Nineteen years in, the Bushwick Film Festival still puts about a hundred independent films, drawn from more than a thousand submissions out of sixty-plus countries, in Brooklyn rooms where the director is usually three seats away. This edition adds an animation category with its own jury, and Netflix is back on Opening Night. If you want a filmmaker's first feature before anyone tells you whether to like it, this is the run that ends here.
What to expect
Screening blocks of features and shorts at Williamsburg Cinemas, most followed by filmmaker Q&As, plus panels, networking sessions and parties at partner venues elsewhere in Brooklyn. Passholders reserve seats in advance through the festival's Eventive page and admission is subject to availability, so the popular blocks fill early.
Good to know
- Williamsburg Cinemas is a short walk from the Bedford Avenue L and the Marcy Avenue J/M/Z
- Passholders must reserve seats in advance — a pass is not a walk-up guarantee
- Events are spread across several Brooklyn venues, so check each screening's listed location before you travel
- Single-day passes suit anyone who only wants one block; the weekend pass is the better value across multiple days
- Q&As push block end times later than the listed runtime — budget extra if you have a second screening
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Common questions
Where do the screenings happen?
Screenings are at Williamsburg Cinemas; panels, networking events and parties take place at partner venues elsewhere in Brooklyn.
Do I need a pass, or can I buy single tickets?
The festival sells passes ranging from a $60 single-day up to a $495 VIP pass, and passholders reserve individual screenings in advance through the festival's Eventive page.
How many films are in the program?
The festival programs roughly 100 independent films, selected from more than 1,000 submissions from over 60 countries.
