Queens World 2025 Press Conference: Be There for the Big Reveal

We’re kicking off Year 15 in style! Join us on October 15 at Queens Borough Hall in the Helen Marshall Cultural Center and Atrium for the official Queens World Film Festival presser, complete with the premiere of our brand-new sizzle reel, early program announcements, and in-person interviews and photo ops with over 40 filmmakers and their teams, eager to speak about their work and the themes driving this year’s lineup.

One recurring theme emerging across the 2025 selections is “Connections: Missed, Made, and Yearned For” and it’s striking a major chord. Artistic Director Donald Preston Cato calls this year’s submissions “some of the most astonishing, daring work we’ve ever seen,” noting how filmmakers are “reaching higher and digging deeper” to uncover new truths on screen.

Podcast with Queens Memory

WHAT TO EXPECT

Media attendees will receive exclusive access to:

• The 2025 Festival Sizzle Reel (premiere screening)
• Major program announcements, curated blocks, and new partnerships
• Interviews and photo ops with 30–40 filmmakers ready to discuss their craft and this year’s festival theme
• Remarks from featured speakers and civic leaders
• High-energy networking with some of NYC’s boldest creative voices

WHO WILL BE THERE

• Filmmakers and film teams from across New York City and beyond
• Queens Borough President Donovan Richards (invited)
• Ben Guttman, President, Queens Economic Development Corporation
• Donald Preston Cato, Artistic Director, QWFF
• Katha Feffer Cato, Executive Director, QWFF
• Additional speakers and honored guests to be announced

WHERE

Queens Borough Hall
Helen Marshal Cultural Center
120-55 Queens Blvd, Kew Gardens, NY 11424

WHEN

October 15, 2025
10:00am – 12:00pm
Press Welcome 9:30am