New York State Film Festival is one of the most exciting film festivals in the USA, with Q&A sessions after most screenings. The festival has no premieres policy. The festival arranges various activities for guests, including a round the festival trip. Do attend a Q&A as it’s a great opportunity to meet everyone and get people to know about your work.
Every year NSFF recruits a new panel of highly regarded screen industry practitioners to decide the winners of our awards.
They watch all of the films in advance of the NSFF, so that the winners can be announced and prizes presented at our Opening Night & Awards Ceremony.
MEET OUR JURY MEMBERS FOR 2020
Bo Svenson
An award-winning writer, actor, producer and director, Bo Svenson has worked with over one hundred Academy Award winners and/or nominees, including Clint Eastwood and Quentin Tarantino.
He is a prolific writer in addition to being an accomplished actor. His first novel, "For Love and Country", was published in December 2015 and is on Amazon's "Recommended Reading" list.
His screenplay "Don't Call Me Sir!" won numerous awards, including Best Screenplay at the 2017 Best of the Best Festival, Best Screenplay at the 2017 The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival, a Gold Award for Best Screenplay at the 2016 International Independent Film Festival, Best Screenplay at the 2016 Artemis Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay at the 2016 All Sports Los Angeles Film Festival, the 2015 New York Screenplay Contest's "Park Avenue Prize for Drama", and 1st Place in Drama at the 2015 Los Angeles Screenplay Contest.
Another screenplay "For Love and Country" won Best Screenplay at Canada's 2016 Cinema Worldfest, two Gold Awards at the International Independent Film Awards, and Best Screenplay at the 2016 Illinois Independent Film Festival — while a third, "Yakuzano" won at the 2016 International Independent Film Awards.
He has several other screenplays in various stages of development and pre-production, including "Misguided"; "Viking: The Red Cloth"; and "Fate, Two Kids and an ET".
Born in Sweden, Svenson emigrated by himself to the US as a teenager and began by serving his new country with six years in the U.S. Marines. After an honorable discharge, he was spotted in Miami by James Hammerstein Jr. and cast in a revival of South Pacific. Curious to find out if acting was for him, he headed to New York where he landed the lead role as Yang Sun in Bertolt Brecht's play The Good Woman of Szechuan at The Circle In The Square Theater in Greenwich Village — and was cast in a starring role in the CBS TV pilot The Freebooters.
Other starring roles followed, as well as a recurring role as Big Swede on Here Come the Brides.
His role as the Creature in the three-hour TV movie Mary Shelley's Original Frankenstein brought him great acclaim and led to a starring role in Maurie and the co-starring role with Robert Redford in The Great Waldo Pepper.
Major starring roles followed: Sheriff Buford Pusser in Walking Tall Part II, Walking Tall Final Chapterand the Walking Tall TV series; crazed football player Jo Bob Priddy in North Dallas Forty; heroic airline pilot Captain Campbell in The Delta Force; jealous bar-owner Roy Jennings in Clint Eastwood's Heartbreak Ridge; and cool, cold-blooded killer Ivan in Magnum, P.I.
In addition to recently being the Russian mob boss Vadim in Icarus, he portrayed Reverend Harmony in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill and The Colonel in Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.
Svenson was the only actor from the original The Inglorious Bastards cast included by Tarantino in his homage to that movie, one of his all-time favorites.
An accomplished athlete, Svenson has competed in world championships, Olympic selections and/or international competition in judo, yachting, track, ice hockey - and NASCAR!
A black belt in judo, karate, and aikido, he has been inducted into the Martial Arts Masters Hall of Fame. Following a forty-year absence from judo, he won a silver in the 2009 USA Judo Championships. He won a bronze in the World Championships in 2013 and retired from judo competition after winning a gold in the 2013 USJA Winter National Championships.
He was Sports Commissioner at the 2015 Special Olympics World Games — held at his alma mater UCLA where he had pursued a Ph.D. in metaphysics until his film career took over.
Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Motion Picture Group of America from 1984-2004, he is President and CEO of MagicQuest Entertainment — since 1975, a California corporation engaged in motion picture development and production as well as providing consulting services to actors and script doctoring to writers.
In addition, he is CEO of CanAm Film Corporation, a British Columbia corporation incorporated in 1992.
A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (oscars.org) since 1985, he serves on the nominating committee for Best Foreign Language Film and is a juror on the Student Academy Award committee.
He has been a host and/or Master of Ceremonies for numerous events — and is a sought-after juror by film festivals across the globe.
His numerous honors include: the Academy of Science Fiction and Fantasy Golden Scroll Award; the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast for Inglourious Basterds; the Italian Institute of Art Award of Merit; Lifetime Achievement Awards from Action On Film and the Movieville International Film Festival; and The Reel Cowboys Hall of Fame Award.
His nominations include the NAACP Image Award and the Hollywood Women's Press Club Golden Apple.
Made For Each Other, a film that he wrote, produced and directed starring Dennis Hopper, won the Award of Excellence at the Accolade Global Film Competition and was nominated at numerous festivals.
He conducts his "In Life, on Camera and on Stage: Don't Act - Be!", a highly-appreciated seminar, in colleges, universities, and corporate boardrooms around the globe.
Born in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, China. Graduated from the photography department of communication university of China, nanguang college.He is the founder of the China globe film festival, which aims to promote Chinese excellent film works to the world. In the past few years, his works have won many awards at home and abroad. He worked as a photographer and colorist for the documentary "Tibetan girl". The film won best documentary at the Tehran international short film festival and was selected for the 69th Cannes Film Festival.He was the director of photography in the drama "Goat's hill." The film won the best short drama award at the world short film festival. Wang jie is the initiator of the support program for film and television universities. So far, many excellent students have won many international awards with his help. He also served as a judge at various film festivals.Take the Houston international film festival.He is an excellent video creator, but also for the Chinese film to open up a new road to the world.
Li Kang
Film Writer, Director, Famous Chinese Literature Writer, Chairman of Suzhou Jingchuan Film Industry Co., Ltd., Master of Arts of Suzhou University, Member of Microfilm Research Association of China Film Criticism Society, Member of Nanshe and Liu Yazi Research Branch of China Modern Literature Society, Member of Anhui Writers Association, Member of China Prose Association, Director of 2017 Miss Universe Zhejiang Competition Vice Chairman and Senior Adviser of the Committee, Judge of the Main Competition Unit of the 24th Beijing University Film Festival, Recommender of the Joint Selection of the First 100 Universities of Public Welfare Micro Film in China, Judge and Member of the Producer's Seminar of the First Private Film Production Company of China sponsored by the Chinese Filmmakers Association. He has published many works such as Half-wall Rose and Youth Hello.
In 2015, he won the second prize of the first Chinese Prose Award (awarded by the Chinese Prose Association). His work "The Hometown of Zhu Danxi" won the Gold Prize of the "Story of Traditional Chinese Medicine" & Creative Text Competition (awarded by the Film and Television Education Committee of China Association of Higher Education). He led the documentary of Suzhou National Gold Center, non-legacy documentary, etc. The first Top Ten Chinese Public Welfare Microfilms were selected by the 100 Universities Public Welfare Microfilm Universities. Competition "Excellent Contribution to Individuals" and "Starlight Film Critics" (awarded by China Film Critics Association Microfilm Research Association
He presided over the project "Storytelling of Commercial Documentary" of Jiangsu Province Graduate Training Innovation Project in 2016.
Awards & Prizes:
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Feature
Best Documentary Short
Best Director’s Work
Best Historical Film
Best Documentary Film
Best Animation Work
Best Camera Work
Best Actor Work
Best One-Minute Film
Best Experimental Film
Best Social Advertising
Rules & Terms:
To qualify for consideration, all submissions must have completed an electronic or paper entry form, a nonrefundable entry fee and a screener.
New York State Film Festival is unable to waive entry fees or provide discounts beyond those indicated.
