WELCOME!
Dear Filmmaker,
Welcome to the 28th Brooklyn Film Festival!
Below are the instructions for selected films. It’s very important that you take action immediately and complete the steps below ASAP. Failure to complete the steps below in a timely manner will force us to withdraw your film from the festival and make your slot available to runner-up films.
The entire staff of the Brooklyn Film Festival would like to thank and congratulate you. We look forward to working with you!
DATES
May 30 – June 8, 2025
VENUES
The main physical venue, active every day of the festival, May 30 – June 8, is Windmill Studios in Greenpoint (300 Kingsland Avenue, Brooklyn, 11222). Additional screenings will be held from June 2 – 5 at Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg (80 Wythe Ave, 11249). In a parallel fashion, BFF will also be available online via BFF’s website (virtual event) from May 31 – June 8.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SELECTED FILMS
» always include the FILM TITLE in the subject line of all emails to the festival!
1: confirm your participation (ASAP, not later than May 6)
To confirm your participation to the festival, you must reply to our [acceptance] email confirming that you agree to show your film and that you will be able to upload a screening copy by May 8.
NOTE: BFF does not accept films that require screening fees.
2: send film & filmmaker info: send by May 5th
Please send the following information to don@wbff.org so that we can complete your page on BFF’s website. Send as soon as possible, but no later than May 5.
Note, please send all text in Western characters, otherwise our database cannot register. Remember to include your FILM’S TITLE in the subject line of all emails.
- Director’s Bio or Link to Director’s Bio (required)
- Send (up to 5) images for the accepted film or forward a link to the images
Exact size: 1200x675px (required) - Film’s Trailer link (Vimeo or YouTube) (recommended)
- If using Vimeo, the following instructions are critically important so that your film trailer video can be viewed on the BFF website:
- Allow embedding – You need to log into your Vimeo account, go to the “privacy” settings of your film trailer and allow embedding.
- Rate your trailer video – rate your video for “All Audiences” in the “global video settings”. Note that even if video embedding has been allowed, your film trailer will not playable when embedded on the BFF website if not rated.
- Provide the suitable URL link to your video – Once you have completed the above, provide us with the URL from the Vimeo website (i.e. copied from the browser’s address bar)
- If you are having issues with your Vimeo trailer, please send an email to don@wbff.org.
- If using Vimeo, the following instructions are critically important so that your film trailer video can be viewed on the BFF website:
- Link to Facebook’s Film page (recommended)
- Film website link (recommended)
- Director’s personal website link (recommended)
- IMDb pages for the director (recommended)
- IMDb pages for the film (recommended)
Check this example of a film page on BFF’s website. You will find all the info we need to build your page.
3: promotional material: send by May 5th
DIGITAL PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
Email BFF’s PR Manager, Lisa King, at lisa@wbff.org the following materials ASAP, but no later than May 5th.
» always enter the FILM TITLE in the subject line of all emails to the festival!
- Password protected, private/confidential VIMEO SCREENER LINK of your film (please make sure settings are set to NOT downloadable)
- Link to HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES (must be 300 DPI for print coverage purposes/72 DPI is only high enough for web/online) from your film
- Online sharing services such as Dropbox are OK
- With the files include a separate Word document or PDF containing photo captions and credits for the images that you are sending
- PRESS KIT (as PDF file)
- POSTER (optional) Mail a printed copy of your film poster to Brooklyn Film Festival, 180 South 4th street, Suite 2 South, Brooklyn, NY 11211-5329 – USA. We will display your poster at Windmill Studios if we receive by May 27
4: festival exhibition copy: due by May 9th (the sooner the better)
Note: Screening copy must be in English or with English subtitles.
This year the Brooklyn Film Festival will be presented at two venues in Brooklyn (Windmill Studios and Wythe Hotel) and also, like last year, ONLINE! Please review the specs below and provide a download link (for in-person exhibition) and upload your film (for online) no later than May 9th.
For EXHIBITION FILES: Email download links (wetransfer or google drive preferred) directly to traffic@wbff.org.
For ONLINE FILES: You will receive a Video Request via email that will allow you to upload your film directly to BFF’s virtual platform.
Source File Requirements:
EXHIBITION FILE (shown at in-person venues):
-
- ProRes 422 .MOV files (regular or LT)
- 1920x1080p resolution
- Frame rate: 23.98, 24, 25, or 29.97 progressive
- Audio: Stereo only
- Screening copy must be in English or with English subtitles
- Any subtitles must be burned into the film file and not sent as a separate file
ONLINE FILE (on-demand virtual file):
-
- ProRes 422 .MOV files (regular or LT) or H.264 .mp4
- H.264 video file encoded at 10-15 Mbps (if possible, select “High Profile” H.264 setting instead of “Main Profile” when exporting the video)
- H.264 video file encoded at 10-15 Mbps (if possible, select “High Profile” H.264 setting instead of “Main Profile” when exporting the video)
- 1920x1080p resolution
- Frame rate: 23.98, 24, 25, or 29.97 progressive (frame rate must be 30fps or less)
- Audio: Stereo (ONLY include a single stereo track or mono track pair – do not include additional mixes/tracks)
- Screening copy must be in English or with English subtitles
- ProRes 422 .MOV files (regular or LT) or H.264 .mp4
-
- Any subtitles must be burned into the film file and not sent as a separate file. English subtitles must be “burned in” and positioned in the “active” picture area, not in the letter-boxed region
- Maximum 10GB file size
- NO color bars, 2 pop or countdown at the start of your film.
Deadline: May 9th
*You may only upload your film to the online platform once, so please ensure that your film is in the correct format and ready to upload. If a second upload attempt is required, please reach out to traffic@wbff.org*
Click here for detailed festival contact info
5: review your film’s web page
Once your film’s web page is ready, we will let you know via email that is ready for your review. Please review immediately and either confirm all looks good or share feedback.
If changes are needed, email a detailed description of the changes you would like to have made. We will try to accommodate all requested changes if technically possible. For changes within a block of text such as the synopsis, the crew, the cast, or the bio, email the entire new corrected block and not just the changes.
When you find the film’s web page to be complete and accurate, please confirm via email to don@wbff.org by the deadline provided.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL SELECTION LAUREL
To download laurels, simply right click and click Save As.
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