15th EDITION OF NFFTY kicks off In-person in Seattle, April 28 - May 1

Celebrate NFFTY's 15th anniversary!  

Seattle-based NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth) is excited to celebrate their 15th Anniversary with over 250 short films from the next generation of NFFTY filmmakers. 

The 2022 hybrid festival kicks off with a weekend of in-person events at SIFF Cinemas in Seattle April 28 through May 1, and continues online through May 8 with a combination of live-streamed events and on-demand shorts packages. Opening Weekend happens one week after SIFF ends, making it easy for locals to extend their film festival experience! 

This year's diverse lineup features filmmakers from 30 states and 35 countries, with over 60% of films directed by women and non-binary identifying filmmakers, and over 47% of films helmed by people of color. 

Film screenings and events will be accessible with the purchase of a festival pass. Attendees can choose from an All-Access Hybrid Pass which includes all in-person events happening April 28-May 1, in Seattle, WA, in addition to the entire virtual festival catalogue from April 28 - May 8; a Virtual Pass with online access to screening blocks, watch parties, guest speakers, and more; or a Day Pass for one-day access to all in-person screenings, workshops and events happening at the festival on that date (Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday). 

Opening Night at SIFF Cinema Egyptian will be a celebration of NFFTY's milestone anniversary, featuring a collection of showstopping shorts directed by undeniably talented youth from around the world. The weekend continues at SIFF Cinema Uptown, with back-to-back screenings of shorts packages all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

The Closing Night Celebration will also be held at SIFF Cinema Uptown, pulling focus to a thoughtful trove of stories that are ruminating on different perspectives associated with leaving, missing, losing, and returning to places we call home. An Awards Ceremony will immediately follow the screening.

In-person event highlights include NFFTY's 2022 Keynote: Adapting a Personal Narrative for Multiple Media, with filmmaker Wes Hurley (POTATO DREAMS OF AMERICA); award-winning Director Martin Strange-Hansen talking the audience through Using Personal Experiences In Your Filmmaking; and Writer/Director Mari Walker (SEE YOU THEN) for Intimate Cinema With Impact, discussing queer stories beyond coming out, building community around your project, and the importance of cinema culture. These events will also be livestreamed! 

 

