NEWSLETTER
The milestone edition brings together bold new voices, global storytellers, and Brooklyn's creative community under the theme "Unbound."
Brooklyn, NY — Fifteen years ago, the Greenpoint Film Festival was founded with a simple but ambitious idea: create a home for filmmakers whose stories might never find one elsewhere. Today, that vision has grown into one of Brooklyn's most distinctive cultural events.
This August, the 15th Annual Greenpoint Film Festival returns to North Brooklyn with its most ambitious edition yet—five days of world premieres, award-winning independent films, filmmaker conversations, industry panels, and community events that celebrate the limitless possibilities of storytelling.
Under this year's theme, "Unbound – Celebrating the Freedom to Tell Untold Stories," the festival showcases films that cross borders, cultures, and genres while remaining deeply connected to the neighborhood that inspired its creation.
Unlike red-carpet festivals built around celebrity appearances, Greenpoint Film Festival has built its reputation by putting filmmakers first.
Here, audiences don't simply watch films—they meet the people who made them. Directors answer questions after screenings. Producers share lessons learned from bringing independent projects to life. Emerging filmmakers network alongside established industry professionals. Every screening becomes a conversation.
This year's program features more than 30 curated events, including narrative features, documentaries, short films, animation, filmmaker Q&As, educational panels, networking events, and special anniversary celebrations that transform Greenpoint into a destination for independent cinema.
The films come from around the world, but the spirit remains unmistakably Brooklyn.
As Greenpoint continues to evolve into one of New York City's most dynamic creative neighborhoods, the festival reflects the same energy—welcoming artists from every background while strengthening the local film community through collaboration, education, and cultural exchange.
"Independent cinema has always been about taking risks," said the festival director Anthony Argento. "Our 15th anniversary is a celebration of the filmmakers who choose courage over convention and authenticity over commercial formulas. These are stories that challenge us, move us, and remind us why independent film matters."
Beyond the screen, Greenpoint Film Festival has become an important gathering place for New York's filmmaking community. Throughout the festival, audiences can attend conversations with filmmakers, learn from industry professionals through educational panels, and connect with artists working across every stage of production—from development to distribution.
The 2026 edition is supported by an outstanding group of industry partners, including Broadway Stages, Panavision, Cinelease, 4Wall Entertainment, Kodak, Wrapbook, and other organizations committed to empowering independent filmmakers.
Fifteen years after its founding, Greenpoint Film Festival continues to prove that meaningful cinema doesn't begin in Hollywood—it begins wherever courageous people choose to tell honest stories.
And in Brooklyn, those stories have found a home.
Festival Information
Greenpoint Film Festival
Dates: August 5–9, 2026
Location: 259 Green Street, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY11222
Festival Theme: Unbound – Celebrating the Freedom to Tell Untold Stories
Tickets & Full Schedule: https://greenpointfilmfestival.org/
About Greenpoint Film Festival
Founded in 2011, the Greenpoint Film Festival is a nonprofit organization dedicated to showcasing critically acclaimed independent films while strengthening the cultural fabric of North Brooklyn. Inspired by stories yet untold, the festival champions emerging and established filmmakers from around the world, fostering meaningful dialogue between artists and audiences while celebrating the power of cinema to inspire community, empathy, and change.
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Image: Opening film, Café Chairel