Sharing the thoughts from YCN Conference 2024 in Rostock, Germany

The YCN members meet annually for the YCN conference, which is held in a different location each year. The conference is usually attached to a festival event and focuses on the topic that was the most engaging regarding youth cinema in that period of time.

This year's conference took place during the Fish – Festivalen im Stadshafen, from 9th to 10th of May in Rostock, Germany. Besides YCN members (who were in total 35 present), it was also opened to professional film educators from the German film industry. The time in Rostock was both productive and creative. Except for YCN internal planning, the Conference covered following topics:

·      Collaborative Café where different film education perspectives were shared: “Dubbing a movie scene” by Robert Hinterleitner (YAAAS! Linz, Austria), “Additional qualification in film education” by Vera Schöpfer (Filmhaus Köln, Germany), “16 mm Found Footage Workshop” by Sophia Wohlfahrt (REC Berlin, Germany) and “Film in an urban space” by Hana Repše (Enimation Maribor, Slovenia)

·      More than just a film – open panel on How to empower with film work

·      More than just a festival – open panel on How to empower with festival work

·      AI in film and film education where members shared their experience, such as “How not to worry about AI...” by Manolis Melissourgos (Camera Zizanio Festival, Greece) and “How to create visuals for festivals with AI” by Eivind Nordengen (Amandus Filmfestival, Norway). The second part was designed as a lab on how to define the objectives of potential cooperation projects with the help of AI which was led by Alexander Rihl, M.A. (Institute of Political Sciences and Communications, University of Greifswald, Germany).

Important part of the Conference was presentation of so called YCN Collaborative map, which maybe summarise the core of the network in the best possible way. If one checks the map: Collaborativ Map YCN – Google Mina kartor one can see all the connection that YCN already made happen: all the collaborations in the framework of workshops, festival, jury members, festival volunteering and other joint event. And that is actually the real value of the network: to find a partner on the other side of the globe who share the same energy regarding the development of youth cinema.

Next YCN Conference is planned for November 2025 in Trollhättan (Sweden) in the framework of Novemberfestivalen.

We present you YCN Awards for 2023!

The annual YCN Award recognizes excellence in film made by young people. Established in 2016 as a single award, it is now presented to the best films in three age groups:

• ages 0 – 14

• ages 15 – 19

• ages 20 – 27

In 2021, one more section was presented: film made in the framework of a short-term workshop.

YCN festivals nominate one film for each group, YCN members cast one vote per age group (a festival may not vote for its own nomination) and the films with greatest number of votes in each age category are declared winners. Every year the YCN awards are presented at a different festival. Starting with Wicked Wales Film festival, UK in 2016, the awards have been announced at REC, Germany (2017), Nextfilmfestival, Denmark (2018), Enimation, Slovenia / Up and Coming, Germany (2019), Camera Zizanio, Greece (2020), Nordic Youth Film Festival, Norway (2021) and Novemberfestivalen, Sweden (2022).

2023 YCN Awards have been announced at the Up and Coming festival in Hannover, Germany in the end of October.  The list of the winners is as follows:

· Ages 0 – 14: Viktoria

Filmmaker: "Aniděti"

Ukraine, Czech Republic / animated documentary

Nominated by A-FilmTeensFest, Czech Republic

Synopsis: From Eastern Ukraine to Prague. Why did Viktoria come to the Czech Republic years ago and how did she settle in the Czech Republic over the years?

· Ages 15 – 19: As You Are

Filmmaker: Daisy Friedman

USA / fiction

Nominated by NFFTY, USA

Synopsis: When an interabled queer couple spends the night together for the first time, they must confront their complex relationships with desire, sexuality, bodily autonomy, and what it means truly to love another person.

· Ages 20 – 27: Wall to Wall

Filmmaker: Linda Lövgren

Sweden / fiction

Nominated by Novemberfestivalen, Sweden

Synopsis: The film is about a mute girl named Lo, who does anything to avoid social contact. One day, she receives a package delivered to her home, which contains a microphone, the contents of which lead her to contact her strange neighbor. They begin to communicate with each other through the wall and become friends. A friendship that means more than they can imagine.

· Workshop category: Our Dreams

Filmmaker: a group of authors

Czech Republic / documentary

Nominated by A-FilmTeensFest, Czech Republic

Synopsis: The film was created by children from the Children's Home in Duchcov as part of the documentary workshop Adonai for people, which is also sponsored by the A-FilmTeensFest festival. It offers a heartfelt look into their lives in the orphanage, highlighting their unwavering determination and remarkable talents.

Winning films are going to be shown throughout 2024 at more than 20 youth film festivals – members of the Youth Cinema Network: from USA, over Greece to India. Once again, congratulations to the winners! As they say, the sky is the limit…Next stop – Bafta, Golden Bear or Oscars!

YCN Conference 2023 in Zürich, Switzerland

Every year YCN network organizes an annual conference for its members, which is usually attached to a festival event. This year's conference took place during the 47th Schweizer Jugendfilmtage, from 23rd to 24th of March in Zürich, Switzerland. Besides YCN members, it was also opened to professional film educators from the Swiss industry.

The time in Zurich was both productive and creative. Except for YCN internal planning, the Conference covered following topics:

- „Greener Film Festivals“: How can film festivals be more sustainable in the future?

- „Audience Accessibility“ - How can film festivals be made accessible and inclusive for more people?

- Case study - Filmkids: Film school for children and young people between 10 and 18 years, leisure and vacation offers, courses for schools - including tour of the location

- Case study - Roadmovie / Zoomz : Switzerland‘s mobile cinema brings films to communities without a cinema

- Case study - Filmhaus Basel: studios for filmmakers, cinema, artists residency, space for events and workshops

- „How is Media Education built into the school systems and what role does YCN play?“

Next YCN Conference is planned for May 2024 in Rostock (Germany) in the framework of FiSH – Filmfestival im StadtHafen.

