NewFest

What NewFest does

NewFest is a New York-based non-profit organization founded in 1988 that presents LGBTQ+ film and media and convenes queer audiences. It is the largest LGBTQ+ film presenter in New York City, operating a year-round programming slate anchored by three flagship properties: the annual New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival (NewFest37 in October 2025 with 130+ films over 13 days; NewFest38 scheduled October 15-27, 2026), NewFest Pride (May-June, including outdoor screenings at Pier 17), and the Queering the Canon retrospective series at BAM Rose Cinemas. Beyond festivals, NewFest runs NewFest Presents monthly screenings and Youth Screenings in partnership with the NYC Department of Education.

Name

NewFest

Legal name

NewFest

Website

https://newfest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Festival & LGBTQ+ Cultural Events

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPADAKAD

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

SECONDARYTHAHABAN

Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Exhibition & Trade Show Organizers

SECONDARYMPAGAOAK

Virtual Community Festivals & Cultural Events (Online Celebrations)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Virtual & Hybrid Events

SECONDARYMPAGAEAG

Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Cultural Festivals & Community Events

Keywords

• LGBTQ+ film festival
• Queer cinema programming
• Filmmaker grant programs
• Cultural film events
• Community film screenings

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual in-person and virtual tickets for specific film screenings and events, priced at $14.50–$75 depending on format and event type (General Admission, Centerpiece, Opening/Closing Night).
2. Festival Passes: Multi-tier pass structure (Silver $350, Gold $750, Diamond $1,500, Virtual $95) providing bundled access to festival screenings and events. Diamond Pass holders receive guaranteed admission without advance booking.
3. Membership Program: Annual membership offering discounts on tickets and passes, exclusive access to year-round programming, and free or discounted virtual passes. Membership Plus and above receive complimentary virtual passes.
4. Donations and Future Fund: Donor contributions to the NewFest Future Fund support queer film programming and filmmaker resources. The Storytellers Circle represents a higher-tier donor giving program.
5. Filmmaker Submission Fees: Filmmakers submit works for festival consideration; submission fees apply, with fee waivers available through the Black Filmmakers Initiative and general waiver requests.
6. Corporate Sponsorship: Brand sponsorships of festival events, screenings, and year-round programming provide revenue and in-kind support. Netflix, AMC+, and others sponsor specific initiatives and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

NewFest is a nonprofit presenter of LGBTQ+ film and media that produces an annual New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival each October, a NewFest Pride festival each May-June, and a Queering the Canon retrospective series each March, supplemented by year-round NewFest Presents monthly screenings. The organization funds emerging filmmakers through grant programs (New Voices, Sound & Scene, Black Filmmakers Initiative), reaches youth through NYC school screenings, and delivers programming both in-person at NYC partner venues and virtually via its own streaming platform and AMC+.

Product overview

NewFest is New York's largest presenter of LGBTQ+ film and media, operating primarily as a film festival and media organization rather than a software technology product. The core offerings center on the annual New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival (NewFest37, held October 9-21, 2025) and NewFest Pride (May 28 - June 1, 2026), supplemented by year-round programming including the Queering the Canon retrospective series, NewFest Presents monthly screenings, and Youth Screenings for schools. The organization supports emerging filmmakers through the New Voices Filmmaker Grant (in partnership with Netflix), the Sound & Scene QTBIPOC Short Film Initiative (with Concord Originals), and the Black Filmmakers Initiative. Additional access programs include the Arizona Queer Film Access Initiative and AMC+ The Future of Film streaming collection. A virtual streaming platform (watch.newfest.org) enables online access to festival content, with dedicated apps for Apple TV, Roku, and FireStick.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NewFest Pride: Pride month film festival featuring premieres, parties, Q&As, and outdoor screenings in May-June
• Queering the Canon
• NewFest Presents
• New Voices Filmmaker Grant
• Sound & Scene
• Black Filmmakers Initiative
• Arizona Queer Film Access Initiative
• Future of Film: NewFest

