THE DOWNTOWN FESTIVAL RETURNS FOR YEAR TWO
NYC’s leading artist-driven film, music, & art festival returns from October 9-19, 2025
Last year’s DEBUT BROUGHT TOGETHER CULTURAL ICONS LIKE CHLOË SEVIGNY, JULIAN CASABLANCAS, MICHAEL IMPERIOLI ALONGSIDE A RISING GENERATION OF NYC ARTISTS INCLUDING LUCIEN SMITH, ALEXI WASSER, KAREEM RAHMA, MALICE K, AND LIAM BENZVI
Left: Shot by The Cobrasnake | Right: Shot by Matt Weinberger
The Downtown Festival has officially opened its call for film submissions, welcoming entries for its second annual program. Set to take place at the iconic Roxy Cinema New York in Tribeca, the festival will showcase a dynamic mix of World and New York premieres, including narrative and documentary features, shorts, and special anniversary screenings. Music lineups and special events programming will be announced in the coming weeks.
Filmmakers interested in submitting their work can find guidelines and submission details at thedowntownfestival.com.
Last year’s debut edition was a breakthrough success, featuring three weeks of sold-out screenings, immersive experiences, and live performances across established and underground venues in NYC. The festival premiered standout films like Messy by Alexi Wasser, Pet Shop Days by Olmo Schnabel, and La Cocina by Alonso Ruizpalacios, with post-screening conversations led by cultural voices such as Chloë Sevigny, Jeremy O. Harris, and Daniel Arnold. As for music, the lineup featured sets by Malice K, Liam Benzvi, voyeur, and Scarlet Rae, drawing a vibrant and influential crowd that included Abel Ferrara, Laurie Anderson, F. Murray Abraham, and Rowan Blanchard.
PAPER Magazine called the inaugural festival “a fever-dream of artistic celebration” and praised its impact on the city’s independent arts scene. The FADER dubbed it “the who’s who of the city,” noting, “none are doing it quite like the newest kid on the block.”
The festival was founded by filmmaker and creative advocate Rebekah Sherman-Myntti, who has been a long-standing supporter of New York’s creative communities, both personally and through her production company Simone Films. Sherman-Myntti, known for championing New York talent both behind and in front of the camera, also runs a free Actors Studio that hosts guest mentors like Michael Imperioli, Crystal Moselle, and Alex Ross Perry.
With its momentum only growing, this year’s Downtown Festival promises an expanded celebration of independent cinema, music, and art, reaffirming its place at the heart of New York’s cultural renaissance. Official selections and programming details will be revealed soon, so stay tuned!
The Downtown Festival On The Web:
For more information on The Downtown Festival, contact Clarke Sondermann (clarke@tcbpr.com), Carrie Tolles (carrie@tcbpr.com) and Alison Smith (alison@tcbpr.com) at TCB Public Relations