Youth Cinema Network Conferen- ce 2021

Youth Cinema Network (YCN) is a worldwide network of 27 youth film festivals, 11 organisations and 10 film & media educators from more than 20 countries worldwide. Founded in Tromsø in 2012, the once informal network has grown quite big in members over the years, and is now in a process of formalisation. For this year’s annual conference, YNC went back to the place where it all started.

YCN’s objectives are: • to share knowledge, best practice and information through a database of media educators and festivals by hosting an annual conference, identifying funding trends and opportunities, enabling partnerships and collaborations and by publishing news and research online; • to advocate for youth cinema by stimulating intercultural dialogue, interpreting EU legislations, creating international strategies and by presenting local best practice globally; • to support the distribution of films made by young people through the dissemination of films from the

member organisations; • to promote and develop film & media education by sharing and exploring new and creative learning approaches and by organising events and workshops dedicated to young filmmakers; • to celebrate excellence among emerging filmmakers by hosting the annual Youth Cinema Network

Award which is given in three age groups (0–14, 15–19 and 20–27).

Members of the network meet annually within the framework of a conference organised by one of the member festivals. Last year’s event was held online in two parts (May, September). One can easily conclude that similar online meetings will become more and more a complementary part of YCN in the future.

The 2021 YCN Conference edition (12-14 November) was held both on and offline, in the framework of the Nordic Youth Film Festival in Tromsø, bringing the event back to the place where it all started in 2012.

Over the course of two days, youth film production was discussed among European colleagues. Among the presentations were talks about young filmmakers’ production in Iceland and Tvibit’s profound support for young Norwegians in Tromsø. “Their insights highlighted possibilities for growth and development in the North’’ mentions Ciarda Tobin (Fresh Film Festival). On the second day Arne Papenhagen (FiSH, Germany) chaired a panel on the importance of “Distributing youth film under the ‘new normal’ circumstances.” In the panel were young filmmaker Chris Hartung and Philipp Aubel (Werkstatt Junge Filmszene, Germany), Katja Morand (Jugendfilmtage, Switzerland) and Stine Wangler (Kurzfilm Agentur Hamburg, Germany). Ciardo Tobin: “They explored topics of analogue and digital distribution and illustrated the possibilities for young filmmakers who want to share their work worldwide.”

In 2022 YCN members will meet again in Karlovac during the Four River Film Festival. A number of events are planned on the occasion of YCN’s 10th anniversary. We’ll keep you posted!

Marija Ratkovic Vidakovic