All Genders, Lifestyles, and Identities Film Festival
Austin, United States
79
Tier BScreenings
Festival dossier
Urbanworld Film Festival
New York, United States · Est. 1996 · High structural score (80–100) for legitimacy and industry clout — not limited to Oscar-qualifying festivals
New York, United States
100
Legitimacy ScoreShould I submit?
Strong legitimacy signals
Tier A score for legitimacy and industry clout. Still confirm deadlines, fees, and categories on the festival site before paying.
- Oscar Qualifying Festival
- 30 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at 174 W. 4th Street, New York, NY 10014 United States
Overview
Urbanworld Film Festival is the longest-running and leading multicultural film festival in the United States, founded in 1997 by Stacy Spikes to amplify Black stories and diverse narratives from the African diaspora, Latino, Asian, and LGBTQ+ communities. It showcases a wide spectrum of narrative and documentary features, short films, web originals, music videos, and experimental works, serving as a premier launching platform for both independent filmmakers and Hollywood studio hits. The festival holds significant importance in the circuit as one of the largest internationally competitive festivals of its kind, having launched the careers of industry titans like Ava DuVernay, Nia DaCosta, and Malcolm D. Lee.
Last updated Aug 27, 2026
Legitimacy Analysis
Positive Indicators (+76 pts)
- Oscar Qualifying Festival
- 30 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at 174 W. 4th Street, New York, NY 10014 United States
- 3 verified pro signals
- Verified trusted status
- Legitimacy signals outweigh concerns (5 vs 0)
- Major accreditation with net-positive trust signals
Red Flags (-0 pts)
No red flags found
Trust Signals
Positive Signals
- FilmFreeway Gold festival
- Has FilmFreeway community ratings
- Documented history with archived programs
Festival Details
Founded
1996
Venue
174 W. 4th Street, New York, NY 10014 United States
Screenings
Physical screenings confirmed
Award Categories
1
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At a glance
How scoring works
Scores are calculated from structural indicators: accreditations, physical screenings, award category count, submission frequency, and acceptance rate. Higher scores reflect more verifiable legitimacy signals.
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