LAUNCHING CINEMATIC DREAMS
NYC's Premier Film Festival Call for Entries Now Open
Submit Here

World Webfest Mania Brings Exceptional Web Content Back To Theaters This Summer

World Webfest Mania returns to theaters in its fourth year featuring a remarkable lineup of socially and culturally significant web content from independent filmmakers across the globe! The two-day festival runs from Thursday, August 4th to Friday, August 5th, at the Wild Project Theaters located in Lower East Side. This festival is a hybrid format; We are screening 25 selections in-person and 4 selections throughout the week online through XerbTV.  Festivalgoers can expect post-screening Q&As after each block, where our…

0
Read More

Katra Latinx Closes Out Another Remarkable Festival Featuring Promising Latinx Filmmakers

Thank you to everyone who screened and participated in our MILESTONE  3rd Katra Latinx Festival!  It was our honor to screen over 25 phenomenal selections at the historic Latea Theater in the Lower East Side. Each showcased the diverse and immense talent of Latinx creators. Your stories are valuable and necessary during these times, and it was our pleasure to bring your selections to the big screen. To all our filmmakers and participants, we are grateful for your continued support…

0
Read More

A Triumphant Return To Theaters For Katra Latinx In Its Groundbreaking Third Year

Katra Latinx Festival returns in THREE DAYS with its first-ever in-person screening for the festival’s milestone third year. The two-day event takes place at Latea Theater located in the Lower East Side from Friday, July 15th to Saturday, July 16th. The festival is screening 27 short film selections over two days. Doors open at 5:45 PM daily. Showings will take place in two blocks, running from 6 PM to 8 PM and 8 PM to 10 PM. Post-screening Q&As occur…

0
Read More

Katra Film Series Is Back With A Well-Rounded Summer Festival this June

Katra Film Series Is Back With A Well-Rounded Summer Festival this June New York, New York – The award-winning, acclaimed, international festival is back for its summer series. The three-day festival runs from Tuesday, June 14th to Thursday, June 16th, at the Regal Cinemas in Times Square. This series is a hybrid format; We are screening 27 short film selections in-person and 14 selections (7 features and 7 shorts) throughout the week online through XerbTV. Doors open at 6 PM…

0
Read More

Katra begins its 11th Year with a Stellar Lineup for its Spring Fest

We’ve just wrapped up another impressive Spring Festival last week at the Regal Cinemas – Times Square, screening over 20 shorts by independent, award-winning, and rising talent. There were also four incredible feature films in our online festival portion that screened exclusively on Xerb TV all last week. THANK YOU to all the filmmakers, alumni, audience, and the hard work of our Katra Film Series team for another successful and unforgettable festival! We enjoyed being back for another festival season,…

0
Read More

KATRA FILM SERIES IS BACK!!!

KATRA Film Series is BACK!!! We are psyched to return this month for our 11th Year in the greatest city in the world! Join us at the world famous Regal Cinemas in TIMES SQUARE NEW YORK April 19-21 with three spectacular nights of screenings, Q&As, afterparties and a closing night gala award ceremony! We are proud to welcome back major sponsor DIGITAL OCEAN! We also have the incredible support of the NYC’s Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Canon USA,…

0
Read More

NY Pause Launches Inaugural Edition with $1000 Cash Prize

NY Pause Film Festival celebrated its inaugural launch at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in New York City last week to a packed theater! Thank you to all of our volunteers, staff members, filmmakers, audiences and always supportive sponsors for making this night possible. Thank you UKW Media, JMR Rentals, International Screenwriters’ Association, Final Draft, BKLYN Commons, AND Vine BK Congrats again to our $1000 Cash Prize Winner METROS directed by Jarred Harper and Sarang Sharma for taking home the Audience…

0
Read More

New York Pause Kicks Off its Inaugural Edition

NEW YORK PAUSE was created during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as live event spaces and movies theaters were shuttered due to the global lockdowns. With NYP there’s only one simple mission: to bring independent cinema back into movie theaters in the greatest city in the world. We love streaming content at home but nothing compares to the communal experience of watching cinema in an actual movie theater in New York City. Join us for the inaugural edition on…

0
Read More

KATRA FILM SERIES CELEBRATES 10 YEARS AT AMC THEATRES

Incredible times wrapping up our 10th Year at AMC Theatres in Times Square last week! Thank you to all the filmmakers, alumnus, audience and our awesome team for making this year a memorable one. Although it’s been a tough and challenging year it has also been a rewarding one as we continue to see filmmakers push forward and inspire us all with their amazing works during these tumultuous times. Special HUGE thanks are in order for all of our amazing sponsors…

0
Read More

Katra Film Series Celebrates 10 Years in New York City this Fall!