Products and services

• NewFest New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival Annual flagship LGBTQ+ film festival held each October, featuring 130+ queer films in-person across NYC venues and streaming virtually throughout the US, including social events, panels, filmmaker programming, and audience and jury awards.
• NewFest Pride Annual Pride month celebration featuring premieres of anticipated queer films, filmmaker Q&As, parties, and outdoor screenings, typically held in late May through early June.
• Queering the Canon Annual five-day retrospective series spotlighting LGBTQ+ films and filmmakers deserving increased recognition, featuring anniversaries, restorations, and in-person Q&As.
• NewFest Presents Curated monthly screening series featuring topical documentaries and narrative films reflecting the wide range of LGBTQ+ identities, with screenings and conversations with filmmakers and LGBTQ+ leaders.
• New Voices Filmmaker Grant Annual grant program in partnership with Netflix providing $25,000 unrestricted funding to 4 emerging LGBTQ+ directors, along with mentorship, networking, professional development, and festival showcasing.
• Sound & Scene: NewFest + Concord QTBIPOC Short Film Initiative Partnership initiative with Concord Originals offering QTBIPOC filmmakers $20,000 to produce short films incorporating iconic songs from Concord's music catalog, with mentorship and production support.
• Black Filmmakers Initiative Program supporting Black LGBTQ+ filmmakers with cash prizes, submission fee waivers, and travel subsidies, created to remove structural barriers and create more opportunities for Black queer storytelling.
• Arizona Queer Film Access Initiative Initiative providing complimentary virtual access to curated films from NewFest's festival for Arizona residents following the cancellation of the Desperado LGBTQ+ Film Festival.
• Youth Screenings Age-appropriate and intersectional LGBTQ+ representation programming for middle and high schools across NYC in partnership with the NYC Department of Education, featuring short films and filmmaker talkbacks for GSA groups.
• AMC+ The Future of Film: NewFest Curated collection of short films elevating LGBTQIA+ voices streaming exclusively on AMC+ during Pride Month, featuring narrative and documentary shorts.
• NewFest Virtual Streaming Platform Virtual festival platform enabling streaming of films throughout the US, accessible via watch.newfest.org with DRM-protected on-demand playback and dedicated apps for Apple TV, Roku, and FireStick.

