Queens World Film Initiative

Annual Queens World Film Festival for School age children,Seniors and others from Local communities In the past 12 years, Queens World has screened over 1,800 films from 92 countries, with 281 films hailing from local Queens filmmakers. Since the inaugural year of the Queens World Film Festival took place in 2011, the Catos have been focused on fostering connections between local and international filmmakers of all ages. In addition to the annual multi-day film festival, Queens World also offers mentoring and professional development programs like Passion in Action, industry panels, school-based immersion programs, the He Said/She Said blog, the Listening Tour video series, and year-round encore screenings for festival alumni. One festival event that happens throughout the year is the Passion in Action professional development workshop. Its goal is to connect young creatives in the Queens, New York area with professionals in their desired field. The last Passion in Action in-person event was in April, and Cato says the aim is to have the next big workshop event this summer. The main goal is to increase the skills of young people in terms of representing themselves in a professional manner, whether they are interested in being biochemists or filmmakers, Cato says. Our medium happens to be film thats where the greatest contacts that we have are, and the greatest opportunities that we have.

He said.. KFC: I have some good questions for you, so here we go with my first one: What should be included in a Cover Letter, a Directors bio, and a Directors Statement? DPC: Your Cover Letter ought to briefly introduce you and your project and why you have chosen our festival, why it is a good fit for your film, indicating you did your research rather than making mass submissions. Your Bio ought to be factual & brief, around 120 200 words. Keep all the awards to a minimum what we really want to know is how/why you make films. Your Director Statement ought to also be around120 words, including why you made this film, what you were exploring, whom you think your audience may be. KFC: What is a common choice filmmakers make that make it hard to program their film? DPC: Length. Although short films are usually under 50 minutes, the longer a short film goes over 15 minutes the better it must be because it becomes difficult to program. Features over 90+ minutes must be extremely well made, especially well written with or without name actors. Do not ever include bloopers you spent all of this time creating a world, a story, characters that you want us to believe in, then you spend several minutes showing us how goofy, silly, wacky everything got on set. I DONT CARE. Sorry, I get a little heated about this. Believe in your work enough to leave us with nothing else than your story. She Said. DPC: OK, its my turn to ask you a few questions, like what makes your job difficult? KFC: I have a few pain points, but my main one is that I really want every filmmaker, every creative to have the opportunity to grow, to be screened, to be heard, but we just cant screen everyone. I hate saying no to alumni or to DPC, I hate saying no to any of the filmmakers who trusted us with their work. I want everyone who screens at the festival to leave more connected to the film community, and more confident about their work. Sometimes people behave badly, arent appreciative, expect preferential treatment and that is unfortunate.and painful. DPC: What are some of the festival mistakes filmmakers make? KFC: I have a list. Some filmmakers are not aware that they are part of the festival community the minute they submit. Many people on our end are working on their submission and we are giving everyone the best shot we can here is my list: Not reading the terms of our submission agreement. Submitting an incomplete submission form. Using music or photos or clips or products in their film without securing the rights to do so. Not responding to communication from the festival (check your SPAM). Getting drunk at a festival event and puking on my shoes. DPC: When is it appropriate to ask for a waiver? KFC: Your job is to advocate for your film and you should do that wherever and whenever you need to. Asking for waivers is your right, BUT telling us that you already spent your festival budget on other festivals is not a good look. Dont tell us your film is a labor of love. All of them are. Festivals are as well. If you need a waiver, state your case like a professional, make an offer and strike a deal that is respectful to all parties and keep it moving. DPC: When is it appropriate to call a festival. KFC: If you have an extenuating circumstance or a submission emergency: comb through their submission page, comb through their website and make sure they havent already addressed those kinds of things, then call them. If it is a message, leave a short professional message requesting a call back. When you speak to a human, negotiate a solution that is respectful to all parties and again, just keep it moving. You have a film to finish and I have a festival to build. DPC: Why is the drop dead deadline more expensive? KFC: We want you to get your work in as early as you can so that our team has plenty of time to curate the festival. many times filmmakers are finishing films and it seems next to impossible to meet that deadlinewe understand that is a tough spot. Maybe that is a good time to call the festival DPC creates thematic blocks and that takes time. We dont program The Short Block or The Comedy Block..so that process takes time and it is just better if you get your film in as early as you can. With that being said, we know that . Zukor Screening Room 34-12 36th Street, Astoria, NY 11106

A QUEENS WORLD SCREENING EVENT for Forgotten artisans of New York Join us for an evening of short films from Story Font Studio celebrating three New York City artisans followed by a panel discussion about preserving these traditions and inspiring future generations of creatives. Queens World will also premier new segments of The Listening Tour including a segment by MediaMkrs Intern Ashley Grullon and John Jay College of Criminal Justice student Mary Jones. After the screening we will gather and John Jay College of Criminal Justice student Mary Jones. After the screening we will gather WHEN: Friday, June 16, 2023 at 5:00pm WHERE: Kaufman Astoria Studios