About the Festival
Since 1994, New York University's Tisch School of the Arts has hosted the Next Reel International Film Festival. This biennial event is the oldest festival of its kind in the United States, whose mission is to feature the best films of emerging young filmmakers from around the world.When Next Reel began in May 1994, then known as New York University International Student Film Festival (ISFF), it was the first forum of its kind in New York, spotlighting the work of these young filmmakers from across the globe. The one-day event was created to expose our students at Tisch School of the Arts to the work of young, international filmmakers and to provide an opportunity for students and faculty from around the world to share their ideas and experiences. This pioneering event involved 10 schools and laid the groundwork for Next Reel to become an essential part of the Tisch School of the Arts' programming.
In 1997, the festival truly embraced its international ethos when it was held in Florence, Italy. In 2003 and 2005, the festival returned to New York. In 2007, Next Reel was held in Singapore in conjunction with the opening of Tisch School of the Arts Asia, NYU’s first campus outside New York City. That year, 67 narrative, documentary, and experimental short films were showcased from 31 film schools representing 22 countries: Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Korea, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, and the United States.
In 2010, Next Reel will be held in Singapore, home to Tisch School of the Arts Asia.