Our Organization

HISTORY

The Talented Youth (the nonprofit that is NFFTY) has grown in just a few years from an idea of 3 teenagers to an organization that reaches an ever-growing number of young artists and potential audiences in the millions through our Seattle-based programs and distribution partnerships.

2007 /// NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth) and its non-profit parent organization, The Talented Youth, were founded by Jesse Harris, Jocelyn R.C., and Kyle Seago. Harris wrote and directed the feature film “Living Life” when he was 17, obtaining distribution for the film shortly after his graduation from high school. His success resulted in young filmmakers around the globe seeking his advice, including R.C., who expressed interest in helping to form a socially-responsible youth arts organization.  Harris and R.C. teamed up with Seago, establishing the non-profit and holding a one-night “Kick Off” festival April 26, 2007.

2008 /// NFFTY was expanded to a three-day festival. NFFTY Earth, a campaign to promote the power of film to bring positive changes to the environment, support social justice, and encourage peace and partnership with other countries, was added to festival programming. Year-round young artist and community education activities were added through the program NFFTY 365.  Over 1,800 people attended NFFTY 2008, which featured 73 films selected from 176 entries from 27 states.

2009 /// NFFTY continued its growth, increasing its screenings from 73 to 113, including an international category for the first time.  Over 4,000 attended NFFTY 2009, which featured 113 films from 427 entries.  NFFTY Earth values were implemented with NFFTY 2009 produced as a carbon-neutral event. A special edition NFFTY Earth Benefit CD was released, featuring 14 songs from contemporary young artists.

2010 /// NFFTY was increased to being a four-day film festival, featuring 190 films from 33 states and 16 countries, and with over 6,000 in attendance. A 48-hour film contest and industry speed networking were added as events.

2011 /// NFFTY 2011 featured 225 films chosen out of over 600 submissions over 4 days, with over 200 filmmakers from 40 states and 20 countries, 2 filmmaking panels, including keynote speaker Dana Brunetti (Social Network, House of Cards). Now the largest youth film festival in the world Opening Night was at Cinerama with a gala at the Space Needle.  Attendance was 8,500.

2012 /// NFFTY 2012 featured 222 films, 2 galas, networking opportunities, and the the inaugural Future of Film Expo presented by NFFTY and the Next Fifty which featured 8 panels, 14 workshops, and over 30 exhibitors.  Over 200 filmmakers from 30 states and 20 countries and 10,000 attendees participated in the 4 day event.

2013 /// NFFTY 2013 received over 600 submissions, screening 215 films from over 30 countries. NFFTY Creative was established, functioning as a production company, providing branded entertainment and commercials directed by our in-house creative leaders and NFFTY Alumni Filmmakers. Filmmakers have been engaged to produce creative works for renowned companies like Expedia and vitaminwater®. Stefanie Malone joins the NFFTY team in the fall as the Executive Director.

2014 /// NFFTY 2014 received a record breaking 800 submissions all over the world. 214 films that represented 30 U.S. states and 15 countries were showcased at the festival which was attended by more than 12,000. A new initiative was launched called Young Women in Film to support young female filmmakers through programming, scholarship and increased mentorship opportunities, including an inaugural award for Best Emerging Female Filmmaker awarded to Morgana McKenzie. In 2014, over 40% of the films screened at NFFTY were directed by young women. NFFTY’s first original documentary A Supporting Role, directed by NFFTY alumni, was screened at the conclusion of the annual 4 day event, going on to win a Gold ADDY Award and Telly. The NFFTY team created commercial for Volvo, directed by Jesse Harris, which went on for a national television broadcast run. NFFTY takes home "One of the 50 Best Festivals Worth the Entry Fee" by MovieMaker Magazine. TeenTix awarded NFFTY as Best Film Organization.

2015 /// NFFTY features a record 248 films from 30 states and 25 countries with over 12,000 in attendance with 48% female-directed films. The festival adds its Works-In-Progress event with our title sponsor Relativity School, helping provide detailed feedback and support to filmmakers. The NFFTY Alumni Advisory Board launches, supporting our efforts to remain connected to the needs of the next generation of filmmakers. 

2016 /// NFFTY 2016 marks ten years of NFFTY! NFFTY received over 1,000 entries with 227 films selected, representing 33 states and 24 countries. Continuing to grow its programming, NFFTY launched its first annual screenwriting competition, Story Starts Here. And NFFTY took its first steps into VR/360 filmmaking with a panel discussion and product demos at its 10th festival, as well as a continuing commitment to Works-In-Progress and our Young Women in Film initiative. NFFTY continues its NFFTY Creative work, wrapping up a 15-part series for Expedia. NFFTY takes home "One of the 50 Best Festivals Worth the Entry Fee" by MovieMaker Magazine, the TeenTix Best Film Organization, and named one of the Top 100 Rated Festivals on FilmFreeway.

