Reel Teens
Last night, I went to "Reel Teens," an annual film festival in Hunter Mountain, NY, which airs short films produced by teenagers around the world. (My favorite: "Holla Back Dubai" in which kids from Washington Heights sent footage of their apartments and neighborhood to Dubai and kids from Dubai did the same. Typical interview question? "What kind of candy bars do you have?")
The man who started the festival about five years ago did so because of his concern about cuts in arts funding in schools. This year's festival had 280 entries (inc. India and Finland) and several of the young filmmakers were present to receive their awards.
It was tremendously exciting to see kids ranging in ages from 10 to 18 shooting documentaries, public service announcements, and short fiction. (I went with a neighbor who directs a TV series and he was so stunned by the kids' invention and sophistication, he kept moaning "I'm out of a job.")
These types of festivals need support, since government cut-backs are decimating arts programs in schools.
Here are some links to websites aobut teen film festivals. Go to one, help fund one, or talk a teen you know into entering their own work.
Kid Filmakers
Bay Area and West Coast Regional Film Festivals for Kids
Angelus Awards (Hollywood)
American Alien Entertainment