61st New York Film Festival focuses on cultural, historical landscape

Returning every fall to celebrate a new slate of essential cinematic offerings from around the globe, the New York Film Festival (NYFF) has been an enduring part of New York’s rich cultural and historical landscape since 1963. Produced by Film at Lincoln Center, the 61st edition will take place from September 29 until October 15, 2023.

NYFF is noncompetitive, and all sections are curated by the selection committee with support from an international roster of programming advisors and screeners.

NYFF’s call for short film submissions provides an opportunity for new and emerging filmmakers to share their work. In addition to short film submissions, the NYFF61 selection committee considers recommendations from alumni and industry colleagues, as well as work that has premiered in international festivals and galleries since the previous edition of NYFF. Submitted films will be evaluated by NYFF61 programming staff and considered equally with all other prospective entrants.

The New York Film Festival is non-competitive. Film at Lincoln Center defines a short film as any film with a running time of 40 minutes or less. Any film longer than 40 minutes will not be considered.

All films submitted to NYFF must be New York theatrical premieres. “Premiere” is defined as any film having not screened for the public in the greater New York area, or having received a screening in a festival operating within New York state.

Films that have been shown theatrically in New York or virtually by a New York-based organization, have been broadcast on television prior to NYFF, or are available on home entertainment formats (including Blu-Ray/DVD/TVOD/VOD) will be deemed ineligible.

In the meantime, the films publicly exhibited before the 2022 edition of NYFF (September 30, 2022) are ineligible.

In the meantime, the New York Film Festival has announced that this year's event will screen the U.S. premiere of Hayao Miyazaki's latest feature film The Boy and the Heron as an Official Selection in the Spotlight selection.

The film will have its international premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), as the event's opening film, on September 7 at Roy Thomson Hall.

This will mark the first time the festival is opening with an animated film as well as the first time for a Japanese film.