The Queens International Film Festival - Our mission, our goals, our community.

The Queens International Film Festival is a truly unique New York event. Queens is the crossroads for a tapestry of humanity. Queens rich cultural diversity has birthed film notables from the likes of John Barrymore to Lucy Liu from Francis Ford Coppola to Martin Scorcese from Rudolph Valentino to Susan Sarandon from Mary Pickford to Carol O'Connor and from Louis Armstrong to Tony Bennett. From the earliest beginnings of the silver screen, Queens has always been a home of lodestars for Hollywood's celebrity and fame. Queens is also the home to two of New Yorks City's largest TV and film studios, Long Island City's Silverwood Studios and Kaufman Astoria Studios.

The Queens International Film Festival is not just about celebrating Queens connection to Hollywood but to the public education of film history, its heritage and its future.To that end, our devotion to the independent filmmaker is the heart and soul of our festival. They come from all around the world, from different creeds, colors, and religions, being brought together by the universal language of film. In keeping with the "Melting Pot" tradition of New York City, and Queens in particular, the Queens International Film Festival breaks any and all barriers to provide an event that educates, inspires, and enlightens.

The incomparable Jimmy Stewart once said', Never treat your audience as customers, always as partners!"

The QIFF believes that vital partnerships is the key to our ongoing success. Listed below are the partners that bring us continued success and international acclaim.

Community - The Queens International Film Festival is fully committed to the betterment and economic vitality of our neighborhoods and communities. After all, what better to way to spur much needed economic activity, and support for our local community businesses than by bringing people in from near and far for an unforgettable event? We do that in such a way that Queens becomes not just a borough of New York but the world.

Filmmakers - The Queens International Film Festival takes pride in working with some of the best independent filmmaking minds, and helping them to achieve the recognition they deserve. Independent filmmakers are the true innovators in the motion picture industry and we celebrate their craft and give them a world platform to showcase what their blood, sweat, and tears have produced.

Public - The Queens International Film Festival is especially dedicated to bringing a great entertainment experience to the everyday moviegoer. It is our pledge to bring to the moviegoer only the best independent films, cutting edge music in our lounge, and the chance to indulge their curiosity about the motion picture industry in our many seminars, events, and workshops. The Queens International Film Festival has always been, and will always be about the people.

Youth - The Queens International Film Festival particularly prides itself on working with the up and coming stars of tomorrow. We have established relationships with Columbia University, the Frank Sinatra School, The Renaissance School and the O.W.N Charter School where we have developed a curriculum including activities and events for aspiring students to provide an outlet for their creativity. More than that, QIFF offers a chance to develop character and vision through avenues that not only teach them about filmmaking, but make the industry accessible by giving them the chance to interact with some of the most creative artists in the industry. We are honored to report our outreach to budding filmmakers is recognized and approved by the US Department of Education.

Diversity - The Queens International believes in the power of diversity in film. From our Women in Film panel discussions to our International Focus screenings, we seek to embody the power of unity, breaking all bounds of culture and race. But more than measuring diversity by culture and color we want to encourage diversity of thought, for that is where real change finds life. It is through ideas, using the uncompromising power of film, that we can help build a universal collaboration for a better world.

Social Responsibility - Social Responsibility should be more than just a catch-phrase that can be used to endow a event or organization with credibility. For the Queens Film Festival, it represents a hope expressed in definitive actions that, at the end of the day, makes a real difference in the lives of those who participate. It is about more than simply 'giving' something. It is about putting individuals in the position to receive. Whether it be reflected in the QIFF Youth Initiative that trains and inspires future filmmakers, promoting local charities in our movie screenings or identifying a powerful message in that short or documentary that would otherwise remain unknown, QIFF remains true to its conviction of being a international presence with an independent voice.