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Home >> Blogs >> Editor’s blog >> Seattle-based NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth) returns next week for their 16th edition
Seattle-based NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth) returns next week for their 16th edition
16th EDITION OF NFFTY In-person in Seattle, April 27 – April 30 Virtually April 27 – May 7
Seattle-based NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth) is excited for their 16th edition, with 25 screenings showcasing over 200 short films from the next generation of NFFTY filmmakers.
The 2023 hybrid festival kicks off with a weekend of in-person events at SIFF Cinema Uptown in Seattle April 27 through April 30, and continues online through May 7 with a combination of recordings from live events and on-demand shorts packages.
This year’s diverse lineup features filmmakers from 32 states and 28 countries, with over 54% of films directed by women and non-binary identifying filmmakers, and over 50% 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 27-30, in Seattle, WA, in addition to the entire virtual festival catalog from April 27 – May 7; or opt for a Virtual Pass with online access to screening blocks and more.
Opening Night will be on Thursday, April 27 at SIFF Cinema Uptown featuring compelling stories from talented youth around the world, and continue through the weekend at the 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 together a collection of films that will stick with you long after you leave the theater. An Awards Ceremony will immediately follow the screening.
In addition to its short film programs, NFFTY is offering 9 panels and workshops this year that are designed to give filmmakers the opportunity to learn from industry pros and ask burning questions to help them take their craft to the next level, including a Keynote with rising filmmaker Kris Mercado (If You Were the Last).
OPENING NIGHT In Person Thursday, April 27, 6:30 PM at SIFF Uptown Streaming Thursday, April 27, 7 PM through Sunday, May 7 11:45 PM PST
Now that NFFTY is old enough to drive, let’s hit the road together and celebrate! Our Opening Night collection features stories of daring determination, inimitable intimacy, and a truly iconic wiener dog – proving once again the tireless creativity of the next generation of filmmakers.
I AM HOME | directed by Kymon Greyhorse
A poetic memoir, a love letter that speaks of introspection and what it means to rediscover who you are and cherish where you come from.
In Sight | directed by Wendy Lu, Natalie Tran & Cindy Zhi A young troublemaker and her dog set out on a journey up a mountain to shoot down the brightest star in the sky.
As You Are | directed by Daisy Friedman When an interabled queer couple spends the night together for the first time, they must confront their complex relationships with desire, sexuality, bodily autonomy, and what it means truly to love another person.
And Still, We Thrive | directed by Joy Xing A Chinese immigrant looks back on the triumphs and struggles of his twenty-three year long journey in Canada.
To The Lights | directed by Emily Kim When a young girl is faced with a chance to escape North Korea, she must confront her loving father devoted to his nation.
Chicken | directed by Josh Leong In a Bronx juvenile prison, a 16-year old boy faced with losing custody of his child must discover what it takes to be a father through the raising of a chicken. Inspired by true stories.
Noodles Forever | directed by McKinley Carlin En route to his daughter’s birthday party, a hapless father annihilates a wiener dog with his car.
CENTERPIECE SHOWCASE In Person Saturday, April 29, 7:30 PM at SIFF Uptown Streaming Saturday, April 29, 7:30 PM through Sunday, May 7 11:45 PM PST
Centerpiece, more like Center-pièce de résistance! Featuring exceptional filmmaking flair, this stunning showcase is teeming with interpersonal inharmony, thoughtful explorations of self, and radiating desires to better understand the world around us.
Rodney Chrome – To The Money | directed by Zac Dov Wiesel The story of a Ghetto Popstar; After finding a bag of unlimited money in the forest, Chrome’s destiny becomes set in stone.
I Probably Shouldn’t Be Telling You This | directed by Emma Weinswig Minna, a self-flagellating influencer, is concealing her crush and fandom for Frank while invited to be a guest on his famous podcast. She starts off strong with her performative vulnerability, but Frank eventually strips off her flirtatious facade and they discover they’re both even more attracted to the honest truth.
Colony | directed by Pilar Garcia-Fernandezsesma An animated film exploring childbirth and pregnancy through the lens of lineage, fear, loss of self, and the ascension to motherhood.
Paloma | directed by Brittany Young A drama that follows the conversation between a teenage girl, who’s recently been sexually assaulted, and the skeptical principal she’s confiding in to build up the courage to file a report.
Fruits of Labour | directed by Ophellia Spinosa Interplaying the metaphor of grapes, this father-daughter documentary is characterized by the labour of love it is to make wine, but also the labour of love that is love itself.
Birdsong | directed by Hrishi Bardhan Amidst moving homes, a superstitious Indian-American girl struggles to bury her pet bird in fear of it haunting her.
Puck | directed by Rebecca Ozer When the rules of an open relationship allow only casual sex, two new lovers must navigate their immediate chemical connection over a magical afternoon of root beer floats and living room kisses.
CLOSING NIGHT In Person Sunday, April 30, 5:30 PM at SIFF Uptown Streaming Sunday, April 30, 5:30 PM through Sunday, May 7 11:45 PM PST
To say “that’s a wrap!” on NFFTY 2023, we’re closing out the festival with a collection of films that will stick with you long after you leave the theater. From tender tales of treasured memories to a robust bond between compassionate siblings, come prepared to celebrate the trove of talent on display in this screening – and at the Awards Ceremony immediately following!
Dhruv – Grateful | directed by Christina Xing A singular, vivid film about Dhruv Sharma’s childhood. From dressing up as a princess and waltzing his way around his grandmother’s house, to being completely uninhibited, twirling in his grandma’s garden.
For Black Muslim Girls | directed by Niya Abdullahi For Black Muslim Girls explores the social nuances behind identity expression and what it takes to fall back in love with yourself.
Onán | directed by Diego Toussaint Tamara, a young nun, finds herself tempted to betray everything she’s ever believed in when a vibrator magically appears at her doorstep. Now, she will unconsciously subject her faith in God to a confrontation with a worthy opponent: the urge to have her first orgasm.
Obtusion | directed by Nathan Cowles A documentary following an older brother as he interviews his sister, 4 months after she was diagnosed with anorexia, body dysmorphia and an eating disorder. On the verge of legally having to go to a facility, the older brother tries to untangle his sister’s inner voices and find out why she refuses to get better
The Mess We’re In | directed by Jamie Lam Still living in the hoarder’s house she grew up in, young adult Dara contemplates moving forward in life.
Half-Light | directed by Lauren Jevnikar A couple debates having unprotected car sex late at night.
Wilfrid | directed by Samuel G. Davey When a 4 year old boy discovers that his 85 year old friend has memory loss, he learns what a memory is and how he can return them to her.
The Stack | directed by Isabelle Hahn “The Stack” recalls the gut wrenching feeling of losing who you once thought to be your forever, and the process of detangling yourself from that.
PRESS CONTACT
To attend the in-person weekend, request screeners for review, film images, or interviews, please contact: Amie Simon | amie@smarthousecreative.com | 206.355.5535
NFFTY advances and connects talented young filmmakers worldwide. We seek to disrupt systems of inequity in the film/media arts industry. Founded to address discrimination against young film professionals, we celebrate and elevate work by women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other young persons from traditionally marginalized communities at a crucial stage in their emergence as an artist and storyteller. We ensure that emerging filmmakers are represented and given a platform to share their perspectives.
