Before submitting, please read ahead carefully to make sure your film falls within our guidelines. We work with art house exclusively, and within that, remain open to a wide range of expressions.

NOTE: We are currently accepting microproductions only (from 30 seconds to 2 minutes duration), of a lighter nature in the genres of dance film, animation, digital art, comedy and documentary style for Bronx World Film Cycle, Winter 2024, which will take place January 21-23, 2024 at our home venue in Manhattan of La Nacional (Spanish Benevolent Society).

What Is Art House Film?

We define “art house” as film that serves the filmmaker or auteur’s artistic vision and aesthetic, as opposed to films designed to appeal to masses in order to generate profit. Art house film gets its luster from great writing and nuanced performances, from artistic invention and achievement, from making much with little. Film as an artistic discipline has the power to uplift communities and nations.

It carries forward a long tradition of freewheeling experimentation by masters from every corner of the globe. It played a lead role in helping post-World War II Europe recover from the devastation of war and re-build its economies, and films from that period remain timeless classics. It has done the same in our day for communities, regions and nations needing urgent new avenues of development.

What Kind of Films We Seek

The Winter Cycle, our flagship annual event since we founded Bronx World Film in 2011, offers a curated showcase of art house from all over the world, from features to shorts, interstitial to micro- and nanoproduction, encompassing all genres and styles. Over the 3-4 days of the Cycle, we also present performance, visual arts, crafts and music. The Cycle is a prime platform for women and young film makers, and a pioneering platform both in the USA for art house film from Central American film makers and in its home borough of The Bronx.

SPECIAL FOCUS: We are particularly interested in dance film, animation, fantasy, comedy, experimental, digital, sci-fi, romantic comedy and lighter genres of art house.​

1) We screen curated programs of art house film exclusively, across the widest possible spectrum of genres, with reverence for the spirit of exploration and a deep connection to identity of place. While we do screen documentaries, we always seek works that move the genre forward and challenge its conventions. ​

2) Our feature film slots give priority to Central America and The Bronx, however we will also consider feature films from other regions, too, in our aim to cover a wide arc of cultural geographies. Our programme of short films, ranging from a few seconds to 30-40 minutes long, covers a worldwide cultural spectrum.

3) We screen films in many languages, and to ensure that nothing breaks the vital connection between the films and international audiences, we follow strict procedures to ensure all films are properly subtitled into English (SEE SUBTITLING POLICY BELOW).

Subtitling Policy

Bronx World Film is one of the few, if not the only film presenter insisting that every foreign-language film it screens have English-language subtitles in accordance with the strictest standards and specifications of international art house, and that these be “burned” into the film.

Art house film often deals with complex subject matter and language. Improper subtitling creates confusion and frustration, which in our day and age can snap the delicate bond between the work on screen and a foreign audience’s attention span. It can ruin great films in the audience’s eyes.

Proper subtitling, on the other hand, brings an audience into the heart of the film, makes all nuances accessible to international audiences and thus grants it longer life and greater possibilities. These are essential considerations for films that naturally command smaller audiences and often have a low or non-existing marketing budget.

NOTE: If your film has already been subtitled, please note that subtitles must meet the following specifications:

SUBTITLES [technical Specifications]

Font: Helvetica (or equivalent)

Font Size: 70

Tracking: 12 points

Line Spacing: 1.5

NOTE: When engineering subtitles on your computer screen, the 70-point font will look entirely too large. Long experience, however, has taught us that is the correct size for viewing on a large screen and from a distance. The large size of the font forces you to break subtitles up into smaller pieces, and to compact the language of the subtitles while omitting nothing.

SUBTITLES [General Specifications]

• Follow sequence and syllable count of original

• Match rhythm of action and do not jump ahead

• Use up to 2 lines per subtitle if needed, no more

• Read accurate, compact and smooth, like poetry

• Use language that matches tone of original (“register”)

• Use punctuation sparingly

• Do not fill the screen with text

• Research terms you do not know!

REVISION OF SUBTITLES

Bronx World Film will notify film makers when a film is accepted but the subtitles need revision. If the film maker agrees, we will work with your post-production team and one or two translators, who will learn the craft of subtitling and engineering in the process. The hands-on experience represents a valuable skill transfer that will ensure art house film is always building a body of translators who can meet the challenges of subtitling properly for art house film.

BRONX WORLD FILM CYCLE

Our flagship annual event since we founded Bronx World Film in 2011, the Winter Cycle offers a curated showcase of art house from all over the world, from features to shorts, from interstitial to micro and nanoproduction, encompassing all genres and styles. Over the 3-4 days of the Cycle, we may also present performance, visual arts, crafts, music and gastronomic tastings. It is a prime launching platform for women and young film makers, and the pioneering platform in the USA for art house by Central American filmmakers.

The Cycle takes place in Manhattan in the winter, at the fabled La Nacional venue (Spanish Benevolent Society), one of the oldest non-profit, community-based organizations in New York City. Located on West 14th Street, minutes from the cobblestoned Meatpacking District, it is easily accessible to international media, the world-class businesses that make their home in this coveted downtown area, and a great mix of audiences. During the summer the Cycle comes to neigborhoods throughout the Bronx.

!ESPAÑA HOY!

We started presenting an annual showcase of contemporary Spanish cinema in 2017 as a gesture of gratitude to La Nacional and the Spanish community of New York for their support of our vision. As with all our programming, it runs the full range of styles and genres from Spain’s brightest up-and-coming directors. The series returns March 10-12, 2024.

OTHER SCREENING OPPORTUNITIES

Bronx World Film accepts submissions year round, and will continue to seek out new spaces for the films that we include in our programming, which become part of our permanent catalogue. In 2016, Founder Walter Krochmal screened selected works from the catalogue to excited audiences in San Pedro Sula, Honduras as part of a pilot international arts exchange with non-profit arts incubator San Pedro Sula [RESET].  Our Roving Cinémathèque Project, the umbrella project for our Summer Cycle, aims to provide local communities in The Bronx and throughout New York City with film screenings year round in a variety of non-traditional venues.

SUBMISSION FEES AND SCREENING FEES

As a matter of policy and principle, we do not charge filmmakers registration or submission fees to apply for our events. We design our programs to be accessible, streamlined and friendly to film makers. We work with them on critical matters such as subtitling and marketing copy free of charge. We offer a unique springboard to an international audience and a valuable credit for the life of any film. While we cannot at this time pay screening fees, we offer unique value to the international art house film makers who are ready to make it work.

SCREEN WITH US WITHOUT DISQUALIFYING FROM FESTIVALS

Festivals often demand all films on their marquée be premieres except for small, private screenings, billed as “avant prémieres,” “special audience screenings” or similar. Bronx World Film is happy to offer an avant prémiere to any film accepted in our program, should its respective festival allow it. For film makers this means a New York credit, screening before a sophisticated audience that can provide valuable feedback, protection of festival premiere status and another opportunity to make great connections.

WHEN YOU’RE READY TO SUBMIT

Once you’ve read through our guidelines and are ready to submit, simply send us an e-mail to the address below with a private online screener file. Don’t forget to include in the subject line the specific event for which you are submitting.​

SUBMISSIONS E-MAIL

mail@bronxworldfilm.org