WHILE LEGACY FESTIVALS CONTINUE TO HIKE FEES AND QUIETLY PULL BACK ON DIVERSITY INITIATIVES, NUKHUFEST IS MAKING A DIFFERENT KIND OF NOISE.

NEW YORK, NY (July 14, 2025) - Nukhufest is announcing its 10th annual audience-powered film festival that supports emerging filmmakers, particularly those from underrepresented communities, with critical mentorship from Nukhu’s board of directors, along with strategic marketing, and essential financial resources from project development through distribution.

To mark the anniversary, Nukhu is offering filmmakers complimentary entry to Nukhufest 2025. Filmmakers can submit short or feature films, documentaries, music videos, narrative commercials, or experimental films by August 20, 2025. Winners of the fest receive a Nukhu ball award, funding, and ongoing mentorship, with plans for the Best Nuvee to be campaigned for Academy Award consideration.

Nukhufest particularly encourages submissions from filmmakers whose projects have recently completed traditional festival circuits and seek theatrical or Academy-qualifying campaigns; creators who prefer bypassing the conventional circuit entirely, choosing instead to premiere directly to Nukhu’s dedicated indie-film audience; as well as filmmakers whose projects have languished unseen due to stalled distribution deals or unrealized sales agreements. Top 10 finalists will be announced August 31st, and the winner will be determined live during Nukhufest’s in-person festival on September 27th in Lower Manhattan.

Founded in 2010 by filmmaker and entrepreneur Sanjay Singh from Long Island, NY,  Nukhu unites independent filmmakers by collectively leveraging their earning potential. Singh produced the interactive short film Otis (official selection, Tribeca Film Festival, 2018) and served as technology partner for Holy Night (official selection, New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center, 2019). In 2010, Singh represented the short film Les Mots at the Cannes Short Film Corner as a sales associate, and coordinated screenings and acquisitions for Breakaway Media at the Marché du Film. Singh gained notable recognition early in his career after winning NBC’s Tonight Show with Jay Leno Student Film Festival. 

“The truth is, the entertainment industry has often set diverse filmmakers up for failure by underfunding marketing or prematurely withdrawing support, making it nearly impossible for them to succeed, regardless of talent or merit,” said Nukhu founder Sanjay Singh. “The real barrier indie filmmakers face isn’t distribution—it’s visibility, and meaningful, effective marketing. Our festival and Ambassador Program solve that by incentivizing viewers to become tastemakers, rewarding them financially for their role in discovering and promoting films.”

Some previous grant recipients Include, January (2023) directed by Summer Ward and Zoe Milenkovic, starring Jared Gilman (Moonrise Kingdom); Crows Are White (2024), directed by Ahsen Nadeem (producer for Ari Aster’s films C'est La Vie, The Turtle's Head, and Basically); Max Distance (2024), directed by Marissa Goldman, featuring Jon Daly which premiered at SXSW 2025.

Unlike traditional film festivals restricted by limited programming slots, Nukhufest uses audience-powered curation. Following an initial curation process, films premiere online at nukhu.com. Viewers vote to decide the top 10 films screened at the in-person festival. All accepted films receive paid social media marketing support scaled according to each film’s organic popularity and audience engagement metrics. The winning filmmaker receives Nukhu’s Development-to-Distribution Grant, including financial support, mentorship, and marketing, to bring their next film to life. The festival empowers filmmakers and audiences by democratizing the film-selection process and creating immediate revenue opportunities for creators and viewers. Beyond Nukhufest, the nonprofit Nukhu Foundation significantly impacts independent filmmakers and diverse communities through grants, mentorship, career training, and cultural initiatives.
The submission deadline is August 20, 2025. Use complimentary entry code: NUKHU10YEAR at filmfreeway.com/nukhufest. The top 10 finalists will be announced on August 31, 2025, and the Nukhufest Live Festival & Award Ceremony will take place on September 27, 2025 in lower Manhattan.  

For submissions and additional information, visit nukhufoundation.org/nukhufest or contact Sanjay Singh at sanjay@nukhu.com.