The Youth By Youth Cinema program is a chance for budding filmmakers, age 8-18, to show their stuff and get their feet wet in the world of storytelling on screen. Shown at TELUS Spark, it’s a great place to see what our children are capable of, and to literally get a front row seat to some very talented newcomers. This program is open to students in elementary, junior high and high school. Host: Ayla Stephen

Award Winners 

OBSCURA
WINNER – Animation All Ages
Director: Ben Thomas

DEAR
WINNER – Silent Film, All Ages 
Director: Laura Malatos 

THE SECRET LIFE OF A GUM WALL
WINNER – Narrative/Live Action/Documentary Ages 7-11
DIirector: Celia Jensen 

THE TEA PARTY
WINNER – Narrative/Live Action Ages 12-15
Director: Nolan Briggs

ELLIE 
WINNER – Narrative/Live Action Ages 16-18
Director: Morgana McKenzie 

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ANIMATION (ALL AGES)

POLAR PALS // 2 min // Allie Graw // Canada
A lonely polar bear leaves his home for Arizona to get away from the cold.

TINY DANCER // 1 min // Keenan Fonger, Connor Too // Canada
When the artist leaves, a little wooden man comes to life.

RED BAND NINJA // 1 min // Jasper Rodrigues // Canada
A playdough man fights for his life in an attack by a red-banded ninja.

OBSCURA // 4 min // Ben Thomas // Canada
An old lady reminisces about love and life.

BEINGS // 2 min // Mark Tuttle // Canada
A young fighter in an alien land finds a way to help another.

LEFT ALONE // 2 min // Brydie Lemkes, Julia Proppe // Canada
Toys have adventures when their owner leaves the house.

RAGS // 2 min // Siena Stark, Maddie Garneau // Canada
RAGS asks: is our consumption costing more than we think?

S IS FOR STORYTELLING // 1 min // The Bum Family // Canada
Mama Starfish reads a story to her baby about Silky the Seal playing tag.

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NARRATIVE/LIVE ACTION/DOCUMENTARY (AGES 7-11)

BEHIND THE ROCKS // 5 min // Maia Costea // Canada
After finding a golden rock, a girl goes on an unexpected adventure.

DIVA STARS // 5 min // Connor Behiels, Marc Behiels, Lucas Marino, Mack Meikle // Canada
It's just another day in the life of these young divas.

THE SECRET LIFE OF A GUM WALL // 4 min // Celia Jensen // United States
A doc about the "gum wall" in Seattle, which was blasted clean after 20 years.

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NARRATIVE/LIVE ACTION (AGES 12-15)

THE ENVIRONMENTAL CAROL // 6 min // Jasmine Massicotte, Sam Kotsibie, Callum Campbell // Canada
Our actions have consequences, and it's time we all realized that.

THE TEA PARTY // 1 min // Nolan Briggs // Canada
A young girl takes matters into her own hands when her tea party is disrupted.

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NARRATIVE/LIVE ACTION (AGES 16-18)

ANTIDOTE // 5 min // Dylan Tuttle // Canada
When a drug trial goes wrong, a scientist tries to discover the antidote.

INVISIBLE // 9 min // Alimzhan Sabir // Canada
A story about coming to terms with who you are.

PIECE OF MIND // 6 min // Anna Svikhnushin // Canada
An enticing message leads Kendal to discover a mysterious gift.

YOUR CHOICE PERIOD // 5 min // Marko Boychuk, Ethan Agena // Canada
Plagued by her best friend's death, Katey is lost in a haze of memories.

DOMINION // 8 min // Stephanie Katherine Grant // United States
The story of Walker James - framed by his boss for a crime he didn't commit.

ELLIE // 7 min // Morgana McKenzie // Canada
An isolated cottage conceals a violent world.

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SILENT FILM (ALL AGES)

GESTURE // 4 min // Rozwell Alexander // United States
A man's cruel past catches up with him and he loses everything.

CLOUD RUNNER // 9 min // Emil Agopian // Canada
A man on an early morning run begins to see strange apparitions in the sky.

DEAR // 1 min // Laura Malatos // United States
During WWII, an evacuee child tries to remain in contact with his mother.

SCRAPS // 3 min // Brynn Lacey // Canada
A young girl finds a way to turn the negative things in her life to positive ones.

SLEEP // 3 min // Mary Aupperle // United States
Sarah stays up late studying. The next morning she's so tired it's dangerous.

A WANDERFUL LIFE // 4 min // Brynn Lacey, Jasper Rodrigues // Canada
Tired of being laughed at, a young girl discovers a magical solution.

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NOT IN COMPETITION

FIRST BREATH (CE QUI NOUS RESTE) // 15 min // Nathan Ambrosioni // France
18-year-old Emmy wakes up from a year-long coma.

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There will be a question-and-answer session, as well as the awards announcement, directly following the screening.