Editor

The 2015 National Film Festival for Talented Youth (April 23-26) focuses on supporting the next generation of filmmakers; provides a stage for rising cinematic talent from around the globe.

The National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY), the world’s largest and most influential film festival for emerging directors, showcasing work by filmmakers 24 and younger from around the globe, will return for its ninth consecutive year this April 23-26 at the newly remodeled Cinerama in Seattle, WA. This year’s festival features 248 films from 30 states and 25 countries, with directors ranging from age 11 to 24 years.

Founded by three then-teenagers Jesse Harris, Jocelyn R.C., and Kyle Seago in 2007, NFFTY (pronounced “nifty”) has since expanded its reach to an ever-growing number of young artists and audiences of all ages. NFFTY’s programming represents the voice of a new generation, with films covering all topics and genres, from compelling and provocative, to hilarious and uplifting.

NFFTY 2014 launched the “Best Emerging Female Filmmaker” award. In a continued effort to address the issue of gender inequality in film, the 2015 festival will proudly debut its Femme Finale program. This Closing Night presentation will highlight the best works from NFFTY 2015 female filmmakers and will be presented in partnership with Cornish College of the Arts. It is worth noting that 48% of films in NFFTY 2015 lineup were made by young women.

In addition to the Opening Night Gala, Closing Night Program, Awards Show, and Centerpiece Program, other festival highlights (films and programs) include:
 

• TWO AND A QUARTER MINUTES - dir. Joshua Ovalle (16) of Orange County, CA. This short film explores what goes through one's mind in the two-and-a-quarter minutes it takes on average for a person to drown. Says Joshua about the challenge of filming underwater on a budget: “We ended up using a huge fish tank, putting the RED camera inside it, then dunking it a couple feet into the water. We got amazing underwater shots and only spent $120 on a fish tank.”
   
• HOW DO YOU LIKE MY HAIR - dir. Emilie Blichfeldt (21) of Norway. In this personal documentary, the director is determined to learn to accept herself as she is, with hairy legs and a liking for men with big noses. Director Emilie says the hardest part was daring to make a film so personal, but the positive feedback she’s gotten from audiences makes it all worth it.
   
• PASS ME BY - dir. Jared Passante (22), Anna Rich (21), Joe Balewski (24), Graham Carroll (24) of Los Angeles, CA. PASS ME BY is based on the filmmaker’s own experience of attempting suicide, and the brave woman who saved his life. Jared said the hardest part was reliving his experience while making the movie. He adds another challenge was funding: “Like all of my films, I waited tables at a restaurant in Pittsburgh in order to see this story to the screen.”
   
• PORTRAIT OF ABUSE - dir. Nick Chianese (21) of Sewell, NJ. Nick Chianese shares a painful secret from his family’s past for the first time, and how his brother Alex has worked through it through his art. He says that though it was a challenge to remain objective throughout the film, the whole process actually brought his family closer together. Says Nick: “Over the course of the production, my brother, my parents, and I all managed to share our deepest fears and insecurities, to air our dirty laundry. In the end, I believe it helped us to strengthen our bond as a family.”
   
• Real World: Documentaries: These powerful films tackle pivotal themes by diving deep into the ocean of non-fiction storytelling to bring you the tales beneath the surface.
   
• Come As You Are: Six films made by teens exploring LBGT themes.
   
• Reel Animation: An array of animated films crafted by wonderfully creative artists from around the globe.
   
• A Guide to Growing Up: From young to old and everything in between, these films help answer the question of “what does it all mean?!”
   
• Edge of Your Seat: The most bloody, tense, cringe-worthy collection of short films that NFFTY has to offer.
   
• 48-Hour Film Off: Local high schools compete for cash to support their film programs. The challenge: make a three-minute movie in two days!
   
• Building a House: Drama, Dialogue, and Directing with James Foley (GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, HOUSE OF CARDS).
   

Masterclass: The Journey from Idea to Story with Danish screenwriter Rasmus Heisterberg (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO)