Program Description

Youth Works celebrates and spotlights the next generation of filmmakers from within the Bay Area, and from as far away as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and China. Demonstrating the rising talent of these teenagers, these shorts encompass thought-provoking scripts, breathtaking and delightful cinematography, rich stop-motion animation, and genre-pushing meditations. Through the filmmakers’ unique viewpoints, we peek into their communities, adolescence, and the growth and transformation that happens in early adulthood. From perspectives of balancing intersecting identities, artistic resistance and celebration, childhood creativity, and self-acceptance and compassion, these films introduce us to a budding group of fresh cinematic voices carrying us boldly into the next generation of filmmaking. — Soph Schultz Rocha

Recommended for ages 12 and up. All of the films below are in competition. Films are in alphabetical order rather than order of play. Total runtime 74 min.

Filmmakers from As You Are, Coop, Junebug, little dreamer, Painting Resistance, Reach for Me, Umbral Cloak, and Why Can't We Just Be Ghosts? are expected to attend for a post-screening Q&A.

As You Are
San Francisco Bay Area Premiere
Daria Strachan (USA 2024, 7 min)
After she is confronted at church and misunderstood by her dad, a queer Black teen searches for self-acceptance and belonging in community.

The Brave Ones
World Premiere
Mahdiyeh Abbaszadeh (Iran 2025, 4 min)
A caring forester puts his own life in danger when he saves a Persian leopard after a poacher wounds the endangered cat in this culturally rich stop-motion short.

Coop
North American Premiere
Mujtaba Alhejji (Saudi Arabia 2024, 12 min)
After accidentally popping a soccer ball, young Adam sparks a creative solution at the market to get enough money to buy a new ball and win over his teammates.

Echoes of Sunlit Koi
World Premiere
Ying Zhao (China 2025, 5 min)
Caught between family secrets and a desire to get the last rare fish before his classmate, a young boy discovers a surprise at the pet store.

Junebug
San Francisco Bay Area Premiere
Amiko Muscat (USA 2024, 6 min)
A youthful, sensory-driven collage of drifting sounds, shimmering textures, and meditative reflections weave together during a sweltering summer day at a Los Angeles public pool.

little dreamer
San Francisco Bay Area Premiere
Astrid Nymo-Young (USA 2024, 5 min)
As she struggles with a creative block, young artist Lizzy transports back to her playful childhood aspirations where her imagination then might be just what she needs now.

Painting Resistance
California Premiere
Dylan Clarke, Aesha Gluck, Liam Renaud (USA 2024, 9 min)
San Francisco muralist Chris Gazeleh shares his family’s story and his vibrant art that promotes awareness of the history and struggle of Palestinian people.

Reach For Me
World Premiere
Hazel Baileh Klein Wolff (USA 2025, 5 min)
A daughter reconciles the kaleidoscopic layers of complex emotions passed down from her mom, healing the past and present.

Thunderbird and Killer Whale: S-hwuhwa’us & Qul-lhanumutsun
San Francisco Bay Area Premiere
Jason Cheng (Canada 2024, 8 min)
Stz’uminus First Nation Master Carver John Marston embarks on a personal journey to continue the legacy of the traditional and intricate art of canoe carving.

Umbral Cloak
California Premiere
Cade Savage Schwartz (USA 2024, 5 min)
In a striking otherworldly terrain, a rock climber undergoes a poetic transformation when a mythological winged creature descends.

Why Can't We Just Be Ghosts?
World Premiere
Patrick Jang (USA 2025, 9 min)
After a teen ghost confesses his depression to his human best friend, the two search for a path toward acceptance and happiness in this thought-provoking satire.

Short Film Print Sources

Accessibility Information

Closed Captions are not currently confirmed for this program
Audio Descriptions are not currently confirmed for this program
American Sign Language Interpretation is not currently scheduled for this program