Youth Collective Film Festival

Youth Collective Film Festival 2023: Democracy

Check out the Digital Program!

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The Youth Collective Film Festival will be held June 7, 2023 in New York City. The theme of this year’s festival is DEMOCRACY.

NYC-area high school students will gather for a day of screenings, from animation to documentary to music video, as well as award presentations, speakers, filmmaker Q&A, and discussions about media, democracy, and ethics. 

Selected films will be screened at our NYC festival and considered for distribution on public media, including broadcast and digital platforms. Films will also be judged for special awards and recognition.

Learn about the day’s programming, judges, speakers, filmmakers and more in our digital program.

THE FILMS

We opened submissions to filmmakers ages 13-25 for short films, under 40 minutes, that address this year’s theme: DEMOCRACY. Submissions could be any genre - narrative, documentary, animation, music videos, and more.

Filmmakers were encouraged to think beyond politics and show creative and thoughtful interpretations of what democracy can mean.

This year’s selected films are:

  • Cycle of Litter

  • Democracy - A Musical Production

  • Gen Z Mental Health: Climate Stories

  • Growing Up in America: Life After the Taliban

  • Illegitimate Voice

  • Return Date Unknown

  • The Oubliette

  • The Speech of Txai Surui

  • Togetherness (Kapwa)

  • Two Americas

  • Unpunished Crimes

  • You Need to Vote

  • When I Speak Freely

SUBMISSIONS

Submissions are closed. Thanks to all who submitted!! If you are interested in learning about how to create for public media, check out the recording from our virtual info session!