2025 Festival Jury
Our Jury comprises filmmakers, actors, and academic and industry leaders who are committed to recognizing and supporting the best in innovative, diverse, and artistically excellent film for young audiences throughout the globe.
Jurors select the winners of the Festival’s Best Animated Short and Best Live Action Short. The Festival is an Academy®-qualifying event. Winners of our juried awards are eligible for Academy® consideration in the Best Live Action and Best Animated Short Film categories.
Lake Bell
Actor, writer, director and author of All About Brains: A Book About People
Guillermo Martinez
director and Head of Story at Sony Pictures Animation
Seth Meyers
Emmy® winning comedian and host of Late Night with Seth Meyers; author of I’m Not Scared, You’re Scared.
Matthew Modine
Emmy® nominated actor (Zero Day, Oppenheimer) and producer
Chris Nee
Emmy® Award-winning writer, producer, and creator, Doc McStuffins
Bob Odenkirk
Emmy®-winning writer, actor (Better Call Saul, Nobody), and author of best-selling children's book Zilot and Other Important Rhymes!
Erin Odenkirk
Illustrator of best-selling children's book Zilot and Other Important Rhymes!, former NYICFF intern
Ellen Su
Animation Director and Artistic Recruiter
Kay Wilson Stallings
Executive Vice President, Chief Creative Development and Production Officer for Sesame Workshop