Share your story through film or video! Every year we partner with the Kitchener Public Library and the Grand River Film Festival, for a youth video competition. Young people between the ages of 12 and 25 are invited to share their short films and videos to win a $300 prize in each age category.
On this page:
- About the contest
- 2023 winners
- Watch the winning films
- How we choose a winner
- Submit your video
- Resources
About the contest
Are you a storyteller? Do you enjoy sharing your stories and ideas through video or film? Have you been experimenting with shooting short videos that tell a story using a social media platform? Are you interested in film production? Are you studying media arts and looking for opportunities to showcase your work and support your professional CV? Do you want your film or video screened in a movie theatre?
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, we want to see your film or video. Challenge your creativity and storytelling skills and shoot a film that will win you a cash prize and a spot in the Grand River Film Festival lineup!
Our film contest does not have a theme so consider submitting a short video or film that is:
- action/adventure
- animation
- comedy
- dance video
- detective
- documentary
- drama
- educational or instructional video
- experimental
- fantasy
- fiction
- film noir
- music video
- narrative
- promotional video
- science fiction
- travel video
Prizes
Up to two films will win a $300 prize in each of our three age categories:
- 12 to 14
- 15 to 17
- 18 to 25
We may also choose up to 10 honourable mention winners who will each get a prize.
For 2023, there are additional prizes for the 18 to 25 year old age group, thanks to generous donations.
The winning films in the 18 to 25 year old age group will receive:
- one producer membership (value of $75 each), thanks to ED Video
- one weekend rental package (value of $250 each), thanks to ED Video
One winning film in the 18 to 25 year old age group will receive:
- one production value rental package (value of $250), thanks to Lighthouse Equipment Ltd.
Honourable mention winning films in the 18 to 25 year old age group will receive:
- one producer membership each (value of $75 each), thanks to ED Video
2023 winners
Congratulations to the 2023 Youth Video Contest winners, as selected by our jury!
The winners and honourable mentions in each age group (listed below) will receive prizes, depending on their age group (listed above).
12 to 14 years old
Winners
- Korben Meyer-Bowman
- Adrian Mitrana
Honourable mentions
- Erin Jimuro
- Loxley Walsh
15 to 17 years old
Winner
- Randy Lettenbauer
Honourable mentions
- Taite Koehler
- Charlotte Alarie
- Lily Le Kasperski
18 to 25 years old
Winners
- Sophie Corbett
- Aksil Cameron-Gawor
- Sydney Posliff
Honourable mentions
- Cameron Cline
- Aviel Kurulkar
- Nadia Singh
Production value prize
- Cameron Cline
Watch the winning films
Check out the compilation video below to see the winning and honourable mention films.
How we choose a winner
Winners are selected based on their:
- technical merits: we assess technical merits based on how well your film or video meets the submission criteria
- artistic merits: we assess artistic merit based on originality, quality and design; how well have you used these components to tell your story?
Jury
The jury for the contest is composed of industry professionals (filmmakers, social media influencers, writers, production professionals, actors etc.), past contest winners, film enthusiasts, and artists.
The 2023 jury includes:
- Sara Geidlinger, filmmaker and digital producer
- Ejiro Movoria, actor, filmmaker and production coordinator
- Grand River Film Festival board member
- 2020 Youth Video Contest winner
- Kitchener Public Library Youth Council member
- Bangishimo Johnston, City of Kitchener Artist in Residence
- Kitchener Public Library staff
Submit your video
Submissions are closed. Subscribe to this page to get an email when we add submission information for 2024.
Resources
Are you new to filmmaking? Looking for more resources to expand your skills? We collected a list of resources that may be helpful if you’re just beginning to experiment or already have a few films to your name:
- content
- copyright
- equipment rental
- tips and tutorials
- other submission opportunities
- learning resources
- grants
Content
Learn more about the film rating system, storyboarding and developing your story or scriptwriting:
- Motion Picture Association film rating system
- beginner's guide to filmmaking
- storyboarding tips
- scriptwriting tips
Copyright
Copyright is the exclusive legal right given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material and to authorize others to do the same.
All images, music and sound effects used in your film or video must be original or used per the content’s copyright or use guidelines. If we suspect that your film or video inappropriately uses copy-written material, it may be disqualified. This is especially important if you are choosing to tell your story through TikTok or Instagram platforms.
A musical composition, sound effect or image available online may not mean it is in the public domain. You may still need permission from the artist to use it in your film or video. That’s why it’s best to use platforms like Creative Commons.
Check out these resources:
Find assets to use in your film:
- Creative Commons provides millions of songs, images and music if you follow their guidelines
- free sound effects
Equipment rental
Tips and tutorials
Watch these tutorials to help develop your skills as a filmmaker:
- filmmaking concepts
- cinematic shots with inexpensive equipment
- angles and shots with examples
- visual effects
- writing and story structure
Other submission opportunities
Are you looking for other opportunities to screen your film? Check out these local festivals: