The Sixth Borough Film Festival | Manhattan University pause world-wide-web instagram volume-medium linkedin flickr basketball devices home pencil person-money rss slider-left-arrow slider-right-arrow slider-left-arrow slider-right-arrow star video-transcript close hamburger minus plus account arrow certificate city globe graduation-cap graph handshake info info-2 map play search snapchat x facebook file-text-o youtube tumblr camera file-text

The Sixth Borough Film Festival

Join us for the inaugural three-day Sixth Borough Film Festival (SBFF) to be held on the campus of Manhattan University in New York City.

Logo image of the Sixth Borough Film Festival

Located in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, Manhattan University has a picturesque campus just a 25-minute subway ride away from the heart of midtown Manhattan.

Festival film screenings include shorts and features, narratives, documentaries, music videos, and Bronx Tales: movies about or inspired by the Bronx. A special horror showcase will be held on Friday evening, April 10, and is guaranteed to make you spill your popcorn.

Manhattan University students enrolled in this experiential learning course are taught how to plan and produce on a film festival by running SBFF. Students are overseeing festival operations, including press, social media, awards, merchandise, programming, filmmaker relations, community outreach, and more.

Watch the SBFF Trailer

Tickets & Festival Passes

Tickets and full festival schedule available beginning March 5.

Join us at The Sixth Borough Film Festival (SBFF) at Manhattan University with flexible ticket options designed for students, filmmakers, and the broader community.

Free Admission

Manhattan University students, employees, and invited filmmakers receive complimentary admission to festival screenings.

General Public Ticket Options

Individual Screening – $5
Attend any single film screening during the festival.

Day Pass (Friday or Saturday) – $20

  • Full access to all film screenings on your selected day

  • Entry to the VIP Filmmakers Lounge

VIP All Access Pass – $100

  • Admission to all film screenings for the entire festival

  • Access to the VIP Filmmakers Lounge

  • One ticket to the Filmmakers Awards Luncheon

    • Sunday, April 12

    • Noon–2:00 pm

    • Kelly Commons 5A, Manhattan University

Whether you’re joining us for a single screening or immersing yourself in the full festival experience, The Sixth Borough Film Festival offers an accessible and elevated way to celebrate independent cinema in New York City.

Get Tickets at FilmFreeway
  • Schedule

    Friday

    Screenings Noon–10 pm
    Kelly Commons 5B
    Hayden Hall, Room 100

    Late-Night Horror Program: 10–Midnight
    Hayden Hall, Room 100


    Saturday

    Screenings: Noon–10 pm
    Kelly Commons 5B
    Hayden Hall, Room 100


    Sunday

    Filmmakers Luncheon: Noon–2 pm
    Kelly Commons 5C

    Full and detailed program schedule coming soon.

Secret Mall Apartment Screening + Live Q&A

Saturday, April 11 at 7:30 pm | Kelly Commons 5B

Film poster for Secret Mall Apartment

Experience one of the most talked-about documentaries of the year in a special screening at The Sixth Borough Film Festival (SBFF).

Secret Mall Apartment, boasting a 98% Rotten Tomatoes rating and a Netflix Top 10 premiere, will be screened on Saturday at 7:30 pm in Kelly Commons 5B on the Manhattan University campus.

Following the screening, stay for an exclusive live Q&A with producer Matthew Spain, offering behind-the-scenes insight into the making of the film and the remarkable true story that captivated audiences nationwide.

Whether you’re a film enthusiast, student, or member of the community, this special event offers a rare opportunity to engage directly with the creative voice behind a breakout documentary success.

Screening Details

  • Film: Secret Mall Apartment
  • Date & Time: Saturday, 7:30 pm
  • Location: Kelly Commons 5B, Manhattan University
  • Special Guest: Producer Matthew Spain (Post-Screening Q&A)

Don’t miss this evening of independent cinema, conversation, and community.

View details about Secret Mall Apartment on IMDB

Selected Films & Filmmakers

The Sixth Borough Film Festival judges screened submissions from 30 countries and officially selected more than 100 films for recognition.

Each film was carefully reviewed and evaluated by a panel of judges, ensuring a program that highlights artistic excellence, compelling storytelling, and diverse global perspectives.

This year’s festival transforms the Manhattan University campus into an international stage for independent cinema — connecting filmmakers and audiences across cultures, disciplines, and borders.

Countries Represented in Official Selections

Americas

Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Mexico
United States

Europe

Croatia
France
Germany
Hungary
Italy
Poland
Portugal
Russian Federation
Slovenia

Spain
Ukraine

Middle East & North Africa

Egypt
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Israel
Jordan
Libya
Turkey

Asia & Pacific

China
India
Indonesia
Kazakhstan
Singapore

  • Honorary Jury Member - Enid Kent

    Biography

    Publicity image of Enid KentEnid Kent was born in Los Angeles into a distinguished theatrical family. Margaret Hamilton — the iconic Wicked Witch of the West from the classic film The Wizard of Oz introduced her parents at a Hollywood bingo party. Her mother, Irene Tedrow, was a celebrated character actress, and her father, William Kent, was a dramatist and producer. Immersed in the performing arts from an early age, she made her stage debut at just ten-years-old, setting the foundation for a lifelong career in theatre and television.

    Kent graduated from Hollywood High School in 1962 and went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts from San Francisco State University in 1967. Following her studies, she joined the American Conservatory Theatre, where she performed from 1967 to 1969 and further honed her professional craft.

