About Us
The Yale Student Film Festival is a four-day event dedicated to promoting the next generation of filmmakers. It attracts submissions from student filmmakers worldwide, while also showcasing young Yale filmmakers and fostering a campus-wide celebration of their work. The festival connects student filmmakers, creates meaningful connections, artistic collaborations, and lasting friendships.
The festival will be held from Thursday, April 11th through Sunday, April 14th. It will open with a Yale filmmakers night on Thursday, followed by a centerpiece feature screening on Friday and after party, student screening blocks of short films, speakers, Q&A’s, panels, workshops, and networking events.
While the film screenings will be the centerpiece of this event, we will also bring guest speakers from the film and entertainment industry to Yale. Last year’s speakers included Kristen Schwarz, Vice President of Original Comedy Series at HBO Max, and Raama Mosley, one of SHOOT’s Top 10 Female Directors to Watch, among others. This year we plan to bring seasoned filmmakers and studio executives, as well as recent graduates who can share their experiences of working in cinema after graduation.
Established in 2015, the festival received a record 700 submissions from 17 countries in 2022. The international participation reflects the event's commitment to showcasing diverse voices and perspectives in student filmmaking. Selected submissions will represent a wide variety of perspectives and stories in hopes of creating a festival that contributes to a more inclusive industry for future filmmakers.
The short films selected to screen in the festival will compete in various categories for prizes, chosen by a panel of industry judges. Last year the festival awarded 10 prizes, including a scholarship to Prodigy Camp for our high school section, which allowed a student to be mentored by industry professionals for two weeks.
Through collaboration with The Cinemat, the Yale Film Society, and The Yale College Dean’s Office, the Yale Student Film Festival board wishes to create a university-wide event that brings together a diverse group of individuals who share a passion for film.