Calling All Public School Students: Applications open for the 3rd Annual New York City Public School Film Festival (PSA)

New York, NY – The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment announces that applications are open for the 3rd Annual New York City Public School Film Festival.  NYC Department of Education (DOE) students can apply now through March 16, 2021.  The NYC Public School Film Festival, which honors the diversity of student voices, is presented by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) and the NYC DOE.

Films will be selected for the festival by a panel of educators and media professionals, and screened virtually on May 6, 2021.  Following the virtual screening, student filmmakers will be invited to virtual discussions with industry professionals. Submission categories are:

• Animation
• Short feature/narrative
• Documentary
• Experimental
• P.S.A./Advocacy

Submitted films must be 5 minutes or less, and in .mp4 or .mov format. Films must use only original or public domain music. No nudity, profanity or violent acts are permitted. Student filmmakers must play the major creative role on the production of the submitted works as directors, writers, and/or editors. Teacher directed, produced or generated works will not be considered. Films will be selected and notification given by mid-April 2021. Online resources will be posted to support filmmakers’ technical and storytelling skills . For full rule and regulation information, please go to filmfreeway.com/NYCPublicSchoolFilmFestival.

Last year’s NYC Public School Film Festival virtual screening received 15,000+ views of the 2020 selected student films, as highlighted in the 2019-20 Annual Arts in Schools Report.