Submission deadline May 31 for Teen Film Festival

Young filmmakers eager to see their work on a screen bigger than YouTube will get the opportunity in the fall, when CSU Monterey Bay will hold its fifth annual Teen Film Festival.

The Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department is accepting entries for the festival, which will be held on Sept. 7 as part of the Monterey Bay Film Festival’s three-day run, Sept. 6-8. The deadline to apply is May 31. Filmmakers between 13 and 19 years old are invited to submit films and videos up to five minutes in length. Entries may be in English or Spanish and there is no entry fee. Entries may be submitted online. TAT students will organize the event and handle the judging, according to Professor Enid Baxter Blader. "It's an educational experience for our students, who want to go out in the world and have their films screened in film festivals. A great way to understand that process is to curate a film festival," Blader said. CSUMB also hopes the festival will serve as a way to interest local teens who might not have considered going to college. By inviting them to campus and showing them what the university offers, they may consider enrolling. While local teenagers are encouraged to enter the competition, it's also open to teenagers from around the world. Last year's event drew more than 200 entries with films submitted fromEcuador, South Africa, Venezuela, Salinas, Soledad and Los Angeles. Close to 400 people attended the festival, making it the most attended event in four years. Teen filmmakers from all over California, their families and community members came to enjoy the show. The Monterey Bay Film Festival will also feature three programs curated by Mike Plante. Plante is an associate programmer of the Sundance Film Festival, and curates many other festivals internationally. This will be his fourth year as the programmer of the Monterey Bay Film Festival.