All attendees (including accepted filmmakers) need to purchase tickets and arrange travel and accommodations for festival events. We understand that attending the festival can be a difficult financial decision, and we work very hard to keep the ticket pricing affordable for all attendees. We also discounted hotel room rates far lower than typical rates for this time of year in NYC. We would love to extend free screening tickets to filmmakers, but as you can imagine, hosting a film festival in NYC involves many expenses.

We know that the festival experience, designed specifically for young filmmakers, provides a multitude of resources that will help filmmakers grow their craft and connect with future career opportunities. This includes: endless networking opportunities, hundreds of peer screenings, panel discussions and workshops, Q & A's, our technology showcase and college fair, live performances, and special celebrity guests, and so much more!

Please note that filmmakers do not need to be in attendance to receive awards.

All screenings and the majority of festival events take place at the AMC Empire 25 Theaters in Times Square (234 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036). This is our central hub for the weekend, where attendees can enjoy films, panels, workshops, and our technology showcase—right in the heart of Manhattan.

Select events are also hosted at our partner venues:

• Hilton Midtown Hotel – Located at 1335 6th Ave, Manhattan, the Hilton Midtown serves as the site for our 2025 NYC Film Invitational prior to the festival weekend, and is conveniently located close to the AMC Empire 25. Book your room via our discounted hotel room block at hsfilmfest.com/hotels.

• Opening Night Hudson River Dinner Cruise – Departing from Pier 61 at Chelsea Piers, this special event offers breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline and a memorable evening of networking and celebration on the water with an included buffet dinner for all attendees!

• Kings Theatre – A historic and stunning venue in Brooklyn (1027 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11226), Kings Theatre is home to our Teen Indie Awards Show, the grand finale of the festival weekend and where over $500,000 in scholarships and prizes will be handed out to the best of student filmmaking!

For travel tips, lodging suggestions, and budget breakdowns to help you plan your trip, visit our Budgeting & Planning Guides.

The majority of our events are casual with the exception of the Opening Night Dinner Cruise and Teen Indie Awards Show. For most events, plan on wearing comfortable attire and comfortable walking shoes (keep in mind that you’ll be watching movies and likely doing a lot of walking). Our Opening Night Dinner Cruise does not have a formal dress code, but most attendees prefer to get a bit dressed up in “party” attire for the photo opportunities and networking. Think: Part dance party, part “I’m a hip young artist ready to show off my style.” Our Teen Indie Awards Show is a formal event, so be sure to dress to impress.

We don’t require black tie/tuxedos, but all attendees are expected to wear formal attire. This typically means suits and ties and/or prom-type dresses. Don’t be surprised if you see a fair amount of tuxedos and truly unique stylings!

If your tickets were not mailed to you, you can pick them up at the Will-Call Table conveniently located at the following festival events:

• Friday Night: At the Boat Cruise check-in.

• Saturday & Sunday: At the AMC Empire 25 Theaters in Times Square on the 4th floor.

• Sunday Night: At the entrance of Kings Theatre in Brooklyn for the Teen Indie Awards.

Simply provide the name of the person who placed the order, and our team will have your tickets ready for pickup.

If you already have your passes in hand, there’s no need to check in again — you’re all set!

Most students purchase the All-Access or Elite All-Access Pass so that they can take advantage of all that the festival has to offer. The Elite All-Access Pass keeps the students immersed in activities throughout the weekend, beginning with our epic Dinner Cruise straight through the Teen Indie Awards Show on Sunday Night. Ultimately, your exact festival agenda is up to you. But you certainly won’t feel out of place if you decide to soak it all in. We offer a wide variety of ticketing options so that you can enjoy some or all of our diverse events. Of course, the Opening Night Dinner Cruise and Teen Indie Awards Show are a great excuse to explore New York City, get dressed up, and walk the red carpet as you celebrate the achievements of all of the amazing young artists we represent. To explore all of your ticket options, head over to hsfilmfest.com/tickets. 

*All attendees must purchase tickets to attend events. 

**The Opening Night Dinner Cruise includes a full buffet dinner and unlimited soft drinks! 

***We offer a free lunch on both Saturday and Sunday at the AMC Theaters! 

All ticket sales for the All American High School Film Festival are final. Tickets are non-refundable except in the case of event cancellation by the festival.

If you are unable to attend, you may transfer your ticket to another individual at no additional cost. All transfer requests must be submitted in writing to info@hsfilmfest.comno later than 7 days prior to the event.

The festival is not responsible for unused tickets, scheduling conflicts, or travel interruptions, and no partial refunds will be issued for missed portions of the event.

In the unlikely event that the festival is postponed, all tickets will be honored for the rescheduled dates. If you are unable to attend the new dates, you may request a credit equal to the full value of your ticket toward the following year’s festival.

If you purchase the Ticket Protection add-on via FilmFreeway, it allows for a full refund of your ticket fee if:

• You cancel within 2 days of ordering

• The event is canceled or does not take place

• You cannot attend due to specific unforeseen circumstances such as illness, injury, jury duty, or court subpoena

Important: Documentation is required for all unforeseen circumstances (e.g., a doctor’s letter or official court notice). The Ticket Protection fee itself is non-refundable.

Both the All Access Pass and the Elite All Access Pass give you admission to all festival events at the AMC Empire 25 in Times Square, including screenings, workshops, the College Fair, and the Teen Indie Awards Red Carpet & Award Show at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.

The key difference is that the Elite All Access Pass includes admission to our unforgettable kickoff event, the Opening Night Dinner & Dance Cruise. Enjoy a buffet dinner with breathtaking views of New York City, accompanied by music, networking, and the opportunity to celebrate with filmmakers from around the world.

If you’re looking for the full festival experience and the best opportunity to network and connect with peers, colleges, and industry reps from day one, the Elite All Access Pass is the way to go.

Many parents and family members also choose to attend the entire festival via the All-Access Pass. Although the entire festival experience is designed for the young filmmakers (providing a wide variety of resources, entertainment, and networking opportunities to help them improve their craft and form meaningful and productive relationships to pursue their passion), we also provide many opportunities for parents to explore resources, including the vast higher education and career options available. (We host the nation’s largest film and media college fair, an interactive exhibitor and technology showcase, and a variety of industry-insider panels and workshops).

The festival is also a great way for you to connect with other parents and see the community of like-minded artists who share your child’s passion. With the All-Access Pass, you can experience all of the events with your student artist, or give them the freedom to check things out on their own. The majority of our events are organized in ticketed, private locations, and students are actively engaged all weekend, so you can feel confident in letting them enjoy an independent festival experience while you plan a separate itinerary of the events and resources that interest you. Either way, it’s easy to remain close and check in periodically.

No. Round-trip coach bus transportation to and from the Teen Indie Awards is sold separately at hsfilmfest.com/tickets. Bus tickets are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each rider must have their own bus ticket.

Bus Pickup and drop-off will be on the 54th Street entrance of the Hilton Midtown Hotel. We ask guests to be in the lobby and to start lining up by 4:45PM.

Award nominations are announced live at the Teen Indie Awards, our closing night awards ceremony on Sunday evening of the festival weekend. We do not announce nominations in advance.

Best of Fest is a curated showcase of standout films from the festival, hand-selected by our judging panel. This special program highlights exceptional work and screens during the festival weekend. The official Best of Fest lineups will be announced on-site at the AMC Empire 25 Theaters and posted to our social media channels at 7:30 PM EST on October 17th—30 minutes before the screenings begin.

Tickets can be purchased via hsfilmfest.com/tickets. Admission to the Best of Fest screening is available complimentary to all Elite All-Access and All-Access Passholders.

Attendance is not required to win awards or scholarships, but it is highly recommended for the full experience, networking, and the opportunity to accept your award live on stage.

At this time, the festival is not able to provide direct financial assistance or travel funding. While this is something we hope to be able to offer in the future, we encourage students and families to explore fundraising opportunities, seek support from their schools, and connect with community sponsors to help make the trip possible.

The full screening schedule is now available at hsfilmfest.com/2026-screening-schedule.

On Saturday, we will have screenings playing from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM in Theaters 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25.

On Sunday, we will have screenings playing from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM in Theaters 12 (NYC Film Invitational Screenings), 19, 20, 21, and 22.

On the screening schedule, you’ll find the full lineup of screenings organized by time and theater. We encourage you to use Ctrl+F (or Command+F on Mac) to search for your film title and quickly locate your screening block, date, and time.

Use the page to find your film, confirm your screening block, and plan your weekend at the AMC Empire 25 Theaters in Times Square. Tickets are available at hsfilmfest.com/tickets.

2026 NYC Film Invitational films will premiere Sunday beginning at 9:30AM in Theater 12 on Level 4 of the AMC Empire 25 Theaters. Admission is part of the general registration fee. Seating is available first-come, first-served on the day of.

Only non-professional point-and-shoot cameras with non-detachable lenses are permitted inside Kings Theatre. This includes digital compact cameras and point-and-shoot film cameras.

Professional cameras such as DSLRs, SLRs, or mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses are not allowed.

Whether you’re flying in from Japan or jumping in the car for a family road trip, getting in and around New York City is easier than you think. Detailed maps (including directions) of all venues and locations will be posted on our website leading up to the festival weekend. We do our best to host the majority of our events in one-stop, centralized locations. This means less time traveling and more time enjoying festival events. That said, as our festival programming grows, we have had to expand to a few additional locations around the city, but all of these venues are easily accessible via public transportation, and you can access all major transit lines right outside of the Hilton Hotel. The Hilton Midtown Hotel is also the pick-up/drop-off location for our round-trip Private Coach Bus transportation to and from the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn. The Kings Theatre is a bit further away than our other venues (about 40 minutes via bus or subway), but once you step inside, you will understand why it is the ideal home for our Teen Indie Awards Show. You can purchase round-trip tickets for the bus or choose to take the subway, taxi, Uber, or Lyft. You can purchase your bus passes at hsfilmfest.com/tickets. 

Airports: John F Kennedy Airport, LaGuardia International Airport, and Newark International Airport are less than an hour from the Hilton Midtown Hotel, and all offer a wide variety of airport/hotel transfer options depending on your budget. We suggest taking public transportation or exploring shuttle and ride share options as the most affordable transportation methods. Of course, you can always take a taxi, Uber, or Lyft. Ground Transportation: Real New Yorkers take the subway, and that’s for a good reason: It’s cheap, fast, and convenient. This is how our team gets around the city, and with a little planning, you’ll find the experience easy to navigate. All of our venues are easily accessible via the subway system. Of course, if you prefer, you can always take a taxi, Uber, or Lyft.

Yes! It’s your film and you can share it as you wish before the festival dates! There is no exclusive clause about posting/sharing your film before our festival screenings, but it’s also totally fine if you want our festival to serve as your official premiere. 

Yes! Our Opening Night Dinner and Dance Cruise includes a delicious buffet dinner, dessert bar, and unlimited soft drinks for all attendees (there is also a cash bar for adults 21+). We also provide a free pizza lunch on both Saturday and Sunday at the AMC!