FOCUS ON YOUTH
NEXT GEN BEGINS TOMORROW
No matter what your age, you won’t want to miss the opening night of Next Gen Films - Celebrating young filmmakers from around the region. Join us for selections from four different organizations from around the region that work with teens to encourage creativity, agency, and career skill-building.
These energetic, insightful, and often hilarious short films give you a glimpse into the perspectives of young people in our midst, already having an impact on our world.
Meet and mingle with some of the filmmakers following the screening for a Q&A.
Annie Wright upper school students Tationa Sims, Jaena Han, Aelita Rogers, Sarah Wang, and Julie Shindo, photo by Blair Lindberg
PTFF IMPACTS YOUTH
When educator Blair Lindberg brought a group of “upper school” students from Annie Wright Schools in Tacoma to the 2025 Port Townsend Film Festival, the goal was simple: get them out of their usual environment and into a place where creativity feels possible. Port Townsend’s artist-forward community and PTFF’s mix of films, Forum, and filmmaker conversations offered exactly that. For students exploring storytelling and experimental film (without access to formal media labs or film classes), the festival became a living classroom, where art was treated with the same seriousness, rigor, and excitement as athletics. The visit was made possible through Varsity Arts, an innovative program developed under the leadership of Annie Green, Director of Arts at Annie Wright Schools, which creates opportunities like this for students.
By the end of their visit, Blair saw something shift. As he put it, “their cup was filled as they were leaving Friday night, chatting about the possibilities; they were inspired.” Students left energized and buzzing with conversation - talking through films they’d seen, ideas they wanted to try, and futures they hadn’t quite imagined before. Face-to-face interactions with filmmakers and exposure to PTFF’s Forum panels helped them see creative work not as a distant dream, but as something made by real people, in real communities. For these students, PTFF didn’t just show films; it sparked confidence, and expanded their sense of what storytelling can be.
SUPPORT YOUTH ALL WEEKEND
✍️ Final Call: Short Screenplay Submissions Close Feb 15
Got a short script that knows exactly what it’s doing? PTFF’s Short Screenplay category is officially in its final stretch. Short scripts, big ideas. We’re looking for tight, thoughtful screenplays (max 5 pages | 5 characters | 5 locations) from writers living in Western Washington, with bonus love for stories set on the Olympic Peninsula. If you’ve been polishing, tweaking, or meaning to hit submit “soon”… this is soon.
Final deadline: February 15.
If the Festival feels like a place you belong - or a place you’re curious about - we’d love to have you join our volunteer crew this year. Film is for all, and our expanding volunteer crew is proof. Returning volunteers and new folks are equally welcome.
Submitting the volunteer form or returning waiver helps us stay connected and make sure you’re in the loop as festival season approaches, along with other events throughout the spring and summer.
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