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2025 Youth Across America film competition

The teen perspective.

ELIGIBILITY

  • Applicants must be in Grades 6-12. Students can be located anywhere in the United States of America and attend public, private, or homeschool.

  • Applicants must own all footage, photographs, and received legal permission to film everyone on screen in their project.

  • Applicants must work with a mentor at their school. An education mentor includes teachers, administrators, counselors, and coaches.

  • Applicants must sign a release form located below and upload it to your application. If you are under 18, your parent or guardian must sign.

  • Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @hopegiversGA. We will make quarterfinalist, semifinalist, and finalist announcements on social media.

SUPER IMPORTANT: MANDATORY RELEASE FORM

If you are under 18, you MUST have your parent/guardian sign our Hope Film Challenge release form. This will be included in your submission. (If you are 18 years or older, you also must sign the release form yourself.) You can download our release form HERE.

FINALISTS FILMS WILL BE FEATURED IN OUR PBS SERIES

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

  • Student Stories that highlight Hope and Resilience.

  • Innovative storytelling techniques.

  • You. (You can film on a Camera phone)

  • Good sound. (Let your mentor help you!)

  • Storytelling 101 - Beginning, Middle, End

ADDITIONAL NOTES

  • Please add hopegiversga.org to your "safe list" through your email provider. Some schools have a firewall and we are not allowed to contact you through your school email address. It is better to provide a personal email (you or your mentor) with your submission.

  • If you experience issues with the application, reach out to info@hopegiversga.org

  • We will be announcing quarterfinalists, semifinalists, and finalists on social media. Follow us: @hopegiversGA

GUIDELINES

  • HOPE GIVERS may contact the applicant with questions about the application or film.

  • Student Filmmaker and Mentor must agree to have quotes printed in press releases, online, and social media in perpetuity.

  • HOPE GIVERS has the right to post any video submitted to their social media, online, website, and other Hope Givers affiliated locations. The student filmmaker will be given proper credit.

  • HOPE GIVERS will have exclusive rights to the finalists films. These films will be featured in season two of Hope Givers with Tamlin Hall that will be distributed by Georgia Public Broadcasting for PBS LearningMedia. This means that it is illegal for the finalists to post their films anywhere else publicly.

  • HOPE GIVERS will award the Hope Film Grant Winner $1,000 (split between student and mentor) upon receipt of a signed contract. HOPE GIVERS will award Hope Givers Storytelling Award Winner $500 (split between student and mentor). HOPE GIVERS reserves the right to not select a winner in one or both categories.

  • The Filmmaker agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Hope Givers and its sub-contractors against all liabilities and claims, costs and expenses that the Filmmaker may incur in the performance of these services.

  • HOPE GIVERS reserves the right at any time during the process to disqualify a filmmaker at their discretion with no explanation.