Quantifiable outcome

• 130+ queer films screened at the 37th Annual New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival (2025)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NetflixcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetflix partners with NewFest to present the New Voices Filmmaker Grant, providing $25,000 unrestricted funding to 4 emerging LGBTQ+ directors annually, along with mentorship, networking, and professional development. Recipients' work is showcased at NewFest's annual festival. The partnership was established to amplify queer films and support authentic LGBTQ+ stories.
• Concord OriginalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcord Originals co-developed the Sound & Scene: NewFest + Concord QTBIPOC Short Film Initiative, providing $20,000 funding to QTBIPOC filmmakers who incorporate songs from Concord's music publishing catalog into original short films. Films are showcased at NewFest Pride and NewFest38. Concord's vast IP library provides the music assets for the initiative.
• AMC+coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAMC+ hosts 'The Future of Film: NewFest' — a curated collection of LGBTQ+ short films curated by NewFest for Pride Month streaming. NewFest curates; AMC+ distributes the collection to its subscriber base globally. Featured films include GRANDMA NAI WHO PLAYED FAVORITES, THEM THAT'S NOT, RAINBOW GIRLS, RIIS, and BETTY ST. CLAIR (2026).
• Desperado LGBTQ+ Film FestivalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFollowing Desperado's cancellation due to executive orders targeting diversity programs, NewFest launched the Arizona Queer Film Access Initiative in collaboration with Desperado to provide complimentary virtual access to NewFest37 films for Arizona residents, ensuring continued access to queer cinema.
• A24minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNewFest co-presents advance screenings with A24, hosting events such as the advance screening of PILLION. A24 provides film content; NewFest provides audience and event infrastructure.
• Rooftop FilmsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRooftop Films partners with NewFest to produce outdoor screening events, including the free outdoor screening of THE BRITTNEY GRINER STORY as part of NewFest Pride 2026, presented in partnership with Meatpacking BID.
• Meatpacking Business Improvement District (BID)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMeatpacking BID co-presents the outdoor screening of THE BRITTNEY GRINER STORY during NewFest Pride 2026, providing venue support and community promotion in the Meatpacking district.
• New York City Department of EducationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNewFest's Youth Screenings program operates in partnership with the NYC Department of Education, bringing age-appropriate LGBTQ+ short films and filmmaker talkbacks into middle and high schools across New York City through GSA programs and school-wide screenings.
• BAM Rose CinemascoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBAM Rose Cinemas is a primary in-person venue for NewFest's annual festival, Queering the Canon series, and other programming. NewFest screens films at BAM Rose Cinema in Brooklyn, reaching NewFest's core audience in a premium arthouse setting.
• MIX NYCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMIX NYC co-curates the Barbara Hammer Through the Eyes of Others virtual shorts program with NewFest as part of NewFest Pride 2026, honoring the legacy of pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer.
• SVA TheatrecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSVA Theatre is a primary in-person venue for the New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival and NewFest Pride, hosting the majority of festival screenings in Manhattan.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sundance Institute: Major US film festival and independent film nonprofit operating the Sundance Film Festival plus year-round filmmaker labs and grants. Comparable as a broader incumbent with a filmmaker grant and festival model, though much larger in scale and broader in genre focus.
• BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music): Major NYC performing arts institution that serves as a primary venue partner for NewFest (BAM Rose Cinemas). Comparable as a broader arts presenter that operates film programming alongside theater, music, and dance, with overlapping programming calendars and audience segments.

Regional players

• Iris Prize: Cardiff-based international LGBTQ+ short film prize. Comparable as a specialized LGBTQ+ film festival focused on shorts, with a global submission pipeline and prize money for emerging filmmakers — similar to NewFest's grant-focused programs.
• Reeling Film Festival: Chicago's LGBTQ+ film festival operated by Chicago Filmmakers. Comparable to NewFest as a regional LGBTQ+ film festival with shorter history and a more limited geographic footprint, but a similar festival-and-year-round-programming model.
• Inside Out: Toronto-based 2SLGBTQ+ film festival operating since 1991. Operates the Inside Out Film Festival and year-round programming. Comparable as a regional peer serving Canadian audiences with a similar festival model and community-driven programming approach.

Direct peers

• Outfest: Los Angeles-based LGBTQ+ film organization running Outfest LA and Outfest Fusion. Direct peer as a major US LGBTQ+ film festival with filmmaker grant programs, year-round screenings, and educational initiatives serving a similar filmmaker and audience base.
• Frameline: San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, the oldest LGBTQ+ film festival in the world (since 1977). Directly comparable to NewFest as a regional LGBTQ+ film festival presenting narrative features, documentaries, and shorts with filmmaker grants and year-round programming.
• Rooftop Films: NYC-based outdoor film festival organizer that partners with NewFest on outdoor screening events including Pier 17 and Meatpacking BID co-presentations. Comparable as a curatorial film programmer with a similar community-event-driven screening model.
• MIX NYC: New York-based LGBTQ+ film and video organization that has partnered with NewFest on programming such as the Barbara Hammer shorts program. Operates as a smaller-scale peer with overlapping curatorial and community programming missions in the same NYC market.
• Frameline Distribution: Frameline's distribution arm provides LGBTQ+ film distribution to educational and community markets. Comparable as a peer organization within the Frameline ecosystem that performs film curation, festival management, and content distribution similarly to NewFest's AMC+ partnership model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NewFestNYC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4jyPbHFhGE423nQIW3YTUA
• Facebookfacebook.com/NewFestNYC
• Instagraminstagram.com/newfest
• TikToktiktok.com/@newfestnyc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/newfest-new-york-s-lgbt-film-media-arts-organization

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NewFest