Media Credentials
Cover Nukhufest in New York City
Apply for press access to seven days of independent film screenings, filmmaker Q&As, panels, and special programs at Cinema Village, followed by the Nukhufest Awards Ceremony and Best Nuvee announcement.
Cinema Village screenings: September 11 through September 17, 2026
Awards Ceremony: September 19, 2026
An Audience-Powered Festival Built Around What Comes Next
Nukhufest is an audience-powered celebration of independent cinema and the filmmakers building careers beyond the traditional festival circuit.
Films premiere on Nukhu, where members can watch, support, and vote for the titles they want to see advance. The Top 10 audience-voted Finalists will screen at Cinema Village during Nukhufest week, with the Best Nuvee announced on September 19.
The winning filmmaker receives the Nukhu Foundation’s Development-to-Distribution Grant, beginning at $3,000, along with continued support toward the development, production, marketing, and distribution of their next project.
Why cover Nukhufest
More Than a Festival Lineup
Nukhufest is built around a larger question facing independent filmmakers:
What happens to a film after its festival circuit ends?
Nukhu is developing a connected pathway through which participating filmmakers can retain ownership, premiere online, earn eligible viewing revenue, build audience support, generate theatrical demand, screen in a New York City cinema, and compete for funding toward their next project.
Potential editorial angles include:
The future of independent film distribution
Audience-powered programming and theatrical demand
What happens to films after the festival circuit
Revenue models for independent filmmakers
The relationship between streaming and theatrical exhibition
Funding the filmmaker’s next project rather than only awarding the current film
Emerging and underrepresented filmmakers building careers outside traditional studio systems
The role of community-driven platforms in film discovery
New York’s independent cinema and cultural ecosystem
What approved press access includes
Nukhufest Press Credential
Approved press applicants may receive:
Press access to Nukhufest screening and program blocks at Cinema Village from September 11 through September 17
Admission to the September 19 Awards Ceremony
Access to designated filmmaker Q&As and panel programs
Press releases, festival background materials, stills, logos, and approved promotional assets
Interview opportunities with founder and festival director Sanjay Singh
Interview opportunities with participating filmmakers, Finalists, moderators, panelists, and grant recipients
Access to select advance screeners when authorized by the filmmaker or rights holder
Festival schedule and press logistics updates
Press check-in and credential support during festival week
Approved credentials function as weeklong press access, but advance confirmation may still be required for high-demand blocks, interviews, photography, video recording, or limited-capacity programs.
Who should apply
Press Access Is Available For
We welcome applications from:
Journalists and reporters
Film critics and reviewers
Editors and assignment editors
Photographers and photojournalists
Videographers and broadcast teams
Podcast and radio hosts
Newsletter writers
Documentary and culture writers
Independent media outlets
Student journalists and campus media
Digital creators with an established record of film, arts, culture, or New York event coverage
Applicants should provide recent examples of relevant editorial or media work. Social following alone does not guarantee approval.
Coverage opportunities
Stories Available Before, During, and After the Festival
Press coverage does not need to begin during festival week.
Before August 29
Possible coverage includes:
The Nukhufest submission and online premiere model
Nukhu’s post-festival ecosystem for independent films
Interviews with foundation directors including Sanjay Singh and participating Semi-Finalists
Audience voting and Request in Theaters activity
The Development-to-Distribution Grant
Cinema Village’s role in the expanded festival
After the Top 10 announcement
Beginning August 29, press may request:
The complete Finalist lineup
Finalist screeners and film stills
Filmmaker interviews
Cinema Village screening times
Q&A and panel information
Stories connected to individual films, filmmakers, countries, genres, and production backgrounds
During Nukhufest
Coverage may include:
Screening reviews
Filmmaker and audience interviews
Festival photography
Panel and Q&A coverage
Founder and organizational profiles
New York independent-film reporting
Best Nuvee and Awards Ceremony coverage
Request a Nukhufest 2026 Press Credential
Complete the application below to request press access for Nukhufest 2026.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Approved applicants will receive a separate email with credential redemption, schedule access, check-in instructions, and any required program reservations once press passes and the final schedule are available.
Submitting this form does not guarantee approval.
Important credential information
Before You Apply
Press credentials are limited and issued at the discretion of Nukhufest.
Credentials are:
Complimentary for approved media
Non-transferable
Intended only for the approved applicant
Subject to identity and outlet verification
Subject to theater capacity and festival policies
Revocable in cases of misuse, disruption, unauthorized recording, or misrepresentation
A press credential does not automatically include:
Guaranteed seating at every screening
A guest or additional credential
Permission to photograph or record inside the theater
Access to private filmmaker or sponsor areas
Guaranteed interviews
Access to films without filmmaker or rights-holder authorization
Photography, video recording, on-camera interviews, and equipment use may require advance approval.
Press Materials and Interview Requests
Available materials may include:
Current Nukhufest press releases
Festival and Nukhu logos
Cinema Village images
Founder and team headshots
Film stills and trailers
Finalist biographies
Past grant-recipient information
Approved screeners
Festival statistics and background materials
Interview coordination
For time-sensitive editorial requests, contact: press@nukhufoundation.org
FAQ
When will press applications be reviewed?
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Some credentials may remain pending until the Finalist schedule and press capacity are confirmed.
Does a press credential provide access to the entire festival?
Approved press credentials are intended to provide weeklong access to Nukhufest screenings and the Awards Ceremony. Certain high-demand programs may require advance confirmation and remain subject to capacity.
When will approved press receive their credential?
Approved applicants will receive a separate email with credential redemption and check-in instructions once press passes and the final schedule are available.
Can I request interviews before the festival?
Yes. Press may request interviews with foundation board members, participating filmmakers, Finalists, panelists, moderators, and past grant recipients. Availability is not guaranteed, but the Nukhufest team will assist with coordination.
Can I request screeners?
Select screeners may be provided to verified press when authorized by the filmmaker or rights holder. Include the films or subjects you are interested in covering in your application.
Can I photograph or record inside Cinema Village?
Photography and recording require advance approval. Applicants should disclose their proposed equipment and intended coverage in the press application.
Can I bring a guest?
Press credentials are issued individually and do not include a guest. Additional journalists, photographers, producers, or crew members should submit separate applications.
What happens if my credential is not approved?
Public block passes and Awards Ceremony tickets may still be purchased through the Nukhufest website, subject to availability.
Join Us at Nukhufest 2026
Nukhufest brings filmmakers, audiences, critics, artists, and cultural voices together around independent work that deserves a continuing life beyond its first festival screening.
Apply for press access to cover the films, people, ideas, and audience-powered model shaping this year’s festival.