New York State Film Festival is open to U.S. and international entries. English language or English subtitles only.
Submission materials will not be returned (unless requested and a shipping payment provided).
New York State Film Festival retains sole discretion to accept or decline submissions for any reason. Submission of a film does not guarantee exhibition in the festival. The decision of the New York State Film Festival Selection Committee is final.
Selected film entries will be notified directly at least 1 month prior to festival. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email following the decision of the New York State Film Festival Selection Committee.
New York State Film Festival accepts no responsibility for late, lost, damaged or ineligible entries. Exhibition film prints and videotapes will be handled with utmost care. However, New York State Film Festival cannot assume liability for damage to or loss of these materials.
By entering New York State Film Festival, applicants certify that they have the legal right to submit and exhibit the film. The applicant is hereby responsible and liable for any breach of rights or the law in the submission and exhibition process.
By entering New York State Film Festival, the entrant grants the right to publish or transmit portions of the film for the purpose of press or promotion, unless otherwise noted.
A digital screener can be provided via Vimeo or other video or file-sharing platform. Viewing rights are restricted to festival staff and selection committee members only.
Selected films in the last session:
Every year NSFF recruits a new panel of highly regarded screen industry practitioners to decide the winners of our awards.
He is a prolific writer in addition to being an accomplished actor. His first novel, "For Love and Country", was published in December 2015 and is on Amazon's "Recommended Reading" list.
His screenplay "Don't Call Me Sir!" won numerous awards, including Best Screenplay at the 2017 Best of the Best Festival, Best Screenplay at the 2017 The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival, a Gold Award for Best Screenplay at the 2016 International Independent Film Festival, Best Screenplay at the 2016 Artemis Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay at the 2016 All Sports Los Angeles Film Festival, the 2015 New York Screenplay Contest's "Park Avenue Prize for Drama", and 1st Place in Drama at the 2015 Los Angeles Screenplay Contest.
Another screenplay "For Love and Country" won Best Screenplay at Canada's 2016 Cinema Worldfest, two Gold Awards at the International Independent Film Awards, and Best Screenplay at the 2016 Illinois Independent Film Festival — while a third, "Yakuzano" won at the 2016 International Independent Film Awards.
He has several other screenplays in various stages of development and pre-production, including "Misguided"; "Viking: The Red Cloth"; and "Fate, Two Kids and an ET".
Born in Sweden, Svenson emigrated by himself to the US as a teenager and began by serving his new country with six years in the U.S. Marines. After an honorable discharge, he was spotted in Miami by James Hammerstein Jr. and cast in a revival of South Pacific. Curious to find out if acting was for him, he headed to New York where he landed the lead role as Yang Sun in Bertolt Brecht's play The Good Woman of Szechuan at The Circle In The Square Theater in Greenwich Village — and was cast in a starring role in the CBS TV pilot The Freebooters.
Other starring roles followed, as well as a recurring role as Big Swede on Here Come the Brides.
His role as the Creature in the three-hour TV movie Mary Shelley's Original Frankenstein brought him great acclaim and led to a starring role in Maurie and the co-starring role with Robert Redford in The Great Waldo Pepper.
Major starring roles followed: Sheriff Buford Pusser in Walking Tall Part II, Walking Tall Final Chapterand the Walking Tall TV series; crazed football player Jo Bob Priddy in North Dallas Forty; heroic airline pilot Captain Campbell in The Delta Force; jealous bar-owner Roy Jennings in Clint Eastwood's Heartbreak Ridge; and cool, cold-blooded killer Ivan in Magnum, P.I.
In addition to recently being the Russian mob boss Vadim in Icarus, he portrayed Reverend Harmony in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill and The Colonel in Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.
Svenson was the only actor from the original The Inglorious Bastards cast included by Tarantino in his homage to that movie, one of his all-time favorites.
An accomplished athlete, Svenson has competed in world championships, Olympic selections and/or international competition in judo, yachting, track, ice hockey - and NASCAR!
