The Festival returns to usual dates in 2021 with submissions opening for writers and filmmakers.
Join writers and filmmakers from Harlem to Hong Kong for the opportunity to showcase your work in the world famous cultural capital – Harlem, New York City!
The 16th Annual Harlem International Film Festival (Hi XVI) opens the call to all films & screenplays around the world in any category, by anyone, about anything under the sun: Animation; Documentary; Narrative; Experimental; Music Video; Webisode; and Youth Film. We welcome passionate, even controversial work and we reward it (click on the “Awards” tab above to see some of our past winners).
Since the inaugural in 2005, the Festival has screened over 1200 of the world’s finest films from scores of countries including: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Lebanon, Mexico, Mozambique, New Zealand, Panama, Poland, Russia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Trinidad & Tobago, the UK and the US, providing a springboard to further success as well as bestowing over 350 awards including the illustrious annual Mira Nair Award for Rising Female Filmmaker.
SUBMISSION DEADLINES and ENTRY FEES
Hi accepts and awards Short and Feature length projects. Feature Documentaries are considered 45 minutes and over and Narrative Features are 60 minutes and over (including titles and end credits). Short works in Narrative, Documentary and Experimental can all be applied for under the general Shorts category.
Animation, Music Video and Webisodes each have their own category. Youth projects must have been completed while the director, producer or primary cast were under 21 years old.
Keeping in line with its mission, Harlem Int’l offers discounted admission to films produced in the HUB (Harlem, Upper Manhattan & the Bronx), centered on the area and/or its rich history or featuring key cast or crew members from Harlem, other Uptown neighborhoods (North of 96th Street in Manhattan) or the Bronx.
Discounts are also available for all current students when applying through our partner FilmFreeway.
In 2019 we initiated a new category, the Harlem International Science Cinema Youth Laboratory (Hi-Sci Lab). All cinematic approaches and formats including VR/360 concerning science and related fields/themes (environment/climate change, health, technology, engineering, agriculture, etc.) are welcome to apply as long as the producer/s and/or other key crew or cast were under the age of 21 at the time of project completion. We are particularly interested in showcasing the work of underrepresented youth, those with limited resources and/or those that present unique and compelling perspectives on the subject.
Early Deadline: November 7, 2020
- Youth: $20
- Shorts (Short Film, Animated Short, Music Video, Webisode, World Cinema, VR/Experimental/Art Installation/ New Media): $25
- Features (Documentary, Narrative, World Cinema): $35
- Short Scripts: $45
- Feature Scripts: $75
- Hi-Sci Lab and the HUB (Harlem/Upper Manhattan & the Bronx) $15
Regular Deadline: December 5, 2020
- Youth: $25
- Shorts (Short Film, Animated Short, Music Video, Webisode, World Cinema, VR/Experimental/Art Installation/ New Media): $35
- Features (Documentary, Narrative, World Cinema): $50
- Short Scripts: $55
- Feature Scripts: $90
- Hi-Sci Lab and the HUB (Harlem/Upper Manhattan & the Bronx) $20
Late Deadline: January 2, 2021
- Youth: $30
- Shorts (Short Film, Animated Short, Music Video, Webisode, World Cinema, VR/Experimental/Art Installation/ New Media): $45
- Features (Documentary, Narrative, World Cinema): $65
- Short Scripts: $65
- Feature Scripts: $105
- Hi-Sci Lab and the HUB (Harlem/Upper Manhattan & the Bronx) $25
Extended Deadline: January 17, 2021
- Youth: $35
- Shorts (Short Film, Animated Short, Music Video, Webisode, World Cinema, VR/Experimental/Art Installation/ New Media): $55
- Features (Documentary, Narrative, World Cinema): $80
- Short Scripts: $75
- Feature Scripts: $120
- Hi-Sci Lab and the HUB (Harlem/Upper Manhattan & the Bronx) $30
