The 8th Annual Flint Youth Film Festival Crowns Its Winners

FLINT, Mich. - EntSun -- The 8th Annual Flint Youth Film Festival, held on Saturday, July 22, 2023. Presented by iMichigan Productions, this year's festival was a resounding success, captivating audiences with an exceptional showcase of talent and creativity from young filmmakers across Michigan.

The Flint Youth Film Festival has become a beacon of inspiration, providing a platform for emerging filmmakers to exhibit their passion for storytelling and filmmaking. This year's festival saw an extraordinary array of submissions, each reflecting the diverse perspectives and innovative storytelling of the young minds behind them.

The festival's Director, Justin R. Brown, expressed his elation at the overwhelming response to the event. "The Flint Youth Film Festival continues to exceed our expectations year after year. Witnessing the dedication and talent of these young filmmakers is truly inspiring. We are proud to offer them a stage to shine and share their unique voices with the world."

The final three awards, the Industry Award, Heart Award, which is for a film that shows passion from the entrant(s) which outshine all others and the Audience Choice Award will be presented on Friday, July 28, 2023, at the Ferris Wheel, 615 S. Saginaw St., Flint, MI | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM.  The reception will feature Mayor Sheldon Neeley and Celebrity Host Colette Boyd, Anchor, WNEM TV5. Tickets are still available. To reserve TICKETS.

Here are the outstanding winners of the 8th Annual Flint Youth Film Festival:

13-15 Achievement Award
#lifeon2wheels – Austin Kim

Behind the Camera – Grace Ann Greenfield

Color Blind – Susannah Norris

Monster – Ashoka Kerns

Parting Ways – Gio Guerrero

Repurposed – Blake Jarvis

The Best Day – Isla McKenna

The Trash Pandemic – Maddie, Ben, & Brendan

Yesterday, Again – Noah Shin

16-18 Fiction

1^st Place: The Plan – Jonah Pagenhart

Runner-Up: Undaunted - Ella Arlene

More on EntSun News

• UK Financial Ltd Executes Compliance Tasks Ahead Of First-Ever ERC-3643 Exchange-Traded Token, SMCAT & Sets Date For Online Investor Governance Vote
• VDG Virtuoso Emerges as a New-Model Independent Industry Figure Blending Artist, Executive, and Infrastructure Builder
• TheOneLofi2: New Home for Chill Lo-Fi Hip Hop Beats Launches on YouTube
• ZEELOOL's Best Women's Eyeglasses Styles for 2026
• eJoule Inc Participates in Silicon Dragon CES 2026

16-18 Non-Fiction

1^st Place: The Small Things – Nico Lyle Rivera

Runner-Up: Stories Through Bone – Matthew Wilbur

19-21 Fiction

1^st Place: Girls Night – Emil Galloup

Runner-Up: Chained – Ashley Orellana

19-21 Non-Fiction

1^st Place: Call Me Pretty – Jake Tollman

Runner-Up: I Believe I Can Fly – Lisa Dodell

22-25 Fiction

1^st Place: Deep Tissue – Manya Glassman

Runner-Up: The Reflection of Francisca Newman – Jon Frenkel Garcia

22-25 Non-Fiction

1^st Place: The Final Hours of South U Pizza – Sriram Paplou

Runner-Up: They Call Me Manu – Hannah Moore & Diana Durazo

Animation

1^st Place: "This is my experience abroad…" – Alisha Hensle

Runner-Up: Snivelsnout – William Soule

Experimental

1^st Place: Decomposition – Cam Topping

Runner-Up: Space Exploration 77 – Fabiola Escobar

Craft Awards
Writing
16-18 Fiction

Killer Chiropractor – Evan Nowack & Rose Akbari

19-21 Fiction

Boxes – Caleb Stevens, Caleb Gritsko, & Ben Matthews

22-25 Fiction

Deep Tissue – Manya Glassman

Animation

Snivelsnout – William Soule

Directing
16-18 Fiction
The Plan – Jonah Pagenhart

16-18 Non-Fiction
The Small Things – Nico Lyle Rivera

19-21 Fiction
Boxes – Joseph Stevens & Caleb Stevens

19-21 Non-Fiction
Call Me Pretty – Jake Tollman

22-25 Fiction
Deep Tissue – Manya Glassman

22-25 Non-Fiction
The Final Hours of South U Pizza – Sriram Papolu

Animation
The Farmer and the Lightning Storm – Danielle Browne

Cinematography
16-18 Fiction
The Plan – Jonah Pagenhart

16-18 Non-Fiction
Stories Through Bone – Matthew Wilbur & Antonio Armango

19-21 Fiction
The Goon – Sean Park & Amar Mohamed

19-21 Non-Fiction
Wisconsin State Parks: The Volunteers – Katelyn Erath

22-25 Fiction
The Reflection of Francisca Newman – Alejandra Rubiera

22-25 Non-Fiction
The Final Hours of South U Pizza – Sriram Paplou

Experimental
The Flesh of Another – Porter Hunt

Missed the Live Broadcast? Catch the Exciting Rebroadcast of the 8th Annual Flint Youth Film Festival Awards

More on EntSun News

• Oliver Sean's "Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday" Featuring the Real Indie Project Hits #1 in Portugal on Christmas Eve
• "Walking the Cold Line" Premiers on YouTube
• HBZBZL Unveils "Intelligent Ecosystem" Strategy: Integrating AI Analytics with Web3 Incubation
• Which glasses frames are trendy in 2026, Metal or plastic?
• Kaltra Launches Next-Gen MCHEdesign With Full Integration Into MCHEselect — Instant Simulation & Seamless Microchannel Coil Workflow

FLINT YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS SHOW



The Flint Youth Film Festival introduces the art of filmmaking to young filmmakers between the ages of 13 and 25. It provides young filmmakers with venues for developing their storytelling talents. The program provides opportunities to share creative work with peers, the public, and professional filmmakers. By introducing our youth to the film industry, the program provides them with new media to express their creativity, improve their communication skills, and benefit their community.

At present, festival officials are notifying these filmmakers of the official selections that will be part of the festival and getting those films ready to be judged by professionals from around the country.

The festival entrants are divided into four age groups, 13-15, 16-18, 19-21 and 22-25 years of age. The three older groups' films are divided into fiction, nonfiction, experimental and animation, open to all ages.

The Flint Youth Film Festival is sponsored by iMichigan Productions, Flint Institute of Arts, Share Art Genesee, James A. Welch Foundation, A.G. Bishop Charitable Trust, and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.  This activity is supported in part by the Michigan Arts and Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

IMICHIGAN PRODUCTIONS

iMichigan Productions is a youth-based organization that provides reading and writing skill-based learning through the arts.  Our programs serve to support the youth in developing the necessary skills to pursue a career in the film and television industry.  We serve an average of 300 youth ages 13 – 25 annually.

iMichigan Productions is a 501(c) (3) non-profit led by media professionals with over one hundred years of collective experience in the classroom and behind the lens in producing television, film, video, and other media projects. For more information: www.imichiganproductions.org.

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to inspire emerging filmmakers aged twenty-five and under to harness the power of storytelling to encourage positive change in the world.