that history. The Coney Island Film Festival screens a truly eclectic range of films. Our festival screens films from all genres including the following categories - Drama Short, Comedy Short, Feature, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Horror, Sci-Fi, Music Video, Experimental, Animation. We are as diverse as the neighborhood that we represent.
We have no film premiere requirements or date of completion requirements and all entries are watched in their entirety, by our screening committee. We prefer that your film not be streaming publicly on sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, etc. and films not streaming online are given preference in the selection process. Whether you submit early or late, has no bearing on the selection process. All films are given equal chance for selection, regardless of when they are submitted! We do not invite films to play with us, we rely solely, on our call for entries!
Now in our 26th year, The Coney Island Film Festival has gained a solid reputation from filmmakers and film fans. Check out our FilmFreeway reviews to read quotes from filmmakers and to see our photo galleries (all photos courtesy of Norman Blake).
"Without a doubt, The Coney Island Film Festival has the greatest location in the world. It also gives out the best trophy I've ever received." Darren Aronofsky (Director Black Swan, The Wrestler, Requiem for a Dream, Pi)
"A showcase worthy of the neighborhood's amusement-rich history." - Christopher Zara, MovieMaker magazine
