New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF)

Overview

The New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF), presented by Andscape and organised by the New Orleans Film Society, is one of the largest and most respected film festivals in the American South. Founded in 1989, the festival is Academy Award-qualifying in three short film categories: Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short. The 38th edition runs October 22 to 27, 2026, in person, with virtual screenings continuing until November 1, 2026 (New Orleans Film Society, attend page).

The festival serves audiences numbering upwards of 25,000, hosts as many as 350 filmmakers, and provides cash awards and prizes valued at over $100,000. NOFF has been a mainstay on MovieMaker Magazine's "50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee" list since 2012 and has been named to the magazine's "25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World."

NOFF's programming commitments are specific and measurable: 90% of the films in the festival come from open submissions (ensuring it is a festival of discovery, not just curated selections), 50% or more of the films are helmed by women and gender non-conforming filmmakers, and 50% or more are helmed by filmmakers of colour. The festival works with 50+ partner non-profit organisations to distribute free tickets and promote free screenings to New Orleans residents.

Submission Details

Submissions are handled through FilmFreeway. The festival accepts shorts (under 40 minutes) and feature films (40 minutes and over) across all genres: fiction, documentary, and animation.

2026 submission deadlines (based on published information):

• Submissions opened: early 2026
• Final deadline: May 29, 2026
• Notification date: approximately August 2026

Submission fees (based on 2025 pricing, 2026 fees expected to be similar):

The festival uses a tiered pricing structure with Earlybird, Regular, Late, and Extended deadlines. Exact dollar amounts for 2026 have not been published in search results, but based on 2025 pricing, filmmakers can expect:

• Earlybird: approximately $40 to $50 (shorts), $60 to $70 (features)
• Regular: approximately $50 to $60 (shorts), $70 to $80 (features)
• Late: approximately $65 to $75 (shorts), $85 to $95 (features)
• Extended: approximately $75 to $85 (shorts), $95 to $105 (features)

The festival incentivises early submission with lower fees, so the earlier a filmmaker submits, the more affordable the entry cost.

Eligibility requirements:

• Films must have been completed on or after June 1, 2024 (for 2026 edition)
• Films produced or financed by a major motion picture studio are eligible for screenings but not for competitive awards
• Films that have acquired distribution are eligible for screenings but not for competitive awards
• All selected films must provide closed and/or open captions (CC) with their exhibition copy
• Audio descriptions (AD) are strongly encouraged for all selected films
• Works in progress are accepted; trailers, reels, or anything other than a screener will not be considered
• Submissions must include a working screener accessible via FilmFreeway

Waivers and discounts: NOFF offers a small number of fee waivers each year for special cases (alumni filmmakers, filmmakers based in countries that cannot legally send money to the US). The festival also works with partner organisations to ensure underrepresented communities can submit free of charge. Discounted fees are granted on a case-by-case basis. Inquiries should be sent to noff@neworleansfilmsociety.org.

Key Sections

• Narrative Feature Competition - fiction features from US and international filmmakers
• Documentary Feature Competition - nonfiction features
• Narrative Short Competition - Academy Award-qualifying
• Documentary Short Competition - Academy Award-qualifying
• Animated Short Competition - Academy Award-qualifying
• Louisiana Feature Competition - films by Louisiana filmmakers or about Louisiana
• Emerging Voices - debut filmmakers
• Episodic - pilot episodes and series work (submitted in short film categories)
• Special Screenings - curated selections outside competition, including studio films

What Filmmakers Should Know

The Academy Award qualifying status in three short film categories is the most strategically important element of NOFF for short filmmakers. Winners of the Documentary Short Jury Award, Narrative Short Jury Award, and Animated Short Jury Award become eligible for Academy Award consideration without the standard theatrical run, provided the films otherwise comply with Academy rules.

NOFF is one of the few festivals that pays all accepted filmmakers a screening fee. In 2024, short filmmakers received $125 and feature filmmakers received $250. The festival intends to continue offering screening fees to exhibiting filmmakers. This is a meaningful differentiator: most festivals do not pay filmmakers for screening their work.

The festival's acceptance rate is highly competitive. In 2024, NOFF received approximately 3,100 submissions and selected 140 films, an acceptance rate of approximately 4.5%. In 2023, the festival received 3,900 submissions and selected 132 films (approximately 3.4% acceptance rate). In 2022, 3,600 submissions yielded 130 selections (approximately 3.6%). For the 2025 edition, the festival received approximately 4,500 submissions and selected approximately 150 films (approximately 3.3% acceptance rate), with submissions closing early once the 4,500 cap was reached.

The festival's programming team includes artistic director Clint Bowie, who oversees all submissions, and a review committee of approximately 70 staff and volunteers. The review process involves multiple rounds of screening. Submitting later in the cycle does not hurt a film's chances, as all submissions are reviewed throughout the season.

For Louisiana filmmakers, the Louisiana Feature Competition provides targeted domestic recognition. For filmmakers whose work addresses Southern culture, history, or communities, NOFF provides one of the most engaged audiences available. The city's unique mixture of French, African, Caribbean, and American cultural traditions creates an environment receptive to stories from diverse communities and unconventional perspectives.