KATRA Film Series is excited to return this Fall as we continue to celebrate our milestone 10th year in a hybrid format with in-person and virtual screenings. Join us October 18th-22nd at AMC Theaters Times Square New York and virtually via XERB.TV for an amazing week of film screenings, alumni spotlight event featuring some of our top filmmakers from the past ten years who are now producing and directing for NETFLIX, HBO, HULU, CNN, PARAMOUNT+  and more, including filmmaker Q&As,…

0
Read More

Now in its 11th Year, the Katra Film Series is an internationally acclaimed film festival and screenwriting competition dedicated to supporting the next generation of filmmakers with the exhibition and promotion of independent cinema from around the world at Regal Cinemas!

Our Venue: Regal Cinemas

Regal Cinemas Website

Welcome Homes combines all aspects of homebuilding into a simple, online platform. Choose your property, design your home, then make an offer.

Presented By Welcome Homes

Digital Ocean

Katra Film Series is proud to be listed among the “Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals” on FilmFreeway. Submit on FilmFreeway and join our family of successful filmmakers.

Film Freeway Top 100

Submit on FilmFreeway

Our prizes are provided by Canon, Rhino Films, Final Draft, 3636 Studios, The Yard, International Screenwriters’ Association, NY Women in Film and TV, Museum of the Moving Image, and more. Every season we curate a diverse selection of independent works where audience participation is central in choosing the winners. Regardless of who wins each season all official selections will be considered for the Year-End Grand Finale taking place at the Alamo Drafthouse Theater where our jurors are comprised of industry veterans and professionals who watch the films and select the top winners.

Our Prizes

Canon USA

All genres/forms are accepted. Seeking Feature Films, Short Films, Web Series, Documentary, Music Videos, Experimental Works, Animation, Screenplays, and Video Art. We accept works-in-progress.

Submit on FilmFreeway

Submit on FilmFreeway

Final Draft is proud to support the Best Screenplay Winners with thousands of dollars in prizes. Final Draft is a program made to perform one task with excellence – the writing of a screenplay.

Final Draft Pro

Final Draft
What they say about us

“An obvious must-attend, Katra is the rare platform that actually puts its members’ work in front of an eager live audience…whose worthy and ambitious efforts might otherwise go unnoticed in an overcrowded industry.”

– Tribeca

Tribeca

“The Katra Film Series in New York City brought out emerging talent from all walks of life for a memorable film fest like none other. In over six years, the Katra Film Series has become a hub for up-and-coming filmmakers of the indie film scene.”

-LLERO

‘LLERO

“Katra Film Series is giving global filmmakers virtual opportunities to showcase their work… The pandemic has proven that creative people can find creative solutions.”

– BACKSTAGE

BACKSTAGE

“From the bottom up an amazing and excellent festival that has made it in New York”

– The New York Times

New York Times

“Katra Film Series spotlights new talent and provides a place for emerging artists to showcase their work to a live audience.”

– NY1

NY1

NY1

“Films Long in Talent, Short in Span, Bryan Cranston stars in Writer’s Block, part of the Katra Film Series – A Competitive Program highlighting the works from rising filmmakers and unheralded Talents.”

– Wall Street Journal

Wall Street Journal

Wall Street Journal

“Innovative New Model Pushing For The Future of its Filmmakers.”

– Remezcla

Remezcla

“The Katra Film Series in New York is one of the most prolific champions of women in film. Last year, the group showcased the work of 79 female writers, directors and producers… goes to show you that if you build it, they will come.

– ELYSIAN

ELYSIAN

“Brooklyn’s own diversity makes it a natural source for a festival looking to feature films by communities whose work is often ignored by the mainstream.”

– Bklyner

Bklyner

Katra Film Series

Great Prizes

Each year, our winners are awarded over $20,000 in prizes. The Grand Jury Prize Winner is awarded a one-on-one meeting with acclaimed Hollywood Producer Stephen Nemeth and the winner also takes home a top of the line CANON camera.

Meet And Greets

Our Filmmakers get the opportunity to network with industry professionals at our nightly events held at at the Alamo Drafthouse Theater in NYC and other top-notch nearby venues.

Final Round

Some of our past alums have landed theatrical distribution deals and have gone on to write, produce and direct feature films and TV shows for HBO, FOX, Netflix, Showtime, ESPN, Vice Media including festival stops at Sundance, Tribeca, Berlin and Cannes Film Festival.