YCN Awards announced at Novemberfestivalen in Sweden!

The annual Youth Cinema Network (YCN) Award recognizes excellence in film made by young people. Established in 2016 as a single award, it is now presented to the best films in three age groups:

• ages 0 – 14

• ages 15 – 19

• ages 20 – 27

In 2022, one more section was presented: film made in the framework of a short-term workshop.

YCN festivals nominate one film for each group, YCN members cast one vote per age group (a festival may not vote for its own nomination) and the films with greatest number of votes in each age category are declared winners. Every year the YCN awards are presented at a different festival. Starting with Wicked Wales Film festival, UK in 2016, the awards have been announced at REC, Germany (2017), Nextfilmfestival, Denmark (2018), Enimation, Slovenia / Up and Coming, Germany (2019), Camera Zizanio, Greece (2020) and Nordic Youth Film Festival, Norway (2021).

This year’s YCN Awards have been announced at Novemberfestivalen in Sweden. You can watch the whole ceremony as well as the “thank you speeches” here: https://www.facebook.com/YouthCinemaNet/videos/1096813044317768/

The winners are listed below:

Ages 0 – 14: Take Heart
Made by Lilith Jörg
Germany / animation
Nominated by FiSH - Festival im StadtHafen Rostock, Germany 

Ages 15 – 19: Runaway
Made by Wilma Sjögren
Sweden / fiction
Nominated by Novemberfestivalen, Sweden

 Ages 20 – 27: Heart Failure
Made by Will Wightman
UK / fiction
Nominated by BFI Future Film Festival, UK

Workshop category: Autonomy
Made by a group of authors
Norway / fiction
Nominated by NUFF - Nordisk Ungdom Film Festival, Norway

Order your ENIMATION box and make your own animated films!

The ENIMATION box is a great device for learning about the making of animation. The wooden box serves as a recording stand for the camera and the base for the animated film scene. The box also includes materials to make 5 antique optical toys with instructions.  The set is suitable for both school groups and home use.

The ENIMATION box set contains:

■      a wooden box that serves as a recording stand for the camera as well as a base for the animated film scene.

■      material for making the thaumatrope

■      material for making the folioscope

■      material for making the flip book

■      material for making the phenakistoscope

■      material for making the zoetrope

The set does not include a light. 

OPTICAL TOYS are devices that play with our vision. With their help, our brain perceives a series of static images, one shown quickly after another, as a continuous moving image. Research into optical toys began in the early 19th century, which later led to the invention of animation.

Creating moving images is magical, so we are happy that you are entering this wonderful world with us.

Let’s assemble a wooden box. The box will help us with recording the image under the camera or in front of the camera. How? Use your phone or tablet and follow the enclosed instructions. Research and explore animation online or attend an animation class to learn more about the process of making animation, film language and other interesting facts about animation.

The films that you create can be submitted to the ENIMATION film festival. Every year, the international Children and Youth Film festival ENIMATION invites young creators under the age of 19 from all over the world to present their films.

ORDER: hana@enimation.si 

PRICE: 99,90 EUR + 25 EUR postage 

The Enimation Box was created in cooperation with Zavod MARS Maribor (Maribor Institute MARS), the Association for Film Culture Development and KreatorLab Maribor.

Distribution:

Zavod MARS Maribor (Mars Institute Maribor)

Vetrinjska ulica 30, 2000 Maribor

www.marsmaribor.org, info@marsmaribor.org

in cooperation with:

The Association for Film Culture Development

www.enimation.si, info@enimation.si 

Happy birthday YCN: 10 years in one book!

September 9, 2022 was a big day for the Youth Cinema Network family! The new book 10 years of YCN, 2012-2022 which tells the story about the development of the Network since its very first days was presented in the framework of the Four River Film Festival in Karlovac, Croatia. Presenting the book were Helena Enright – the book's editor, Hermann Greuel – one of the founders of YCN, Marija Ratković Vidaković – YCN co-ordinator and Sanja Zanki Pejić – long-term member of YCN and one of the book’s publishers, the Croatian Film Association.

The book consists of six chapters: In the Beginning – Connections and Possibilities; The YCN Award – Recognition; Collaboration & Exchange: An Informal Education; Give & Take; Festivals in Pandemic – What a Challenge and The Future of YCN – The New Generation). All of the articles found in these chapters summarize the YCN's activities, mission and goals through a series of interviews with YCN members, as well as the short quiz-questions which give the readers an insight into the world of films made by children and youth.

In its 10 years so far, the greatest contribution of YCN is primarily found in the distribution of the films made by children and youth around the world. Additionally, YCN is the primary source of implementation of many collaborative youth film projects for many of its member organizations. Such exchanges are enabling new experiences to numerous young people.

You can read the new book below! So what else is there to say than – enjoy your reading!

You can also watch the recording of the book’s presentation below:

The trailer for the book is available below:

Coming up next: YCN Conference at Four River Film Festival in Karlovac, Croatia

So far, the YCN has been around for 10 years and has plans for many many more!  And don't forget – this year's annual conference will be held in Karlovac, Croatia in September at the 15th Four River Film Festival. Some of the topics that will show up on YCN’s busy schedule in Karlovac are the following:

* 10 years of YCN – Where we are & where are we heading to?

* Animation Box – workshop

* Literature on film pedagogy & education

* YCN Book Presentation

The Four River Film Festival team cannot wait to welcome all the YCN members in Karlovac!