The second annual All American High School Film Festival took place Thursday, October 23 through Sunday, October 26. Boasting submissions from over 15 countries and over 1,000 teen filmmakers in attendance, the AAHSFF is the biggest high school film festival in the world.
The teen filmmakers tackled various subjects – some dealt with individuality, the nuances of young romance, even the possibility of a zombie apocalypse in a high school. Many of the films unpacked the concept of individuality. Dylan Sparano, who was attending for an experimental animation he created, told MTV News that he hoped his film “speaks to some people that you can be cool not fitting in.”
Others filmmakers highlighted the complexities of mental health issues, drug addiction, and school shootings. Filmmaker Katie Yates spoke about her friend’s documentary on cyberbullying, and how the film was inspired by another friend’s devastating experience. “Cyberbullying is not okay,” she declared.
Despite the many different genres of film, one message remained clear: Young people want you to know they’re the ones to look out for
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