    In 1969, she relocated to New York City, where, like many actresses, she juggled various jobs while pursuing stage opportunities. During this period, she appeared in three productions at Cincinnati’s Playhouse in the Park—A Streetcar Named Desire, The Comedy of Errors, and Long Day’s Journey Into Night. She later performed on Broadway in two productions with Tony and Academy Award winners Henry Fonda, Our Town and The Time of Your Life, portraying the girlfriend of Richard Dreyfuss in the latter.

    Kent returned to California in 1973 and transitioned into a successful career in television. She is best known for her recurring role as Nurse Bigelow on the acclaimed series M*A*S*H, a performance that continues to resonate with audiences decades later. She still receives monthly autograph requests from fans who fondly recall her work on the series.

    In addition to her contributions to the performing arts, Kent has tirelessly dedicated fourteen years and counting of service to Project Angel Food, a Los Angeles based nonprofit organization providing essential nourishment to individuals affected by serious illness. In recognition of her thousands of hours of volunteer work, Kent was recently honored by the City of Los Angeles with a Certificate of Appreciation. Her commitment to those in need reflects a long-standing devotion to community care and advocacy.

    Kent’s career encompasses notable achievements across theatre, television, and humanitarian service. Her body of work and ongoing engagement with the public continue to honor the legacy of the artistic and philanthropic household in which she was raised.

  • Faculty Judges

    Jeff Cherubini, Ph.D.  (Fiction, Documentary, Bronx Tales, Student Films)

    Dr. Cherubini is Professor of Kinesiology with an expertise in exercise and sport psychology, emphasizing an eco-developmental perspective to his work with physical activity motivation, health promotion, and sport performance.

    Carol Ciancutti, M.Ed., LMHC (Fiction, Documentary, Bronx Tales)

    Ciancutti is an Adjunct Professor of Mental Health Counseling. Her practice is grounded in a holistic, trauma-informed approach that integrates EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness, and narrative therapy. Ciancutti also is a filmmaker who has produced and directed Shaping the Future and Absolutely Safe.

    Thom Gencarelli, Ph.D. (Music Videos, Horror)

    Dr. Gencarelli is Professor of Communication and specializes in media literacy. He is a Past President of the Media Ecology Association, the New York State Communication Association, and the New Jersey Communication Association, Treasurer and member of the Board of Trustees of the Institute of General Semantics, and Editor of the Institute's official journal, ETC: A Review of General Semantics. He is also guitarist and singer for the band bluerace.

    Margaret Groarke, Ph.D. (Documentary, Bronx Tales, Student Films)

    Dr. Groarke leads the Community Engaged Learning project with Manhattan University and The Bronx. She is involved in several Bronx-based community organizations and researches voter registration procedures and voter suppression activities and the political action of ordinary people, primarily through grassroots social movements and community organizations. She is a long-time leader of the Peace and Justice program at Manhattan University.

    Deirdre O'Leary, Ph.D. (Fiction, Documentary, Student Films)

    Dr. O’Leary is Associate Professor of English with specialties in Contemporary Women Dramatists, Political Theatre, and Contemporary Irish and British Theatre. Most recently, she interviewed the best-selling author James Patterson at a public event celebrating Manhattan University.

    Mark Pottinger, Ph.D. (Music Videos, Horror)

    Dr. Pottinger is Professor of Sound Studies and chair of the Communication, Sound, and Media Arts Department. As a musicologist, he regularly lectures for the Metropolitan Opera and their HD Live in Schools education program. He is currently serving as co-chief editor of Sound Studies Review, an international peer-reviewed music journal.

    Laura Redruello, Ph.D. (Documentary)

    Dr. Redruello is Professor of Modern Languages and Literature and specializes in Latin American Literature and the national and cultural identity within the literature, music and film of the Caribbean. She has published and lectured extensively about Cuban cultural production.

    Evelyn Scaramella, Ph.D. (Fiction, Documentary, Bronx Tales, Student Films)

    Dr. Scaramella is Chair of the Department of English, World Languages & Literature. Her current book project, Anti-fascist Archives: The Avant-Garde, Translation, and the Spanish Civil War, explores how translation forged transnational networks of antifascist solidarity and preserved literary legacies across Spain, the Americas, and Britain. She is also co-editing two volumes: Fabulous Leviathan: Visions of New York in Modern Iberian Culture, 1875–1975 and Translation and Cultural Mediation: New Critical Approaches to Women Intellectuals of Early 20th Century Spain. Dr. Scaramella teaches several courses on Spanish culture and film.

Categories

The three-day festival categories include:

  • Best Student Film
  • Best Narrative Short Film
  • Best Narrative Feature
  • Best Documentary Short
  • Best Documentary Feature
  • Best Horror Film
  • Best Music Video
  • Best Bronx Tale

Rules

By entering their film, all entries agree to have their film screened at the Sixth Borough Film Festival, and their name and likeness used for promotional materials related to the festival. All entrants must be 18 years old or older and have the legal right to submit their film. Music videos must have all rights to music as a component of the video for submission. Void where prohibited by law. Entries will be made by digital submission to FilmFreeway; no physical copies will be accepted. The festival is not responsible for films that are missing, damaged, unreadable, lost in transit, or stolen. The festival reserves the right to refuse service to anyone. Festival dates are subject to change. All screening times and venues may be subject to delay or change. Festival organizers reserve the right to change terms of agreement at their sole discretion. 

The decisions of the festival judges and organizers are final.