The NERD center was transformed into a theater on May 18th as the 16th annual Do It Your Damn Self!! (DIYDS!!) National Youth Video and Film Festival held its Premier Festival Screening.
The Teen Media Program at the Community Art Center in Cambridge produces the festival, the longest running youth-oriented film festival in the country. The festival began locally as a way for teens to present their work to a large audience and connect with others over a shared interest. This year’s festival drew over 1,000 presenters and supporters to a variety of events throughout the city over four days. Microsoft New England served not only as a screening venue but also as a Producer’s Circle sponsor.
From more than 200 film entries, DIYDS!! selected 15 winning reels that were presented at the Premier Festival Screening. Winners, from as close as Boston and as far away as Turkey and Portugal, showed a range of films from PSAs to documentaries and comedy sketches. After the screening the winners joined together for a panel discussion where they shared their experiences and commented on their goals as filmmakers. The night wrapped up with an after party featuring food, music, and dancing.
