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!