Mount Vernon Independent Film Festival: A New Home for Storytellers Outside NYC
Film Festival Spotlight: Mount Vernon, NY
The Mount Vernon Independent Film Festival is a passion project focused on the form of storytelling. The feeling of being around a bonfire, surrounded by others, listening to a narrative, enticed and entranced for a few moments- that form of storytelling is our goal. We believe the same sensation occurs in cinema. We're exemplifying that intimacy in Mount Vernon's premiere film festival.
Located right outside of New York City, the north star for a lot of storytellers, we occupy a space meant to uphold the filmmaker. Celebrating independent film in a communal space allows for an atmosphere of empathy, vulnerability, and develops an appreciation for the work. We're proud that we're in our second rendition, having learned so much logistically, we're only getting better and better.
This year, we are highlighting feature-length films, really doubling down on showing as many varied films as possible. That variation of films, the excitement we have as fellow storytellers, and the tailored curation of stories we highlight will undoubtedly create a fascinating bonfire of tales to our audience on June 12th and 13th in 2026. To submit a film: FilmFreeway.com/mviff
Bio:
Bryan Ribeiro is a video editor, motion graphics animator, camera operator, and filmmaker. He was born in Queens. He grew up in Brazil and the USA. He started his creative pursuits at a young age- making cat videos using Windows Movie Maker. Initially studying game design, he realized the fun and storytelling aspect in time-based work and shifted to film and video. He studied Design and Technology at Parsons the New School for Design. The well-rounded course took detours into graphic design, web and game coding, woodworking, fashion, and more. After graduating, he met with some like-minded people and started making music videos, shorts, and more.
Since then, Bryan's edited for companies such as Disney Streaming, Viacom, MTV, DailyMail, NFL, AMC, Sony, Universal, STXFilms, Macy's, and Empire Design (trailer house). Right now, his short film Braising is currently on the film festival circuit amassing several screenings, awards, and selections on the global level. He also founded a local film festival in his town- the Mount Vernon Independent Film Festival.
Bryan is a huge game and film nerd. He's also geeky about television and graphic novels. A dork about most things actually. He is an avid swimmer. He loves the water and considers himself a nautical individual, though he's drowned like 3 times. He also enjoys exploring his Brazilian background and attempting Portuguese, playing badminton with friends, taking care of his many cats with his partner, and writing in his beat-up idea journal for future projects.
Bryan currently resides in Mount Vernon, a suburb of New York City.
MountVernonIFF.com
Follow on Instagram: @bryanfilm123 / @mountvernoniff
