Lindenhurst is spending the week as Long Island's independent film capital. The New York Long Island Film Festival, which debuted in 2019, is running its 2026 edition now through Sunday, October 25, with screenings at the Lindenhurst Moose Lodge at 883 South Broadway and, for the first time on three days, at the South Shore Theatre Experience at 115 South Wellwood Ave.

The festival says this year brings a record number of films after a record number of submissions, screened in themed blocks from morning into late night, most followed by question-and-answer sessions with the filmmakers. Features, shorts, documentaries, horror, comedy, student films and music videos all get their own blocks, and the nominee lists this year include screen veterans Eric Roberts, John Cullum and Dan Lauria among the casts in competition.

What is left to catch

Today, Thursday, October 23, the Moose Lodge screens blocks from 9 a.m. through the Thursday night feature at 8 p.m., while the South Shore Theatre Experience runs afternoon blocks from noon. The evening brings the festival's Shoot the Scene workshop, in which a crew of festival alumni rehearses, lights and shoots a scene from a well-known film in front of the audience, with the edited result unveiled at the Sunday brunch. A meet-and-greet networking party follows at the Moose Lodge bar.

Friday fills both venues from morning to night, and adds a producing lecture at 4:15 p.m. with Frank Calo, the independent producer whose credits include a Sundance winner. Saturday's schedule runs to nearly midnight at the Moose Lodge and includes a two-hour afternoon conversation on working in film with Calo, actor Dan Lauria, David Sonkin and screenwriter Bobby Moresco.

The brunch that hands out the hardware

The festival closes Sunday with its awards brunch at the Moose Lodge from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., where the Shoot the Scene film premieres, brunch is served, and the year's awards are presented across dozens of categories, from best dramatic feature to best film shot with an iPhone.

Long Island filmmaking is woven through the program rather than bolted on: this year's blocks include shorts shot in and about the region, student work, and first-time filmmakers up for their own awards.

Tickets and details

Tickets, including single blocks, day passes and festival-and-brunch combinations, are sold through the festival's FilmFreeway page at filmfreeway.com/NYLIFF, and the full schedule is posted at nyliff.com. The festival's information line is 631-974-3908.

Sources