HITN invites filmmakers to participate in inaugural film festival; submission period is open.

BROOKLYN, N.Y.– HITN TV announced today that entries are officially being accepted for the first edition of the ¡Tú Cuentas! Cine Youth Festival to debut from April 15 – May 15, 2020. The online film festival will inform, inspire and elevate the voices of young Latinx in film, by creating new pathways for their stories to be heard.

Presented under the theme The Past meets The Present and Moves into the Future, the ¡Tú Cuentas! Cine Youth Festival is designed to support emerging Latinx filmmakers in their creative endeavors, embracing a wide range of film genres that showcase the talents, vision, history and culture of historically underrepresented communities.

It seeks to champion the voices of those who are currently struggling for visibility on screen and behind the camera by providing a platform for young changemakers to express themselves through art, creativity and innovation.

“We wanted to showcase the unique perspectives and experiences of young Latinos, and we decided the best way to do this was to give young Latinos a platform to express their perspectives through film,” said Michael D. Nieves, President and CEO of HITN.

“Films are one of the most powerful forms of storytelling. They are highly effective at raising awareness, improving understanding and inspiring action and these are precisely our goals with this inaugural film festival,” added Alejandro Molina, ¡Tú Cuentas! Cine Youth Festival Coordinator. “The upcoming 2020 Census and elections are pivotal moments for Latinos. This year’s inaugural theme speaks to what brought us to this moment in time and invites us to imagine a future where we are all seen and heard. Whether you are an amateur filmmaker in college or a high school student who aspires to make movies one day, we want to hear your story.”

The ¡Tú Cuentas! Cine Youth Festival is looking for short films that feature a Latinx in a creative lead position either in front or behind the camera. High school and college students are invited to direct, shoot and create their own short films to enter into the festival. English or Spanish-language works of fiction or nonfiction are welcome.

Filmmakers are invited to submit their short films for one of the following categories:

• Technology
• Arts & Culture
• Environment
• Education
• Social Empowerment

Qualified filmmakers can submit their entries on CineYouthFest.org through Film Freeway.
The submission period opens Monday, February 10, 2020 and runs through Sunday, April 5, 2020.

Eligibility Criteria
Entries are selected by submission only. Short films must be 30 minutes long or less in length. All film genres, including documentary, drama, animation, comedy, and narrative, are eligible. Filmmakers must be 16 years of age or older to be eligible to enter.

Only films completed between January 1, 2017 and January 31, 2020 are eligible for this festival. Visit CineYouthFest.org for a complete list of rules and eligibility criteria.

Awards
The list of selected videos for the ¡Tú Cuentas! Cine Youth Festival will be announced on Wednesday, April 8th and the selection will be screened on CineYouthFest.org from April 15 – May 15, 2020.
An independent jury will evaluate all entries based on a variety of factors, including awareness of subject matter, creativity in approach of subject matter, technical aspects such as directing, acting, cinematography and editing, originality, and inspirational and storytelling impact of the piece. Judges will select two winners from a pool of finalists. A grand prize winner will be selected to receive a cash prize of $3000. An additional student scholarship of $2,000.00 will be awarded to the outstanding work submitted by a student. Winners will be announced on May 22, 2020.

To date, the ¡Tú Cuentas! Cine Youth Festival is being presented in collaboration with Northeastern Illinois University, Roberto Clemente Community Academy and Philadelphia Latino Film Festival.
For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Lina Sands, director of marketing, at LSands@hitn.org.