The 2021 WYFF program

The Road Beyond by Bailey Hewson
Bailey is a student living in Mashpee, MA
From the filmmaker: Follow Bailey as he gets ready, to decide which way he will go. Based in Cotuit, he has to decide and come to a decision - choices can alter everything.

Two Friends and the Perfect Taco by Ciara Hess
Ciara is a 5th grader at Eastham Elementary School and loves to play sports, do photography, film, painting, singing, writing music. She also plays the violin.
From the filmmaker: Two friends find the perfect taco sign and go and explore for the perfect taco before the world ends.

Drunk On Rollerblades by Adagio Esposito
Adagio is a 12 yr. old student who lives on Martha's Vineyard.
From the filmmaker: I love watching Charlie Chaplin movies, and I wanted to make something in his style. My film started as a silent film, and then I as I re-watched my film, I started doodling on the piano. I was thinking of the way the music sounds in the original Charlie Chaplin films. That's when my music for my film came together. I think of art as a beautiful form of creation. With music, it's something that's all around us every day…when I make music it's the passion coming from inside me. I'm just starting to make films, and I feel like films come from the same place.

Super Senior by Kelan Warren
Kelan is a student at Nauset Regional High School.
From the filmmaker: I am a senior in sports production class. This film is about a senior training for the season.

Effect of Technology by Elise Edmonds
Elise is a student currently taking a film & media class and lives in Mashpee, MA.
From the filmmaker: This film takes a deeper look at the people technology has created, specifically young people.

A Man’s Best Friend by Owen White
Owen lives in Orleans, MA.
From the filmmaker: I am an 18-year-old student who loves soccer, film making, and film editing. I have been taking video tech for all years of high school and it has really changed my view on school. I love film and would love to continue it after high school!

Running 101 by Finn Riley
Finn is a senior at Nauset Regional High School, and a student athlete.
From the filmmaker: This is a documentary on life lessons learned from running high school cross country and track.

Little Star by Theodore Adnet-Bruce
Theodore is a 9th grader in New York, NY.
From the filmmaker: My father is an artist and my mother is a musician and I've always loved to draw and listen to music. Art and music help me cope with the stress of school and life, especially this year of the pandemic. My mom, Jenny Bruce AKA GHOSTE's, song, Little Star inspired me to make this animation.

-Intermission -

Essays: The Nightmare of All Students by Daniel George
Daniel is a student living in Sandwich, MA.
From the filmmaker: A young student informs you on how to make an essay, though he has a budget of $.01 he still tries his best to help out those who need that kind of help.

Hot Dogs by Madelyn Hilley
Madelyn is 10 yrs old and lives in Brewster, MA. She is active in the Harwich Junior Theater programs and enjoys reading and creative arts.
From the filmmaker: A guy wants an app, but it costs $6. He asks his mom to pay for it, but she tells him to go get a job. He starts selling hot dogs!

Dear Future Roommate by Kyleigh Shelley
Kyleigh is a high schooler who lives in W. Yarmouth, MA.
From the filmmaker: This is a short film that is just a glimpse into my life as a person, and how I will be as a roommate. I'm ready for college and I'm ready to make the best memories with my friends and roommate.

The Game of the Century by Lucas Meehan
Lucas is a student who lives in Harwich, MA.
From the filmmaker: Two of the best basketball players ever to grace a ball play an insane 1-on-1 game.

Pandemic Pupils by Shakira Brooker
Shakira is a student at Provincetown Public Schools.
From the filmmaker: This is a music video made by 5th grade Provincetown School students in a Film & Media class, recreating what the early pandemic time was like for them. We enjoyed doing this project very much.

Broken by Devin Farrell
Devin is a 9th grader at Nauset and lives in Brewster.
From the filmmaker: I love living on Cape Cod and enjoy all activities involving the outdoors. This is my first video I have ever made! This film is about cancelled seasons and broken dreams. A young athlete is sad, but looks ahead to the future.

JLK (Just Little Kid) by Joseph Costanzo
Joseph is a student who lives in Nantucket, MA.
From the filmmaker: JLK is all about just chasing you're dreams and just not caring about what other people think. I have always wanted to film a music video in the city but just never had the right song for it. After I made “JLK” I knew it was the right one, we recorded in many different places around Boston and also in the city.

Award winners will be announced at the end of the program.