NOFF does not operate a formal film market, but distributors and sales agents attend the festival. The festival's artistic director has stated that bringing distributors to the festival is an integral part of the process, and the festival works to connect filmmakers with attending industry professionals.

Major Awards

• Narrative Short Jury Award - Academy Award-qualifying
• Documentary Short Jury Award - Academy Award-qualifying
• Animated Short Jury Award - Academy Award-qualifying
• Best Narrative Feature - jury prize
• Best Documentary Feature - jury prize
• Best Louisiana Film - jury prize
• Audience Awards - across multiple categories
• Cash and prizes valued at over $100,000 total across all categories

Festival History

NOFF was founded in 1989 and has operated continuously since then, growing alongside New Orleans's development as a film production centre bolstered by Louisiana's film incentive program. The festival is organised by the New Orleans Film Society, a non-profit organisation.

The festival has been named to MovieMaker Magazine's "50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee" list every year since 2012, one of only two festivals to receive that recognition for seven straight years. It has also been named to the magazine's "25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World."

In 2020, NOFF launched an initiative to pay all accepted filmmakers a screening fee, making it one of the first festivals in the US to do so systematically. The festival has also been a leader in accessibility requirements, mandating closed captions for all selected films and strongly encouraging audio descriptions.

The festival is presented by Andscape (formerly The Undefeated, ESPN's platform focused on race, sports, and culture), which has helped expand its reach to broader audiences. The New Orleans Film Society works with 50+ partner non-profit organisations throughout the year to distribute free tickets and promote free screenings, ensuring access for New Orleans residents across all ages and backgrounds.

Past Winners (Jury Award - Narrative Feature)

Recent New Orleans Film Festival winners and where the films landed:

• 2022: *Our Father, The Devil*, dir. Ellie Foumbi. Won the Jury Award for Narrative Feature. Distributed by Array (Ava DuVernay's distribution arm). Released theatrically in August 2023. A Cameroonian-French drama about a refugee chef who recognizes a regular customer as the warlord who destroyed her family.

Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up

NOFF has launched regional and independent films. Selected premieres and their outcomes:

• Inspector Ike (2020) - Jury Award winner. Directed by Graham Mason. Won a $15,000 Panavision camera package and $13,500 in Light Iron post services. A comedy-mystery that demonstrates NOFF's ability to launch innovative indie films.
• *The Long Shadow* - Jury Prize winner. Acquired by Gravitas Ventures. Released on Showtime. A documentary about the legacy of slavery in America.
• Eponymous (2024) - World premiere at NOFF 2024. Directed by Caroline Rumley. Demonstrates NOFF's continued commitment to launching new work.

Submission Tips Specific to NOFF

1. Submit via FilmFreeway only. NOFF accepts submissions exclusively through FilmFreeway. No direct submissions or other platforms are accepted.
2. Screening fees for all filmmakers. All filmmakers in the lineup receive screening fees. You must provide closed captions for your film. This is a filmmaker-friendly policy that distinguishes NOFF from many festivals.
3. 90 to 95 percent from open submissions. Most films come through the open submissions process, making NOFF one of the most accessible festivals for independent filmmakers. Unlike curated festivals, your film has a genuine chance of selection through open call.
4. Regional focus. Over half of the lineup is dedicated to films from and about the American South. If your film has Southern connections, emphasize this in your submission. If not, highlight other aspects that align with NOFF's programming values.
5. Oscar-qualifying for shorts. NOFF is Oscar-qualifying in all three Academy-accredited categories (Narrative Short, Documentary Short, Animated Short). Winning a Jury Award in these categories qualifies your film for Academy Award consideration.
6. No New Orleans premiere required. Films must not have publicly screened in the greater New Orleans area prior to the festival, but there is no broader premiere requirement.

Industry Reputation Notes

• Longest-running festival in Louisiana. Founded in 1989, NOFF is the longest-running festival of its kind in Louisiana and one of the largest in the South. It attracts 20,000 to 25,000 attendees and 400-plus filmmakers annually.
• Top 50 festival worth the entry fee. NOFF has been recognized by MovieMaker Magazine as one of the Top 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee every year since 2012. This is one of the longest streaks of any regional US festival.
• Regional filmmaking support. NOFF supports regional filmmaking through labs and programs. It is considered a key complement to Louisiana's robust film production industry, which benefits from competitive tax credits. The festival is the cultural counterpart to the state's production infrastructure.
• Comparison to SXSW and Tribeca. SXSW (Austin, March) is the premier US festival for the South and Southwest, with a larger industry presence. Tribeca (New York, June) is the premier US festival for the East Coast. NOFF (October/November) is smaller and more regionally focused, with a specific commitment to Southern voices that neither SXSW nor Tribeca matches.

See Also

To calculate the return on your festival submission spending, use the Festival ROI Calculator. To estimate your probability of acceptance based on festival tier and film characteristics, use the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator. For Louisiana film production, see Film Locations. For festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy.