JOIN US FOR THE 18th EDITION OF NFFTY APRIL 3-6
MEDIA ALERT
18th EDITION OF NFFTY
In-person in Seattle, April 3 - April 6
Virtually April 3 - April 13
Seattle-based NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth) is excited for their 18th edition, with 29 screenings showcasing over 240 short films from the next generation of filmmakers.
The 2025 hybrid festival kicks off with a weekend of in-person events at SIFF Cinema Uptown in Seattle April 3 through April 6, and continues online through April 13 with on-demand shorts packages. This year's diverse lineup features filmmakers from 29 states and 31 countries, with 60% of films directed by women and non-binary identifying filmmakers, and over 52% of films helmed by filmmakers of color.
Film screenings and events will be accessible with the purchase of a festival pass. Attendees can choose from an All-Access Pass which includes all in-person events happening April 3 - 6, in Seattle, WA, in addition to the entire virtual festival catalog from April 3 - April 13; or opt for a Virtual Pass with online access to screening blocks and more.
Opening Night will be on Thursday, April 3 at SIFF Cinema Uptown featuring a gala red carpet screening with an after party at MoPOP immediately following. The event continues through the weekend at the Uptown with a Key Note from NFFTY alumni Sav Rodgers (CHASING CHASING AMY), plus an editing masterclass hosted by Celia Beasley (Editor of the Netflix series PENELOPE) and back-to-back screenings of shorts packages all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The Closing Night Celebration will also be held at SIFF Cinema Uptown, pulling together a collection of films that will stick with you long after you leave the theater. An Awards Ceremony will immediately follow the screening. Tickets and passes are on sale now!
VIEW THE FULL LIST OF FILMS AND EVENTS HERE
TICKET INFO
ALL-ACCESS PASSES
ADULT, $150 | YOUTH (24 & Under), $100
3 DAY PASS
ADULT, $110 | YOUTH (24 & Under), $85
VIRTUAL ONLY
$50
2025 SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
OPENING NIGHT
In Person Thursday, April 3, 6:30 PM at SIFF Uptown
Streaming Thursday, April 3, 7 PM through Sunday, April 13 11:45 PM PST
NFFTY is back for our 18th year! Join us in celebrating an inspirational program that fuels our fervor for the fruitful future of film. An introduction to the breadth of talent and stories you'll find at NFFTY, this collection of shorts is guaranteed to get you creatively calibrated for a worthwhile weekend.
BUBBLE BOY
Dir. Cameron Carr - 24, UK
A non-verbal autistic boy with a deep desire to communicate creates a world through drawing in this colorful musical.
WHEN WE MOVE
Dir. Jasper Fletcher & Lukas Fletcher - 21, Massachusetts
The youngest kid in a combined family of nine navigates moving houses for her very first time. Documented over the course of a year by her oldest brothers.
HASTA LA RAÍZ
Dir. Nuria Schettino González - 22, California
In 1856, at a Mexican rancho in Los Angeles, a Tongva woman fights for her land and daughter when the ranchero’s wife leaves to defend her land grant.
SIL-TTEU-GI
Dir. Yezy Suh - 18, California
Growing up 6,000 miles away from her grandparents, a filmmaker reflects on the stories that are getting lost as they get older and the feeling of her culture being uprooted.
YAJÑOPAVĪTA
Dir. Rahul Koul & Ford Cowan - 22, Tennessee
While preparing for a sacred Hindu thread ceremony, an Indian American college senior struggles to open up to his mother.
AWIT NATIN (OUR SONG)
Dir. Pacqui Pascual - 23, New York
When their father dies during their mother's hospitalization, a Filipino family bands together to hide the truth.
CENTERPIECE SHOWCASE
In Person Saturday, April 5, 7:45 PM at SIFF Uptown
Streaming Thursday, April 5, 7:45PM through Sunday, April 13 11:45 PM PST
We're marking the penultimate day of the festival with a collection of filmmaking feats that quintessentially embody the NFFTY spirit. Join us for a screening of distinct and affecting stories that showcase the steady hands of the next generation of filmmakers.
I DIDN’T LIKE YOU
Dir. Parker Fenady - 23, California
As Emilia and Maxine spy on their best friend’s first date, they come to realize the chemistry might not be between the couple they anticipated.
ODESSA, TX
Dir. Alex Shuryepov Witt - 22, California
A Ukrainian grandmother suffering from dementia is transported back to moments of her life in the Soviet Union.
FIELDS CORNER POET
Dir. Martin Lee - 21, Airham Almonte - 23, Massachusetts
An exploration of the graffiti of the elusive “Poet” in the neighborhood of Fields Corner, Boston.
CITY BIRD
Dir. Sunny Rae Keller - 21, France / Massachusetts
After witnessing a tragic accident, a metropolitan pigeon spends the rest of the day questioning her life in the city.
THE SPHINX
Dir. Jesse Padveen - 23, Canada
A locksmith's date night turns into a waking, liminal nightmare.
ENDLING
Dir. Kelly Yu - 22, California
A documentary crew interviews the man in charge of taking care of the last goldfish on earth.
CLOSING NIGHT
In Person Sunday, April 6, 5:30 PM at SIFF Uptown
Streaming Thursday, April 6, 5:30PM through Sunday, April 13 11:45 PM PST
While the weekend is coming to a close, the future of film holds endless possibilities. To cap off the 18th festival, join us for one final film program filled with seminal stories to creatively propel you on your journey through your next project and beyond.
While the weekend is coming to a close, the future of film holds endless possibilities. To cap off the 18th festival, join us for one final film program filled with seminal stories to creatively fuel you on your journey through your next project and beyond.
Devon again - DEEP & STILL CAN'T DRESS MYSELF
Dir. Justin Nguyen, Ethan Frank, Devon Again & Zayd Ezzeldine - 21-23, California
Devon does a live performance in an empty swimming pool.
SALEM ON THE ROAD
Dir. Étienne Galloy - 23, Canada
During a major depersonalization episode, Salem embarks on a solo biking journey on the road 132 all across the Gaspé Peninsula, with the intent of ending her life where the Land ends.
TAINTED BY THE VISUAL
Dir. Laura Calzada - 20, UK
An exploration in how the experience of sound changes throughout the process of vision loss, using visual and aural language to interpret the subjective experience of blind individuals.
UNHOLY
Dir. Daisy Friedman - 21, New York
Noa, a chronically ill girl goes to her family’s Passover Seder for the first time since being put on a feeding tube for a gastrointestinal illness.
AFTER THE STORM
Dir. Sungbin Moon - 23, California
A filmmaker calls her now-sober mom, who lives halfway around the world, to confront their traumatic past. This mini-documentary explores the raw realities of addiction, the complexity of motherhood, and the healing power of distance and movie-making.
THE CURTAINS GLOW AT NIGHT
Dir. Skye Schoenhoeft - 22, California
When Wren comes home from college, they discover a ghost in their childhood bedroom.
PAPER SWORDS
Dir. Anjali Pulim - 21, New York
On a classic summer afternoon, two sisters ponder life, death, and everything in-between.
For more info about the festival this year, please contact Publicist Amie Simon:
amie@smarthousecreative.com