ARTIS—NAPLES ANNOUNCES CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR 17th ANNUAL NAPLES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Naples, FL (March 28, 2025) — Artis—Naples has officially opened the call for entries for the 2025 Naples International Film Festival (NIFF), set to take place October 23-26. Recently named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee in 2024,” the 17th edition of the annual festival continues its tradition of offering a vibrant, filmmaker-friendly experience that has drawn industry professionals, cinephiles and storytellers from around the world for over a decade.

Filmmakers are invited to submit their work in five categories: Narrative Features, Documentary Features, Short Films, Student Films (K-12) and Student Films (College/University). Cash prizes totaling over $15,000 will be awarded across 12 competition categories. The early bird submission deadline is May 14, with the regular deadline on June 18 and the final deadline on July 8, 2025.

“Since becoming a part of Artis—Naples, the Naples International Film Festival has firmly established itself within our multidisciplinary programming,” said David Filner, executive vice president, artistic operations. “Independent film has become an essential component of our diverse lineup of visual and performing arts offerings, and we look forward to another year of compelling submissions from filmmakers around the world.”

At the 2025 festival, NIFF once again unites the distinctive spirit of independent filmmaking with the rich artistic history and expertise of Artis—Naples, the acclaimed multidisciplinary arts organization. In addition to a weekend filled with film screenings at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, the festival’s Opening Night Film will be screened in the 1,477-seat Hayes Hall, followed by a festive ticketed after-party in Norris Garden, both located on the Artis—Naples Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus. Further setting NIFF apart as a signature event in Southwest Florida, select films will also be screened under the stars on a 24-foot outdoor screen in the tranquil setting of Norris Garden, a beautifully landscaped event space between Hayes Hall and The Baker Museum on the Artis—Naples cultural campus.

“We’re eager to bring another fantastic year of NIFF to Southwest Florida and beyond,” said Shannon Franklin, festival producer. “NIFF continues to thrive as part of Artis—Naples, offering its signature welcoming and collaborative atmosphere. It has truly become a place where filmmakers and film lovers can share their passion for stories and storytelling, forming lasting connections and discovering bold new voices in independent cinema.”

The 2025 edition of NIFF will kick off with a red-carpet opening night screening of the opening night film. The festival also features engaging filmmaker panel discussions, in-person screenings of award-winning films and numerous social gatherings that gave filmmakers and cinephiles the opportunity to connect, exchange ideas and share their love of cinema. NIFF will concluded in spectacular fashion with a Film in Concert, featuring the Naples Philharmonic under the baton of Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly performing the film’s score while the classic film is screened overhead.

For more information on NIFF 2025 and details on how to submit a film via FilmFreeway, visit: https://artisnaples.org/naples-international-film-festival/call-for-entries/2025.

Generously supported by the Collier County Tourist Development Council.

ARTIS—NAPLES
Home of The Baker Museum and the Naples Philharmonic, Artis—Naples is unique among cultural institutions nationwide, equally dedicated to both the visual and performing arts featuring artists of global distinction.

KIMBERLY K. QUERREY and LOUIS A. SIMPSON CULTURAL CAMPUS
Led by CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen and Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley, Artis—Naples offers more than 800 paid and free events annually across its 8.5-acre Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus. Artis—Naples welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year for a broad array of artistic and educational opportunities perfect for audiences of all backgrounds and interests. The cultural campus is home to five buildings, including two performance halls (Frances Pew Hayes Hall and Myra J. Daniels Pavilion), The Baker Museum, the Toni Stabile Education Building and the Kohan Administration Building.

NAPLES PHILHARMONIC
The Naples Philharmonic has long been recognized as one of the cornerstones of Southwest Florida’s arts community. As part of Artis—Naples, the Naples Philharmonic performs more than 140 orchestral and chamber music concerts, as well as opera and ballet, education, community and special event concerts annually between September and June in the 1,477-seat Hayes Hall, the 283-seat Daniels Pavilion and around Southwest Florida. The Naples Philharmonic has enjoyed a history of working with world-class music directors. Following a successful designate year in 2023-24, Alexander Shelley begins his new role as artistic and music director in the 2024-25 season. Renowned violinist James Ehnes continues as artistic partner through the 2024-25 season, working with Naples Philharmonic musicians in a variety of settings with a focus on inspiring and embodying a high level of artistry. Podium leadership also includes Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly, celebrating 15 years in this role in the 2024-25 season and bringing pops performances that celebrate music across genres.

THE BAKER MUSEUM
The Baker Museum is the foremost fine art museum in Southwest Florida, presenting an ambitious slate of exhibitions annually to complement installations of works from its permanent collection. Comprising more than 3,000 objects, the museum’s broad holdings of 20th- and 21st-century art reflect particular strengths in modern art of the United States and Mexico. The Baker Museum’s collection demonstrates the generosity and commitment of area collectors, including significant gifts from the collection of the late Olga Hirshhorn.

With more than two decades of collecting and exhibiting, the museum is committed to the stewardship and scholarship of its collections and to fostering inspiring and transformative experiences with the visual arts. At the same time, The Baker Museum partners with the world’s leading arts institutions to make extraordinary exhibitions accessible to the Southwest Florida community—including recently the National Portrait Gallery, London and the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation. In 2020, Artis—Naples celebrated the renovation and expansion of The Baker Museum and adjoining Norris Garden, designed by Weiss/Manfredi Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism, which created new spaces for multidisciplinary exploration and social interaction.

EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY
In addition to creating and presenting visual and performing arts, Artis—Naples provides robust education and community activities for students of all ages in Collier and Lee counties. Each season, thousands of Collier County Public School students interact with Artis—Naples education programming, both on our cultural campus and in their classrooms. Beyond our commitment to youth education, the Lifelong Learning program provides informative lectures and study opportunities for adults seeking to engage more deeply with the arts.

The Friends of Artis—Naples, comprised of more than 3,500 donor households, offers activities, travel experiences and events designed to foster a deeper relationship between patrons and the arts.

In 2017, Artis—Naples acquired the Naples International Film Festival (NIFF), expanding its film offerings and providing a platform for the festival’s continued excellence and growth. In 2023, the festival’s 15th anniversary year, NIFF was named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s “20 Great Film Festivals in Vacation Destinations.”