This summer, I, along with 13 other talented young filmmakers, had the privilege of having our short films screened at the Plaza Theatre for the It’s My Life Youth Film Festival. During this elaborate evening, Atlanta’s youth used film as a medium to address current social issues.
The festival had a very interesting vibe to it, much different from the previous film festivals I have attended. It began with a fascinating presentation, a quick video addressing social issues put together by the festival coordinators that then transitioned into a trio of young women doing an elaborate dance performance to the video’s powerful words.
After the performance, another video about the It’s My Life organization, and an introduction to the festival’s hosts, we finally got the show started! After every four films — created by Atlanta youth ages 8 to 18 — screened, the hosts would come up on stage and ask the audience for their opinions on the pieces shown, as well as how they think these kinds of issues should be resolved. While some of this did slow down the overall pacing of the event, it was still interesting to hear the audience, made up of a mix of about 80-100 teens and adults, speak about these kinds of issues and see how the films affected them.
The films themselves were very interesting. Many of these films were about issues in our society, including gay relationships, homelessness, the environment and, most notably, racial equality. I also had the honor of having my most recent stop-motion animated short film, “The Tree That Refused To Fall,” presented here and later took home the Viewer’s Choice Award for it!
Despite the fact that most of these films covered very similar topics, usually race, they all tackled them in different ways. Ranging from symbolic visuals to surprising comedy, the teens did their best to make sure their films would stand out, and they succeeded in doing so! The film that stood out to me the most was the night’s Best Picture winner “Dear Drew.” With its beautiful cinematography, detailed direction, great performances, and strong writing, the film succeeds at giving you that warm feeling inside of being in love with someone that we can all relate to. The best part about it: my fellow VOXer, Maddy Laing, wrote, co-directed and starred in the film!
After all the films were screened, the filmmakers were able to give a brief explanation about their film, including the message behind it, what went into its production and their role in the film. We were all then allowed on the stage to hear who would be receiving the festival’s three awards: Best Picture, Most Impactful Film, and Viewer’s Choice.
The winners were:
Best Picture: “Dear Drew” by Dylan Shapiro & Maddy Laing
Most Impactful Film: “#BlackLivesMatter” by Jonessa Dhanraj
Viewer’s Choice: “The Tree That Refused To Fall” by Mikael Trench
All the contestants were offered a free annual membership to WonderRoot, and the winners were given Chromecast devices. A special prize was also given to the Most Impactful Film winner, who has been offered a position at this fall semester’s VOX Investigates team. It was a great honor to be a part of this event, and I hope all these talented contestants and winners the best!
Mikael Trench, 18, is a rising freshman at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). He is an aspiring filmmaker who specializes in working with stop motion animation.
VOX offers an ongoing outlet for teens’ voices. Interested in sharing your art or story? Email Media@VOXAtl.com.