WATCH THE FESTIVAL TRAILER >  “It’s important to recognize young talent and push them to continue to work hard, tell their stories and chase their dreams because it is a tough industry. NFFTY gave me confidence, and a great start to my career.” — GIGI SAUL GUERRERO, NFFTY ALUMNA, DIRECTOR CULTURE SHOCK / BINGO HELL / THE PURGE TV SERIES 2022 SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS OPENING NIGHT In Person Thursday, April 28, 6:30 PM at SIFF Cinema Egyptian Streaming Thursday, April 28, 6:30 PM through Sunday, May 8, 11:45 PM    We’re kicking off our 15th Anniversary with a collection of show-stopping shorts directed by undeniably talented youth from around the world! Get ready to reconnect with family, contemplate your own identity, and maybe even discover the meaning of life – this screening is a sublime sampling of what you’ll see at NFFTY!   MEOW OR NEVER | Directed by Neeraja Raj In a madcap musical, a catstronaut travels around the galaxy in search of the meaning of life. On one planet, she meets a space pup who'd like to help her, but instead gets her involved in a chain of catastrophes that include smelling 'catnip-bis' and meeting a tribe of marshmallows! SEASICK | Directed by Lindsey Ryan Sadie, a 17-year-old ferry deckhand has her day turned upside down when she tries to delete a love-confessing text message before outing herself to the crew. ON THE FENCE | Directed by Paula Ner Dormiendo Stories of childhood, home, and identity intertwine as five figures sit against a projector, recalling their experiences of cultural disconnect as immigrant youths. PLUM TOWN | Directed by Kelly Yu A young land developer returns to his childhood home in the Chinese countryside for the first time in a decade to convince his stubborn father to finally sell the failing plum orchard. However, when the two find themselves unable to understand each other, they turn to the dusty old karaoke machine in the house to find a common language. TEAM MERYLAND | Directed by Gabriel Gaurano Born and raised in the Watts projects of Los Angeles, twelve-year-old female boxer Meryland Gonzalez fights in-and-out of the ring for the dream to be crowned the 2019 Junior Olympics champion. CENTERPIECE SHOWCASE Co-presented by FIlmsupply & Musicbed In Person Saturday, April 30, 6:15 PM at SIFF Cinema Uptown Streaming Saturday, April 30, 6:15 PM through Sunday, May 8, 11:45 PM  What lies at the center of NFFTY? Even more incredible films and filmmakers of course! The only thing bigger than the talent on display in this screening is the pure passion that was poured into these projects to bring them to fruition. A mix of genres and forms, join us as we enjoy filmmaking at its finest. AZIZ | Directed by Ramiel Petros Childhood friends, who's seemingly playful road trip belies the difficult route ahead, find their friendship forever altered by the final stop. SILVERING | Directed by Eilidh Nicoll Upon discovering a grey hair, a woman becomes entangled in insecurity and fear of the future. The sanctuary of the bathroom takes a turn for the sinister as she spirals into a panic – and the hair becomes her tormentor. CHICKS | Directed by Geena Marie Hernandez A bubbly, girly slumber party spirals quickly out of control when a shy teen becomes the center of her friends’ bizarre nighttime rituals. DID I LOOK CUBAN THEN? | Directed by María Vera Alvarez An exploration into the intersectionalities of the filmmaker's Cuban-American upbringing and multigenerational womanhood through the lens of poetry, photography, cinematography, screen-printing, and found family footage. ONE DAY YOU'LL GO BLIND | Directed by Leo Pfeifer At age 25, Justin Bishop lost his sight — and his skateboarding career. Three years later he set out to learn, again. HOW TO RAISE A BLACK BOY | Directed by Justice Jamal Jones An experimental fairytale dedicated to the modern black boy, in which four boys disappear one night, as many black boys do, and find themselves on a fantastical journey to break the curses of black boyhood. CHICO VIRTUAL | Directed by Olivia De Camps A teenage boy must come to terms with the harsh reality of his immigrant status when his older brother alarmingly doesn't come home. FUFU | Directed by Omolola Rachel Ajao A daughter reminisces on tradition. CLOSING NIGHT In-person Sunday, May 1, 5:00 PM at SiFF Cinema Uptown Streaming Sunday, May 1, 5:00 PM through Sunday, May 8, 11:45 PM   As NFFTY 2022 comes to a close, we’re pulling focus to a thoughtful trove of stories that are ruminating on different perspectives associated with leaving, missing, losing, and returning to places we call home. These affecting accounts shine a light on uniquely human experiences and amplify voices that must be listened to. Join us as we celebrate these films, and the full NFFTY 2022 lineup, at the Awards Ceremony immediately following the screening. CHAPPELL ROAN - "CALIFORNIA" | Directed by Chappell Roan & Ethan Seneker A lyric video about dreams and missing home. ARCTIC SUMMER | Directed by Daniel Fradin & Kyle Rosenbluth A poetic meditation on Tuktoyaktuk (Tuk), an Indigenous community in the Arctic and one of the northernmost towns in the world. The film captures Tuk during one of the last summers before climate change forced Tuk’s coastal population to relocate to more habitable land. WINTER OF '79 | Directed by Julia Elihu At the onset of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, a Persian-Jewish mother is forced to question her faith in her country. MALIHINI | Directed by Ha'aheo Auwae-Dekker An introspective look into Hawaiian identity and living on the mainland, filmmaker Ha'aheo Auwae-Dekker uses a candid conversation with their mother to dissect and deconstruct where they come from and how their family has lived in diaspora. DIAL HOME | Directed by César Martínez Barba Within the walls of a Tijuana call center, a feeling of being in limbo pervades. Homesickness floods the telephone line as agents deported from the United States make calls across the US-Mexico border. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL SCHEDULE