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RAW - NYC Indie Fest: Where Films Keep It Real

Lights down, vibes up—RAW is the underground hangout for movies that give zero effs about fitting in. This ain’t your stuffy film fest. We’re here for the messy, bold, and *wildly* original stories that hit you right in the feels (or the gut).

about

Think:

🔥 No-budget passion projects that slap harder than Hollywood
🔥 Docs that don’t sugarcoat
🔥 Weirdo experimental shorts that make you go *“…wait, what?”*
🔥 And after-parties where filmmakers and fans geek out over cheap beer and cheaper pizza

RAW isn’t just watching movies—it’s feeling them.
Come for the flicks. Stay because you’re low-key obsessed.

Unfiltered. Unhinged. 100% Independent. 🎥✨

RAW NYC Indie Fest Awards: Celebrating Films That Bleed Bol

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The Gutpunch Award / Best Short and Feature Films

*For the film that leaves you breathless, bruised, and weirdly grateful.*
A story so visceral it rewires your DNA. No happy endings required.

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The Shoestring Maverick / No-Budget Film

Best film made with a budget smaller than your Netflix subscription.
Salute the no-budget genius who turned duct tape and desperation into art.

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Rebel Yell Award / Most Experimental Film

Most unapologetically loud, weird, or rule-breaking flick.
Because subtlety is overrated.

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The Midnight Mirage / Most Strange Film

Best "WTF did I just watch?" moment.
For films that melt brains and spark existential debates at 3 a.m.

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Truth Serum Prize / Best Documentary

Documentary that cuts deepest.
No spin, no fluff—just raw, uncomfortable, necessary truth

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Universal soldier

*Best one-person-army filmmaking.*
Wrote, shot, edited, and catered craft services? Respect.

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Best DoP

*Cinematography that makes chaos beautiful.*
Shaky cams, grainy film, and lighting powered by sheer vibes.

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The Ramen Fund Award / First-Time Filmmaking

Emerging filmmaker destined to blow up (but still eats cup noodles).
Talent so raw, even their student loans are jealous.

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Cry, baby, cry / Most emotion-provoking work

*Audience pick for the film that started chants, tears, or mosh pits.*
Voted by applause, screams, and spilled beer.

RAW NYC Indie Fest Rules: Keep It Real or Go Home

1. Submission Savagery

Films must be 100% independent-no studio backing, no corporate sugar daddies. If your budget could fund a Space launch, you're in the wrong place.

2. Freshness First

Films completed after January 2021 only. We want your latest, loudest, and least apologetic work.

3. No Filter, No FOMO

All genres welcome-narrative, doc, experimental, animation, or that thing you shot on a flip phone. But zero tolerance for hate speech, ads, or Al-generated snoozetests.

4. DIY or Die

Collaborations cool. Credit where it's due, but keep the indie hustle honest.

5. Tech Terror Tolerance

We screen only: mov/mp4, TikTok verticals. Just make it playable. If your file's a corrupted mess, we'll cry (and reject it).

6. Premiere? Maybe.

We prefer new work, but if your film's already premiered in a basement or a Zoom link, we'll still vibe with it.

7. Deadline Drama

Submit by latest deadline. Late entries? Hit us up with a wild excuse and a shot of espresso. We might cave.

8. Fees are non-refundable.

Sorry, but we need to afford everyday Ramen for our team.

Screening Surrender

If selected, you grant us rights to screen your film live in NYC. You keep all ownership. No NFTs, please.

10. Be Cool or Be Gone Respect the space, the crowd, and the chaos.

Fight club rules: no spoilers, no gatekeeping, no vibekilling. Break the rules? We'll roast you in the group chat. Questions? Howl at mailbox@filmfestivalraw.com

Season 2026

Winners & Official Selection

Award Winners

ANIMALI poster
Award Winner
Roberto Costantini, Ashai Lombardo Arop
ANIMALI
Roland poster
Award Winner
Paravigna Stephane
Roland

Official Selection

American Gold Refinery poster
Official Selection
Shahar Kramer
American Gold Refinery
breakup poster
Official Selection
Tira Olkdari
breakup
Dreams of Machine Needs poster
Official Selection
Amelia Khurana, Ana Derby
Dreams of Machine Needs
EQUAL poster
Official Selection
Tom Bessoir
EQUAL
Hephaestus and Aphrodite poster
Official Selection
Daniel R Allen
Hephaestus and Aphrodite
Miss. Lonely poster
Official Selection
Nina Demarchi
Miss. Lonely
Room poster
Official Selection
Anthony DeRose
Room
Sunshine poster
Official Selection
Violet Gallo
Sunshine
The Call poster
Official Selection
Kyle Dalsimer
The Call
The New Look poster
Official Selection
Jarritt Joseph Negri II
The New Look
Year Of The Catfish poster
Official Selection
Gary Steven Fisher
Year Of The Catfish
Yellow Roses poster
Official Selection
Imani Fuentes, Analiese Bradshaw
Yellow Roses
Your Best Friend poster
Official Selection
David J. Rubin
Your Best Friend

Finalists

59 degrees poster
Finalist
Matias de Sa Moreira, Cyril Pinero
59 degrees
A BRAVE OLD WORLD poster
Finalist
Laura Bondarevsky
A BRAVE OLD WORLD
Half Samurai poster
Finalist
Rashad Haughton
Half Samurai
Inbetweenvalley poster
Finalist
Sandra Moser
Inbetweenvalley
LA GRANDE SIGNORA poster
Finalist
Valentina Faenza, Manuel Rossi
LA GRANDE SIGNORA
PROCESS poster
Finalist
Krzysztof ESTE Lyszkowski
PROCESS
Shelters poster
Finalist
Kiko Prada
Shelters
The Ones Left Behind: The Plight of Single Mothers in Japan poster
Finalist
Rionne McAvoy
The Ones Left Behind: The Plight of Single Mothers in Japan
The Riddle Pact poster
Finalist
Zsolt Pozsgai
The Riddle Pact
The Silence of the World poster
Finalist
Angelo Vapellari, Nicolas Pastergue
The Silence of the World
Themis is Tired poster
Finalist
Ilya Demutsky
Themis is Tired
ZAIRE: A Film Noir-Inspired Story poster
Finalist
Iman DuPree
ZAIRE: A Film Noir-Inspired Story