The Brooklyn SciFi Film Festival (BSFFF) returns for a second year, continuing its mission to bring a diverse slate of independent SciFi films to one of the most innovative and creative hubs in the world: Brooklyn.
The week-long film festival will feature works by some of the most dynamic new voices in the genre including select film screenings from BSFFF's New York film partners Kino Lorber, Grasshopper Film, Projectr and Film Movement. All film selections will be available to stream free online September 20th through the 26th with live, in-person screenings to be held in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at the Wythe Hotel Screening Room on September 25th.
Brooklyn SciFi Film Festival founder Mike Brown has lived in Brooklyn for 28 years, and before moving to the borough, he operated an independent record label and live music venue showcasing alternative artists. The festival itself developed the embodiment of that same independent spirit, emphasizing community and creativity. A long-time SciFi buff, Brown wanted to find a way to express Brooklyn’s independent and inclusive spirit while leveraging his 20+ years digital marketing expertise.
Brown, who also runs Cyber-NY, a Brooklyn-based digital marketing firm that works with film and media distributors to build on-demand video and e-commerce services, created a dedicated digital streaming platform and launched the festival on it.
The fledgling platform allowed the Brooklyn SciFi Film Festival to have 100% creative control and maintain its independence.
"From the start, we knew we wanted to create an event that was open to anyone with the passion and determination to get their film made." said Brown. “Unlike established festivals, which have acceptance rates that resemble the Ivy League, the BSFFF is a non-elitist home for indie filmmakers everywhere. It is, in that sense, the film festival for the people.”
Launched in the midst of a pandemic, the festival was a daunting task but it also created an opportunity. People spent most of 2020 in their homes and watching movies in a theater wasn’t an option.
The BSFFF, born out of Brown’s DIY spirit, leveraged Cyber’s platform and in its first year attracted hundreds of independent SciFi films from around the world. More than 10,000 unique viewers logged on to the virtual festival. Viewers watched exclusive feature film events including the 20th anniversary screening on No Maps for These Territories, a Willam Gibson biopic and SXSW Festival selection Like Me. Both events included interviews with the filmmakers.
This year’s Brooklyn SciFi Film Festival will feature more than 100 films from 18 countries along with all-new exclusive online events, as well as an in-person screening party, and filmmaker commentary with the addition of a new musical element called The Future Sounds of Brooklyn; a compilation of SciFi-inspired music from around the world that will be available to stream during the festival and download as an album (interested artists can submit their music here). The Sixth Borough returns for a second season with nightly episodes that present three fantastic science fiction short films united by a common theme. Think of the festival as Black Mirror meets Twilight Zone but for independent SciFi.
Official film selections will be announced on September 1st, with awards and recognition presented September 25th.
Filmmakers will be recognized in the following categories:
*Best Feature Film - Awarded to the best feature length entry selected by our committee.
*Best Live Action Short Film - Awarded to the best live action (non-animated) short film (15 minutes or less) selected by our committee.
*Best Animated Short Film - Awarded to the best animated (non-live action) short film (15 minutes or less) selected by our committee.
*Best Student Short Films - Awarded to filmmakers under the age of 18, with recognition according to age and/ or grade level (depending on number of entries).
*Best Comedy SciFi Short Film - Awarded to the best SciFi comedy short film across all-ages and groups.
*Best College Short Films - Awarded to filmmakers between the ages of 18 and 26, and currently attending a film program at a recognized college, university, or certificate program.
*Best In Brooklyn - Awarded to the best entry shot in Brooklyn or directed by a Brooklyn based filmmaker (Currently living in Brooklyn).
*People's Choice Award - Given to the films with the most votes from festival attendees.
*Honorable Mentions - All Categories
Recognition and awards will be determined by a panel of judges that includes filmmakers, industry professionals, and film distributors with all selections available to stream for free online at the BSFFF website as well as on the BSFFF Roku and Amazon Prime channels coming this Fall.
Tickets to free online screenings and the in-person live event are available at BrooklynSciFiFilmFest.com. Seating is limited so be sure to reserve your ticket now to what is certain to be Brooklyn’s SciFi event of the year.
