Calling all filmmakers ages 10-30 who live or go to school in Vermont: Win cash prizes and share your work on Vermont PBS and at film festivals statewide in the 2017 Freedom & Unity TV Vermont Youth Film Contest. The deadline for the third annual competition, which accepts short films with a Vermont focus, is March 26, 2017. To get rules, enter, and watch films from last year’s contest, visit freedomandunitytv.org.
“We are looking for Vermont-focused films with a range of themes, from history and contemporary issues to personal stories, culture, and the arts,” said contest founder Nora Jacobson. “We want to hear what young Vermonters have to say about their home state: What do they think about, what are their concerns, passions, and hopes for the future?”
This year’s competition expands to include middle school students, and the contest hosts a two-day Youth Film Festival and Media Maker conference on May 6-7, 2017, at the Briggs Opera House in White River Junction. Audiences will be able to view the winning films, participate in workshops taught by professional filmmakers, and more.
“We’re thrilled to expand our focus,” says contest coordinator Signe Taylor. “I think middle school students will bring fantastic new voices to the festival and I can’t wait to see what these young people will create! I’m also excited about adding workshops into this year’s festival. These will give participants and audiences the chance to learn great filmmaking tips, interact with professional filmmakers, and will also help build the filmmaking community in the Green Mountain State.”
Finally, Freedom & Unity TV has announced a new $3,500 Work-In-Progress Filmmaking Award for Vermont filmmakers. Vermont filmmakers working on a film (in any genre or length) that was shot in Vermont, and/or includes a Vermont theme, who are not currently enrolled in an educational institution, are eligible to apply. The application deadline is Feb. 15, 2017.
To learn more, please visit thevermontmovie.com.
Since its creation in 2015, the Freedom & Unity TV Vermont Youth Film Contest has drawn over 200 entries from across Vermont.
The winning films have been screened at the White River Indie Film Festival, the Vermont International Film Festival and at Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival. They have also been broadcast on Vermont PBS and on public access stations across the state.
