WORLD’S LARGEST FILM FESTIVAL FOR EMERGING FILMMAKERS ANNOUNCES COMPLETE 2015 PROGRAM
This year’s festival focuses on supporting the next generation of female filmmakers, while providing a stage for rising talent around the world.
 

The National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY), the world’s largest and most influential film festival for emerging directors, showcasing work by filmmakers 24 and younger from around the globe, will return for its ninth consecutive year this April (23-26) at the newly remodeled Cinerama in Seattle, WA. This year’s festival features 248 films from 30 states and 25 countries, with directors ranging from age 11 to 24 years.

In an effort to address the issue of gender inequality in film, the 2014 festival included the launch of the “Best Emerging Female Filmmaker” award, which was presented on Closing Night. This year’s event will continue to create opportunities where emerging female filmmakers can feel supported to pursue their passions as part of its overall mission to encourage and promote the world’s best new filmmakers. 48% of the films in NFFTY 2015 were created by a female filmmaker. NFFTY is also thrilled to announce the Closing Night screening Femme Finale. This is a special program highlighting the best from NFFTY 2015 Female Filmmakers and is presented in partnership with Cornish College of the Arts. 
 

NFFTY’s programming represents the voice of a new generation, with films covering all topics and genres, from compelling and provocative, to hilarious and uplifting. Highlights include:

• Opening Night Gala: presented by Volvo Cars of North America

• Closing Night Program: Femme Finale presented by Cornish College of the Arts

• Centerpiece Program

• Masterclass by Rasmus Heisterberg: The Journey from Idea to Story

Although NFFTY searches the globe for the best new directors, there are some incredible gems from Northwest featured in NFFTY 2015.
 

• Clipped Wings - directed by Coleman Andersen (16), Duncan Gowdy (16), Leo Pfeifer (16) of Ballard High School. 
  The short documentary tells the stories of those most affected by the Boy Scout's ban on gay members.
   

• Critical Mass - directed by Chris Bunker (20) and Zack Gaston (20) of Snoqualmie. Made with a $25 budget (the cost of driving to Hanford for the weekend), this is an in-depth view of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. It asks whether Hanford's waste situation has hit "critical mass." Says Chris: “The difficulties we faced ultimately helped us more than they hurt. They inspired us to work harder and more efficiently to get the job done.”
   

• Typo - directed by Emma Craft (17) and Owen Craft (19) of Anacortes. 
  Auto-correct can be your hero when your spelling and grammar are lacking, and it can be your worst nightmare when you accidentally send a questionable text to your crush. Says Emma of working with her older brother: “My brother is someone who has inspired me to start filmmaking, and someone who has guided me to improve my storytelling, camera, and editing skills. It has always been a goal of mine to have an independent project in NFFTY, and I could not have done it without my brother inspiring me to start filmmaking.”
   

• Operation Relocation - directed by Reed McFeely (11) of Beacon Hill, Seattle. 
  After successfully crowdfunding $50 from his dad, and a ride to the pottery store, Reed made this claymation short. Says Reed: “I wanted to do something creative, and I thought claymation would be the best, because that way I could make all the characters and sets myself. My big brother had made some cool pottery bloblike characters, so that's what inspired mine.”

These films, as well as the complete opening and closing night programs, are available for online preview. The filmmakers are available to speak more about their projects and the process of making great movies at a young age.

The 2015 festival received nearly 1,000 submissions from all over the world. The 2014 festival was attended by more than 12,000 film-goers. 

Founded by three then-teenagers Jesse Harris, Jocelyn R.C., and Kyle Seago in 2007, NFFTY (pronounced “nifty”) has since expanded its reach to an ever-growing number of young artists and audiences of all ages.

To talk to participating filmmakers or NFFTY staff, or obtain press passes, preview links, and high-resolution stills, please email Ryan Ann Davis atryan@smarthousecreative.com.

More About NFFTY

NFFTY is the largest and most influential film festival in the world for emerging directors. NFFTY occurs each spring in Seattle and includes over 200 film screenings, panels, contests, parties and networking opportunities for young filmmakers. Young filmmakers from around the world submit feature-length and short films in narrative, documentary, animation, music video, experimental and action sport categories. Since its launch in 2007, NFFTY has screened films from 1,500 filmmakers from 38 countries, ranging in age from 7 – 24 years.  For updates and news on NFFTY 2015, visitwww.NFFTY.org or www.facebook.com/nffty.