Uplifting Discourse: Youth Film Festival and Contest

TEDxWrigleyville, in collaboration with TED Democracy and the esteemed office of Senator Dick Durbin, proudly presents the first-ever TEDx Democracy short film festival for youth: “Uplifting Discourse.” This exciting contest and festival aims to inspire young filmmakers to explore the diverse and impactful theme of democracy through creative storytelling.

Qualified Entrants:
- Teens and youth ages 10-19
- Videos must be in English or be subtitled in English (or be silent)
- Entrants must include their age in the submission form

Goals:
- Educational Impact: By engaging young minds in democratic themes through film, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of civic responsibilities and the democratic process.
- Community Engagement: The festival will serve as a platform for involving the local community, particularly youth, in meaningful discussions about democracy.
- Youth Empowerment: Participants will develop critical thinking and public speaking skills, essential for their future roles as informed citizens and potential leaders.

Awards & Prizes

Grand Prize: The first-place winner will be granted a private tour of Senator Durbin’s Illinois office and a 30-minute meeting to discuss their views or concerns about democracy, reflecting our dedication to empowering young voices.

Prizes will also include recognition of the top films on our website and social media feeds. In addition, “Award” certificates will be given to the winners and “Filmmaker” designation will be given to all contestants.

Rules & Terms

- All submitted films should somehow deal with the subject of democracy, and more specifically, on democracy as the filmmaker sees it. This can range from deciding the menu offered at a public school lunchroom to environmental concerns to how to participate in a democracy you’re not yet allowed to vote. You could make a film about how comedy can make difficult conversations easier, or about the links between democracy and chocolate. Really, anything you (as the filmmaker) want, as long as it somehow related to democracy or democratic thought!
- Films cannot exceed 7 minutes in length (but only 3 minutes might be shown on event day). These are to be short films.
- Films’ formats can include live action, animation, stop-motion, and everything in between.
- Films MUST be submitted an the MP4 or MOV format and filmed in landscape orientation (horizontal, not vertical).
- FILM MAKER MUST IDENTIFY THEIR AGE AT TIME OF SUBMISSION
- Each film should begin with its title and end with credits.
- Films must comply with the TED content guidelines.
- Films can be submitted by an individual youth or a group (of 3 or fewer).
- Only one film can be submitted from each contestant or group.
- Films CANNOT include:
- Statements for or against a particular political party or candidate
- The filmmakers name, age, or any other information from which the filmmaker can be identified (this is to protect the blind judging process for the contest). The credits at the end of the film are exempted from this (we will cut them out when we show the films to the judges and reinsert them for the film festival).

Submission Location:
- All films should be in MP4 or MOV file format and saved in Google Drive, with open access, and emailed to the TEDxWrigleyville executive producer, shermin.kruse@gmail.com
- Submission emails should be titled “TED Democracy Film Festival Submission”