2017 /// NFFTY 2017 was the largest festival yet, marking eleven years of NFFTY! NFFTY received over 1,200 entries with 257 films selected, representing 27 countries and 28 US states. NFFTY launched the inaugural NFFTYX, an exploration and celebration of 360° and virtual reality. In partnership with fearless360°, NFFTY presented a 360° VR gallery, bootcamp and VR/360° panel at NFFTY 2017. NFFTY welcomed special guest speakers, including Chris Moore (producer, Oscar-winning Good Will Hunting, Manchester by the Sea) and Danish television and film directors/writers/actors Wikke & Rasmussen. NFFTY continued its commitment to women in film with a fourth straight year of over 40% of female filmmakers. NFFTY is included in Culture Vulture's "10 Best Film Festivals Worth Your Time in 2017" and one of Filmfreeway's Top 100 Rated Festivals! And NFFTY Co-Founder Kyle Seago takes over the reigns as President of the NFFTY Board of Directors, from beloved outgoing Board President Bryan Roth.

2018 /// In 2018, NFFTY changed things up! The four-day festival was moved to October, and after receiving over 1,300 submissions, NFFTY screened 286 films from 24 countries and 24 U.S. States. In partnership with Oculus, NFFTYX expanded into an official VR/360° gallery with NFFTY Official Selections from filmmakers and creators under 25, an Immersive Showcase, and an Empathy Lounge filled with 360° and VR storytelling works by industry professionals. NFFTY also presented several AR/VR/360º panels, workshops, and bootcamps, as well as welcomed special guest speakers Kevin Klauber (editor, Oscar-winning 20 Feet From Stardom and Icarus) and Danish film director Aske Bang. Over 50% of NFFTY 2018’s Official Selections were directed by female or non-binary identifying filmmakers, and the festival continues to be one of Filmfreeway’s Top 100 Rated Festivals! NFFTY Co-Founder Kyle Seago put on one of the most successful festivals yet before handing the Managing Director title to Dan Hudson.

2019 /// In 2019, the 13th NFFTY (NFFTY 2019) more than doubled the number of professional development events offered at the festival, including five workshops presented for free to the public. Producing partners included Seed&Spark, NowThis, Sundance Institute, and Vimeo. We co-produced the 2nd Annual Film Career Day, including presenting a keynote from Oscar-winning NFFTY alumna Rayka Zehtabchi. NFFTY has developed robust juries across eight competitions, with 31 jurors from film studios, festivals, and other positions of influence in the industry. Our festival keynote presentation from Matty Brown, Seattle-based filmmaker and Vimeo Staff Pick world record holder. NFFTY alumni took center stage at the festival as never before, including 13 as jurors, 4 as panelists, and 4 as workshop creators. We also increased our ability to directly support filmmakers financially, with cash prize distributions for award winners to over $5,000 (with an additional $5,000 in micro-grants), and increased assistance by 500% to underwrite travel expenses. 30 female/non-binary, POC, and/or LGBTQ+ filmmakers. NFFTY Co-Founder and longtime Director of Programming Kyle Seago stepped down from NFFTY after the festival, leaving Executive Director Dan Hudson and Program Director Amy Williams leading the charge into 2020.

2020 /// 2020 will be a year remembered for many reasons, but perhaps most disruptive were the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. NFFTY staff, board, and alumni advisory board moved swiftly to reimagine the magic of the traditional NFFTY festival in Seattle, and produced what was considered by the majority of attendees as the best virtual festival experience of 2020. We screened 234 official selections from 26 states and 29 countries, and a grand total of 263 films across 32 showcases. For the third year running, 50%+ of official selected films were by female/non-binary filmmakers, and over 40% of films were by non-white filmmakers. Our juried competitions expanded from 9 to 11 categories, with 40 top industry professional jurors, and $7,500 in cash was distributed to NFFTY 2020 award winners. The 14th NFFTY expanded to a 10-day festival, to include all of the livestreamed and on-demand programming, as well as an inaugural virtual Filmmaker Summit with two full days of professional development programming. We continued to put NFFTY alumni center stage; hosting livestream watch parties, moderating Q&As and panels, and leading workshops. Our professional development programming increased over 2019 to eight panels, six workshops, three keynotes, two masterclasses, and our first ever live table read for the finalists of our Story Starts Here screenplay competition. Outside of the festival, the NFFTY staff and board undertook a substantial strategic planning process, and are looking to expand the organization’s impact and reach over the next three years.