Granite Youth Film Festival: Amplifying Student Voices & Empowering Awareness
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This year marked the Granite Youth Alliance's tenth annual Granite Youth Film Festival. Ten groups from schools across the Greater Seacoast premiered their original films to excited audience members at O’Neil Cinemas in Epping, NH. With a focus on community health, the festival provides students with a platform to voice their perspectives on substance use and other topics that ignite their passions.
The festival began back in 2013 after several groups of students were in search of a way to share their creative work. These motivated students took the initiative and began their own film festival, which has since grown into the multi-night, blockbuster event we know today.
Vicki Harris, a member of the Granite Youth Alliance explains, “The Film Festival was partially to showcase their work and a way for students from different communities to come together and celebrate youth empowerment and their voices.”
Prior to the premiere of the films, participating students pitch their film ideas to a team of panelists who offer feedback and act as mentors. Following the pitch event, the teams begin their production process including writing, directing, filming, and editing. Having the opportunity to connect and collaborate with peers allows students to dive deeper into their own creativity, develop teamwork skills, and think critically about what issues are prevalent in their communities.
This year, ten different films were played at O’Neil Cinemas, and seats filled up quickly as team members, their families, and community leaders entered the theater. Films focused on topics like the dangers of vaping, how to rise above peer pressure, and the importance of maintaining a positive and hopeful outlook on life. Between films, students were able to share stories about their experience working on the film during Q&A segments.
Granite United Way is proud to support The Granite Youth Alliance and The Granite Youth Film Festival. An investment in our youth is an investment in our future. The Granite Youth Film Festival brings together people from across the Seacoast to celebrate the dedication and creativity of these students and to see their hard work on the big screen. The Granite Youth Film Festival is a testament to how powerful it can be when young students share their voice.