Astoria Film Festival

Astoria Film Festival Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization and an official NYC DOE VENDOR, founded by an Astoria-born First-Gen Neurodivergent woman with a background in media production and education and BA and EdM degrees from Harvard University.

The Astoria Film Festival blends film screenings with educational and career development programs to support local talent and provide a platform for emerging filmmakers. Each year, the festival showcases work from both local and international creators.

AFFEd offers media education workshops for youth and for adults, and intergenerational workshops for families and for youth and seniors. AFFEd also offers schools PD workshops, family engagement activities, and assembly activities.

Young local filmmakers are hired as AFFEd instructors, and as videographers and editors for AFFStudio, where they are paid as they train in video production and social media management opportunities that build real-world experience. We are happy to say that, in keeping with our organization’s mission, the majority of our staff were previously our interns, Lab Fellows, and Youth Festival Filmmakers.

Board Members
MEDIA LAB REGISTRATION
YOUTH WORKSHOPS

Festivals

Youth Film Education

Workforce Development

Senior film production with intergenerational crew

Senior Film Workshops

Film Education

Astoria Film Festival provides Film/Media Production Education for ages 8-adult and Workforce Exploration and Development Programs for ages16-30.

We offer Film/Media Production Workshops in schools, after schools, high schools, colleges, and community centers, guiding participants ages 8-adults through the film production process from pitch to premiere.  

Our Internships and Media Labs support Early Career Filmmakers who are trained and paid to work as Instructors for AFFEducation and/or as content creators for AFFStudio. This year, AFFStudio has created content for KEPYR, Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens and its various schools, Ditmars Merchants Association, Communidad Latinx, and the Queensborough President’s Office. We are also filmed and recorded a podcast for the Operations Department at Kaufman Astoria Studios.

AFFStudio also creates educational and promotional content for the Astoria Film Festival social platforms.

Our curricula is developed by Harvard and Vassar education specialists and vetted by industry professionals. Workshops are taught by our Instructors, who are our former students, Interns, and Lab Fellows. We currently hold workshops with:

PS166Q PS84Q Q300 MS HS of Art & Design - Animation and Film Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens

PS122Q PS234Q PS212Q Astoria Houses Youth Enrichment Services DREAM HS (BX) ACTVF HS (LIC)

If you’re interested in having Astoria Film Festival as part of your school/after school/community center, please email astoriafilmfestival @ gmail.com

  • Film Workshops in Schools & After Schools

  • Kid & Teen Film Workshops in Community Centers

  • AFFSTUDIO

  • AFFLabs

Partners & Sponsors