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ABOUT YOFIFEST

 

Located on the Hudson River and adjacent to New York City, the festival draws its film-friendly audiences from NYC, Westchester county, Rockland county, the Hudson Valley and the entire NY/NJ/CT tri-state region. It's a chance for filmmakers to screen work to an enthusiastic audience and top film professionals in a warm, fun, friendly and supportive atmosphere. Life long friendships and partnerships have been made among our filmmakers and attendees. One of the highlights for us is when filmmakers who meet at the festival collaborate and bring us back films they’ve done together!

We were able to present a in-person festival in November 2021 with online simul-screenings. We knew our filmmakers and audiences were craving the live experience, so we decided to take every precaution to create a safe, fun festival for everyone. We were one of the first festvials in our region to require proof of full vaccination and masks were requested and provided. In addition, for those who could not or chose not to attend in person, we developed a presentation system that allowed audiences and filmmakers viewing remotely to watch the film and join the talkback in real time. Due to the success of last year's hybrid festival, we're going to do the same thing for YoFiFest 2022, but this year EVERY film we screen will be available to view in-person AND online! 

 

More than ever, the festival is all about connections and conversations, so in addition to including talkback Q&A sessions at almost every screening, the festival offers a series of workshops taught by award-winning industry professionals, networking sessions, and parties and receptions where filmmakers and film fans get the chance to meet and mingle.

YoFiFest has received two “Best of Westchester” awards, for "Best Film Geek Event" and "Best New Film Festival", and has been voted one of the “Top 100 Film Festivals” on FIlmFreeway multiple times. It was also named one of the "Top Ten Hippest Things about Yonkers"  by lohud.com and The Journal News and one of the "Top Five Things To Do" by Westchester Magazine.

The festival's year-round home is in the YoFi Digital Media Art Center, located on the ground floor of the historic Otis Elevator Factory, in the heart of Yonkers' revitalized downtown waterfront. The YoFi DMAC houses a 50 seat screening room, event and classroom space and our administrative offices.  It's steps away from the Yonkers Metro-North station, convenient to both on and off street parking, and is reachable by NYC mass transit via a free transfer to the Bee Line bus. ​​

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