GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Triplex Cinema is taking submissions for Trifest, an inaugural International Youth Film Festival to be held Sept. 19 to 21.

 

Trifest will showcase and celebrate films made by young filmmakers from around the world, aged 25 years and younger. The festival will screen films in all categories, including narrative, documentary, experimental, and animation, with programs focusing on both the international and local perspectives. Films, can be any genre or length, made with any camera — including mobile phones and other devices. 

 

The festival weekend will include an opening reception, screenings of all selected films, conversations with the filmmakers, an awards ceremony featuring cash prizes, and other special events to be announced.

 

Nicki Wilson, the executive director of the festival, came up with the idea when she was putting together last fall's Berkshire County Teen Film Festival for the Triplex.  

 

"We received several submissions from outside our area and I thought how exciting it would be if we expanded our festival in 2025 to include young people from around the world," said Wilson.

 

"I spoke to several people about the feasibility of a youth international film festival and the response was enthusiastic. Out of that group, a small artistic team was formed that included Molly Cooper, Andreas Engel, Sam Handel, Ben Elliott and myself. Together we came up with what we would want the festival to look like." 

 

She said films have been submitted from all over the world and that the festival is "hopeful that we will get a large number of local submissions, too."

 

The submission deadline is Aug. 1. Local residents can submit for free by using code TRF1001 on the Trifest website. To learn more about the festival and to submit, go to trifest.org.