A Cinema Across Borders  is directed by an independent organizing committee, presented by the Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies at NYU, ArteEast and The London Kurdish Film Festival and supported, in part, by the Center for Religion and Media at NYU,  the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, the French-American Cultural Exchange, the Norwegian Film Institute and by public funds from New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

The ArteEast Online Short Film Festival exhibits the very best of international independent short filmmaking — from and about the Middle East — providing international exposure for emerging directors. Movie fans, globally, can visit the site to view and vote on winning entries, while a prestigious jury of industry professionals reviews the films rated highest to select the “Best of the Festival".