National Board of Review

What National Board of Review does

The National Board of Review is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) film organization founded in 1909 in New York City and headquartered at 405 Lexington Avenue, 26th Floor. Originally established as the New York Board of Motion Picture Censorship in response to Mayor George B. McClellan Jr.'s revocation of motion picture exhibition licenses on Christmas Eve 1908, the organization was renamed the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures and evolved from a censorship-response body into the first organization to champion film as an art form. It has issued annual film awards since 1929, with the 2025 awards covering 265 reviewed films and recognizing categories including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Freedom of Expression, and Icon Award.

NBR's core offerings are the Annual Film Awards, the Awards Gala (held annually at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City), the Student Grant Program supporting emerging filmmakers at 15 partner film schools, and Q&A sessions with filmmakers following screenings. The organization distributes content through its website (nationalboardofreview.org), Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook channels, and maintains an archive including the Films in Review magazine. It does not operate proprietary technology infrastructure, AI/ML systems, or commercial software products; its value is delivered through human curation of film programming and in-person events.

The organization is funded by charitable donations (tax-deductible under Section 501(c)(3)) collected via its website, supplemented by event sponsorships such as beverage partner La Croix (2019) and historically Bulgari (2007–2009). Governance is provided by a Board of Directors led by President Annie Schulhof, with Vice-President Sarah Merritt Eastman, Treasurer Scott Dahnke, Secretary and Legal Counsel Michael J. Friedman, and Managing Director Orson Robbins-Pianka, alongside board members drawn from academia and the film industry. Strategic partners include post-production houses Senior Post, Light Iron, and BANG supporting the student grant program, and community organizations including The Ghetto Film School, Reel Works Teen Filmmaking, and Educational Video Center.

Name

National Board of Review

Legal name

National Board of Review

Website

https://nationalboardofreview.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National Board of Review is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1909 that annually reviews over 250 films and bestows awards recognizing excellence in filmmaking, serving filmmakers, film industry professionals, students at partner film schools, and film enthusiasts through its awards, annual New York gala, student grant program, and Q&A content.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Awards and Recognition

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional) (MPADAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Grant Funding & Public/Nonprofit Financing (MPADAAAO)

Keywords

• Film awards recognition
• Nonprofit film organization
• Annual cinema awards
• Student film grants
• Filmmaker community events

Headquarters

HQ city

New York City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: The NBR is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. The organization accepts support through secure PayPal donations on their website.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The National Board of Review is a nonprofit film organization that annually views over 250 films and bestows film awards recognizing excellence in filmmaking across multiple categories. It also hosts an annual awards gala in New York City and operates a student grant program supporting emerging filmmakers at partner film schools. The organization functions as a recognition and community-building body for the film industry rather than a commercial enterprise.

Product overview

The National Board of Review operates as a unified film organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs: the NBR Annual Film Awards (recognizing excellence in studio, independent, international, animated, and documentary films), the annual Awards Gala (an in-person celebration event held in New York City), the Student Grant Program (providing financial awards to emerging filmmakers at partner institutions), NBR Q&A Sessions (filmmaker interviews following screenings), and the core Film Screenings and Review Program (where members view and evaluate films for award consideration). The organization functions as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) entity focused on supporting cinema as art and entertainment since 1909.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NBR Annual Film Awards Annual film awards recognizing excellence in filmmaking across categories including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor/Actress, Best Supporting performances, Screenplay, International Film, Animated Feature, Documentary, and more, for filmmakers and film industry professionals.
• NBR Awards Gala

Quantifiable outcome

• 265 films reviewed in 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered gala partner and student grant partner.

• La Croixgala partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019La Croix partnered with the National Board of Review as a Gala Partner at the 2019 NBR Awards Gala, providing beverage sponsorship for the event.
• Bulgarigala partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2007Bulgari partnered with the National Board of Review from 2007 through 2009, serving as a Gala Partner for the awards events during that period.
• Senior Poststudent grant partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenior Post is an award-winning post production house based in Brooklyn, NY, partnering with NBR as a Student Grant Partner. They offer services in consultation, creative direction, video editorial, sound design, color grading, graphics, animation and visual effects.
• Light Ironstudent grant partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLight Iron is a post production company specializing in on-site dailies, digital intermediate, archival, and data services for projects originated on file-based motion cameras. With facilities in Hollywood and New York City, they partner with NBR to support student filmmakers through the grant program.
• BANGstudent grant partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerBANG has been at the leading edge of the audio production industry for over 2 decades, offering services in original music composition, music supervision, sound design and complete audio post production. They partner with NBR as a Student Grant Partner to support emerging filmmakers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sundance Institute: Sundance is a nonprofit organization supporting independent film and storytelling through labs, grants, and the Sundance Film Festival. It shares NBR's nonprofit structure and emerging-filmmaker support mandate, while operating at significantly larger scale.
• British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA): BAFTA is the leading British film and television awards body. It mirrors NBR's nonprofit, member-driven structure and operates an annual awards cycle that, like NBR's, is positioned as an Oscar bellwether.
• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: The Academy is the most prominent U.S. film awards body, awarding the Oscars annually. Both NBR and the Academy operate as film recognition organizations with annual awards cycles, member-driven review processes, and shared positioning as Oscars bellwethers.
• Film at Lincoln Center: Film at Lincoln Center (formerly the Film Society of Lincoln Center) is a NYC-based nonprofit film organization that curates screenings, hosts the New York Film Festival, and champions cinema. It mirrors NBR's NYC footprint, nonprofit structure, and screening-driven programming model.
• Critics Choice Association: The Critics Choice Association presents annual film awards voted on by a diverse group of critics and entertainment journalists. It is a direct peer in the awards-season ecosystem, competing for attention and predictive relevance alongside NBR.
• Directors Guild of America: The Directors Guild of America presents the annual DGA Awards recognizing directorial achievement. Like NBR, it is one of several legacy film recognition bodies whose awards are tracked as Oscar bellwethers during awards season.
• Film Independent (Independent Spirit Awards): Film Independent is a nonprofit arts organization that produces the Independent Spirit Awards and supports emerging filmmakers. It mirrors NBR's nonprofit mission, indie film focus, and commitment to nurturing early-career talent.
• American Film Institute: AFI is a nonprofit film organization focused on preserving and celebrating cinema. Like NBR, AFI is a cultural institution that champions film as art, runs programs (AFI Life Achievement Award, AFI Fest), and supports filmmakers through educational initiatives.
• Hollywood Foreign Press Association (Golden Globe Awards): HFPA presents the Golden Globe Awards annually for film and television. Both organizations run annual film awards cycles and compete for industry attention during awards season, though Golden Globes operate with a broadcast partnership NBR lacks.
• Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA): SAG-AFTRA presents the SAG Awards annually recognizing performances in film and television. It is a peer awards body competing in the same awards-season conversation and frequently cited alongside NBR as a predictive Oscar signal.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NBRfilm
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheNationalBoardOfReview
• Instagraminstagram.com/NBRfilm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-board-of-review

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Board of Review