The 51st Rochester International Film Festival
A Short Film Festival
Thursday-Saturday, April 24-April 26, 2009

The Rochester International Film Festival, the world's oldest continuously-held short film festival, has been presented each year since 1959 by Movies on a Shoestring, Inc. Each festival includes a wide variety of narrative films, documentaries, and animations submitted by independent filmmakers from all parts of the world.

All filmmakers are invited to submit entries for consideration. We have no cash prizes, but each film selected for the festival is awarded our distinctive Shoestring Trophy and, since films are made to be seen, the greatest reward of all: appreciative, movie-wise audiences viewing your work in Rochester, NY.

If your entry is selected for showing at the festival, we might also contact you about including it in our permanent traveling collection, The Best of the Fest, which includes the most popular films from previous festivals, based on audience surveys taken at each show. Free screenings of films and videos from the Best of the Fest can be arranged for non-commercial New York groups.

Movies on a Shoestring, Inc. is an independent, non-profit, all-volunteer organization.