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When movie aficionados Chris Casey, David Burstein, and Emma Wiseman set about filling the void in the film festival world for a place where high school filmmakers could feature their work, they never envisioned how far their initial idea could grow.
Then only sophomores, the three kids from Weston High Schools class of 2006 founded the Westport Youth Film Festival (WYFF) that showcased not only student films, but also filmmaker roundtables, movie themed panels, and live music from local high school bands.
With hugely positive audience response, Casey, Burstein, and Wiseman knew that they had a winning concept on their hands, but they worried what WYFFs fate would be after they graduated from WHS. Now under the leadership of Katie Hacala 10 and Matthew Kalmans 11, WYFF is about to return for its 7th annual festival since debuting in 2004, and continues to distinguish itself as the only youth film festival in the world run for high school students, by high school students. WYFF is the sole high school film festival in the U.S. that is not affiliated with a school. It is a youth-run program of the Westport Arts Center.
Previously only held on the Saturday before Mothers Day, this year WYFF will be extended over two days, Friday and Saturday, May 7th and 8th, in downtown Westport. Fridays programming will begin at 7:00 pm in Westport Town Hall, and feature two special presentations. The first will be four films made by Connecticut high school students with a grant from Connecticut Project for the Constitution, an organization that enlisted teens to create movies that demonstrate the relevance and importance of the U.S. Constitution in young adult lives. The second part of the evening will feature eight movies from Peace it Together, a British Columbia film program centered around teaching Canadian, Palestinian, and Israeli youth to promote peace through dialogue, filmmaking, and multimedia. Films from this program were shown at WYFF 07 and attracted 250 viewers, making it the most popular program that has ever been featured at the festival.
On Saturday, May 8th, WYFF will kick off at 10:00 am and show 65 student films from all over the world in both Westport Town Hall and Toquet Hall. The screening venues may be separated by Main Street, but WYFFs presence will be seen all over the downtown area with musical performances from local high school bands, free popcorn and soda at Oscars Delicatessen, and WYFF volunteers stationed outside of stores selling t-shirts and dispensing event guides. At 4:00pm, Alex Fjellberg Swerdlowe 11 will officially premiere his award-winning short film The Complex in Toquet Hall, immediately followed by founder Chris Caseys premiere of his web series The Roy Orbison Project, the production of which involved more than five Team WYFF alumni. Casey will be graduating from New York University later this spring. To conclude the WYFF weekend, an Award Ceremony will be held at 6:00pm, where 11 awards donated by Tiffany & Co. will be bestowed upon nine lucky filmmakers and two outstanding community leaders who have been monumental in helping WYFF this past year.
Even though it is named the Westport Youth Film Festival, WHS students have always been hugely involved in all aspects of WYFFs production. Ive definitely enjoyed the experience. WYFFs been motivational, a great atmosphere to put films in and make films for how its run by the students makes kids feel like theyre apart of something, says filmmaker Andrew Nakas 10, whose movie Its Right Behind You will be shown at WYFF in May. This will be Nakass second time having his work in the festival.
The independence that WYFF gives its participants is incredible, and the ability to operate a completely student-run organization is a fantastic opportunity, says Matthew Kalmans 11. This is Kalmanss third year as part of Team WYFF and his first year as a co-director. Next year, he will continue to lead the festival alongside a new counterpart.
With approximately 20 kids on Team WYFF, 14 attend WHS and almost all agree that other than the day of the festival, the best part of WYFF is getting to watch the 200+ film entries that are submitted every year. Screening as a group, Team WYFF kids must whittle down the submissions to about 70 movies that will make up the WYFF lineup. WYFF is like a box of chocolates. You never know what kind of films youre going to get, says the festivals communications director Ross Karlan 10. Dont get me wrong, the movies are all really good, but theyre all SO different. Ive seen entries with topics that range from clothes hanger abortions to first dates. It can get intense!
Even if you do not wish to get involved year-round, many have found a way to participate in WYFF on a limited time basis by volunteering during the day of the festival. Such a person is Lindsay DiBartholomeo 10, who has volunteered at WYFF since her freshman year. For me it has always been really fun to see everyone coming out to watch the films, and it makes me feel like I am getting involved with my community and my peers, praises DiBartholomeo.
All day passes are only $10 for midddle school and high school students, and $15 for adults. See you at the movies!
For further information, contact Sandy Lefkowitz, Westport Youth Film Festival Coordinator, at 203.222.7070, x110, sandy@westportartscenter.org. You can see the schedule of films at Toquet Hall website.
Katie Hacala is a senior at Weston High School and is co-director of the Westport Youth Film Festival. She will attend University of Michigan in the fall with a focus on film studies.
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