Johns Hopkins University is pleased to announce its second annual film contest and festival showcasing the work of outstanding high school filmmakers under the age of 18!

The Johns Hopkins University Film Festival for High Schoolers is designed to showcase and reward the most exciting and remarkable work by high school filmmakers from around the USA and around the world. Only high school students under the age of 18 may submit work to this contest and festival. We are committed to finding the filmmakers of tomorrow, today, bringing them to Baltimore, and showcasing their work at the historic Parkway Theatre. We offer prizes for Best of the Festival, Best Documentary Short, Best Comedic Short, Best Dramatic Short, Best Animated Short, and Best Experimental Short. We also offer a prize for Best Short With a Budget under $250, and an Audience Choice Prize. We also offer free workshops with industry professionals during the festival. Submit today!

Baltimore has long been a home to film culture. The JHU Film and Media Studies Program, now hosted in the city's arts district, is housed in the Johns Hopkins/MICA Film Centre, a state-of-the-art film and media production facility. The Program boasts an undergraduate major and a minor in film and media, with two tracks to choose from. One is a film and video production track, and the other is a critical media studies track. We encourage outstanding young high school filmmakers to check out our program at https://krieger.jhu.edu/film-media/. Across the street from the JHU/MICA Film Centre is the beautifully restored 1912 movie palace, The Parkway Theatre: Baltimore's newest home for film culture.

We encourage you to come check out what we have to offer! Also visit us at https://krieger.jhu.edu/film-media/.

Johns Hopkins is also excited to offer a host of prizes to filmmakers whose work is accepted to the festival. Moreover, we offer a full two day EXPERIENCE: with film workshops on pitching and writing short content with industry professionals, and meet-and-greet events at which the student filmmakers can meet each other and network.

All students who are accepted to the Festival may attend all events at no cost. TO ACCEPT AN AWARD, THE FILMMAKER MUST TRAVEL TO THE FESTIVAL IN BALTIMORE IN JUNE 2019.

Travel and accommodations are the filmmakers and their families' financial responsibility. However, need-based travel assistance is available to all those who show the necessary amount of financial need.

Awards & Prizes

Best of the Festival ($500)
Best Documentary Short ($200)
Best Comedic Short ($200)
Best Dramatic Short ($200)
Best Animated Short ($200)
Best Experimental Short ($200)
Best Film With a Budget Under $250 ($200)*
Audience Choice ($200)

*This category is for films with a documented budget of less than $250. This means that a filmmaker did NOT SPEND more than $250 to make the project. This must be confirmed with receipts to determine the filmmaker's eligibility.

Rules & Terms

All filmmakers must be 18 years of age or younger.

All entries for the contest and festival must be original works of no more than fifteen minutes in length.

All entries must be complete when submitted. Please do not send segments of a larger project (such as a feature) as submissions. All submissions must stand on their own as individual projects.

All submissions must have the necessary rights cleared for public exhibition. This applies especially to music.

All accepted filmmakers will be notified by May 15th, 2018. Those who are not accepted will hear from us at this same time.

All prize winners will be notified of their awards by June 1st, 2019. To accept their awards, winners must attend the Festival. Audience Choice will be decided at the festival. Filmmakers must be present at the Festival to be eligible for this award, as well.

All entries must be the work of the filmmaker submitting them. All makers of all projects must agree to the film being screened. All creative personnel for each project must be credited.

All rights to all accepted films remain with their filmmakers.

It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to secure authorization and permission from the copyright owner(s) of any and all copyrighted content or materials included within the submitted Film. The Johns Hopkins University's High School Film Contest and Festival expressly disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any unauthorized inclusion of any copyrighted content or materials within or relating to the submitted Film, including any content or materials that are or may become the basis for any third party claims for copyright infringement.
2 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Max Shoham

    An incredible honour to have my films as official selections at this year's screenings. Sadly, I could not be there, but hope to make it next year. Thank you for giving young filmmakers a platform to show their films to a live audience. this is a rarity!

    June 2019
    Helpful
  • Grandin Theatre Film Lab

    This festival goes to great lengths for the student filmmakers who work they screen. They work hard to provide students with an experience that will be fun and educational for them. Would highly recommend!

    June 2019
    Helpful