A black belt in judo, karate, and aikido, he has been inducted into the Martial Arts Masters Hall of Fame. Following a forty-year absence from judo, he won a silver in the 2009 USA Judo Championships. He won a bronze in the World Championships in 2013 and retired from judo competition after winning a gold in the 2013 USJA Winter National Championships.
He was Sports Commissioner at the 2015 Special Olympics World Games — held at his alma mater UCLA where he had pursued a Ph.D. in metaphysics until his film career took over.
Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Motion Picture Group of America from 1984-2004, he is President and CEO of MagicQuest Entertainment — since 1975, a California corporation engaged in motion picture development and production as well as providing consulting services to actors and script doctoring to writers.
In addition, he is CEO of CanAm Film Corporation, a British Columbia corporation incorporated in 1992.
A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (oscars.org) since 1985, he serves on the nominating committee for Best Foreign Language Film and is a juror on the Student Academy Award committee.
He has been a host and/or Master of Ceremonies for numerous events — and is a sought-after juror by film festivals across the globe.
His numerous honors include: the Academy of Science Fiction and Fantasy Golden Scroll Award; the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast for Inglourious Basterds; the Italian Institute of Art Award of Merit; Lifetime Achievement Awards from Action On Film and the Movieville International Film Festival; and The Reel Cowboys Hall of Fame Award.
His nominations include the NAACP Image Award and the Hollywood Women's Press Club Golden Apple.
Made For Each Other, a film that he wrote, produced and directed starring Dennis Hopper, won the Award of Excellence at the Accolade Global Film Competition and was nominated at numerous festivals.
He conducts his "In Life, on Camera and on Stage: Don't Act - Be!", a highly-appreciated seminar, in colleges, universities, and corporate boardrooms around the globe.
More info: http://www.imdb.me/BoSvenson
Born in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, China. Graduated from the photography department of communication university of China, nanguang college.He is the founder of the China globe film festival, which aims to promote Chinese excellent film works to the world. In the past few years, his works have won many awards at home and abroad. He worked as a photographer and colorist for the documentary "Tibetan girl". The film won best documentary at the Tehran international short film festival and was selected for the 69th Cannes Film Festival.He was the director of photography in the drama "Goat's hill." The film won the best short drama award at the world short film festival. Wang jie is the initiator of the support program for film and television universities. So far, many excellent students have won many international awards with his help. He also served as a judge at various film festivals.Take the Houston international film festival.He is an excellent video creator, but also for the Chinese film to open up a new road to the world.
Li Kang
Film Writer, Director, Famous Chinese Literature Writer, Chairman of Suzhou Jingchuan Film Industry Co., Ltd., Master of Arts of Suzhou University, Member of Microfilm Research Association of China Film Criticism Society, Member of Nanshe and Liu Yazi Research Branch of China Modern Literature Society, Member of Anhui Writers Association, Member of China Prose Association, Director of 2017 Miss Universe Zhejiang Competition Vice Chairman and Senior Adviser of the Committee, Judge of the Main Competition Unit of the 24th Beijing University Film Festival, Recommender of the Joint Selection of the First 100 Universities of Public Welfare Micro Film in China, Judge and Member of the Producer's Seminar of the First Private Film Production Company of China sponsored by the Chinese Filmmakers Association. He has published many works such as Half-wall Rose and Youth Hello.
In 2015, he won the second prize of the first Chinese Prose Award (awarded by the Chinese Prose Association). His work "The Hometown of Zhu Danxi" won the Gold Prize of the "Story of Traditional Chinese Medicine" & Creative Text Competition (awarded by the Film and Television Education Committee of China Association of Higher Education). He led the documentary of Suzhou National Gold Center, non-legacy documentary, etc. The first Top Ten Chinese Public Welfare Microfilms were selected by the 100 Universities Public Welfare Microfilm Universities. Competition "Excellent Contribution to Individuals" and "Starlight Film Critics" (awarded by China Film Critics Association Microfilm Research Association
He presided over the project "Storytelling of Commercial Documentary" of Jiangsu Province Graduate Training Innovation Project in 2016.