And the 2021 WYFF Awards go to…

Best Narrative: Man's Best Friend, by Owen White, Orleans MA

Owen uses powerful imagery to illustrate his theme of a dog's unwavering loyalty, and how our pets provide comfort during difficult times. Smooth editing, a thoughtfully chosen soundtrack, and creative touches make this our selection for Best Narrative film. Let's not forget a fine performance by the pooch.....Congratulations, Owen!

Best Animation: Little Star, by Theodore Adnet-Bruce, New York NY

We loved the kinetic, dreamlike style of Theodore’s animation and how it pairs beautifully with his mother's song. Movement, color and creative visuals compliment both the lyrics and the overall uplifting, melodic tone of the music. Theodore strikes a lovely balance between the abstract and fantastical with the down-to-earth realities of human sadness, curiosity and joy. A fantastic film. Congratulations, Theodore!

Best Music Video: Pandemic Pupils, submitted by Shakira Booker, Provincetown MA

Fantastic group effort that required patience, ingenuity and a strong collaborative spirit - all resulting in a fun, energizing pop song medley. Thoughtfully written lyrics express many of the frustrations and feelings of both isolation and hope that students have experienced during the pandemic. We commend the hard work and commitment these youths displayed in getting this project completed, especially under such difficult circumstances. Bravo and congratulations!

Best Documentary:“Running 101” by Finn Riley, Brewster MASelected by special guest judge Jake Srebnick, 2020 WYFF Best Film of Festival winner.

"This film is not organized in a traditional documentary style, which is what made it interesting and engaging for me to watch. Finn uses B-roll beautifully throughout the film to complement the eloquent voiceover detailing Finn’s experiences as a runner and the deeper life lessons running has instilled in him. The variety of shot types (close-up, POV, wide-shots, panning, etc.) also help to keep the viewer engaged. Although the film is ultimately about Finn’s personal experience as a runner, we never see his face. Instead, the camera switches between shots of his legs, running shoes, and his running path. It brings the audience into the experience and there are moments where you almost feel as if you are running alongside Finn....Finn’s storytelling does more to show the viewer what the feeling is like then merely relating it through narration." - Jake SrebnickCongratulations, Finn!

The 2021 submissions window is now closed. If you’d like to learn how to apply for next year’s festival, please email us at yourfriends@wellfleetpreservationhall.org

Submission guidelines:

• This festival is open to young filmmakers ages 8 - 18.

• Residents outside of Cape Cod are welcome to apply.

• Categories include Narrative (Drama, Comedy, or SciFi), Animation, Documentary and Music Video.

• Filmmakers will be divided into 3 age groups: 8 -11, 12 – 14, and 15 – 18.

• Only one film per filmmaker is allowed. Choose your best work!

• Minimum 1 minute, maximum 5 minutes running time.

• Films must adhere to G or PG rating standards.

• All films must be submitted with a title and credits.

• Any music recordings in the film must be original work and/or included with permission by the songwriter or license holder, OR available copyright-free from the public domain. Inclusion of unlicensed music will automatically disqualify your film from consideration.

• Filmmakers under the age of 18 must have parental consent for their work to be shown in the festival. Release forms will be sent to all accepted filmmakers and must be signed and returned for their film to be included in the final program.

• Group submissions i.e. school projects or team efforts should be submitted under one director’s name.

In the event that more qualified films are submitted than the program running time will allow, finalists will be chosen and Cape residents will be given priority.

The final festival program will be announced mid-April.

Recognition will be awarded for aptitude in screenplay/writing, editing, cinematography and originality/creativity. 

Questions about any of the above? We’re here to help! Email vanessa@wellfleetpreservationhall.org if you need help understanding the guidelines, or input on how to insure your film qualifies for the festival.

Application

Please fill out the application below. When you submit your application, you will be directed to a page to upload your film and waiver.

About WYFF:
The Wellfleet Youth Film Festival is designed to encourage and promote a challenging, fun and exciting creative outlet for young people and artists. For those who wish to pursue the craft of filmmaking, this festival provides a great opportunity for gaining real-world experience. Recognition of exceptional work will be given via awards, however this festival is not a competitive contest and therefore we welcome a diverse range of skill levels. Our goal is to create an opportunity for all youth to explore and develop their creative and artistic abilities, to express their unique selves, to provide support and feedback to one another, and to enjoy the rewards of seeing their project through to completion. Someone once said, “A good film is a finished film”. So…let’s make some movies!