you(th) belong … in film

The International Youth Film Festival’s You(th) Belong… In Film will took place on Thursday, January 11, 2024 from 6:00 to 8:30pm at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

This event united a passionate group of students eager to share their inspiring social justice perspectives with the community. Films presented reflected the messages of the museum. See below for information on the films that were screened.

Key themes highlighted during the symposium included neurodivergence amongst teenagers and the growing importance of taking care of one’s mental health. Veran Chung presented her film, Intruder, which adapted these messages to the screen. After previously participating as a panelist in 2022, Syd Lamendola returned to host the Mental Health and Gender Identity in Film discussion this year.

The symposium concluded with a keynote and screening of Ava Davis’s film The Duchess of Grant Park. Ava, a Sundance Fellow, is an actress, producer, writer, and filmmaker from Atlanta. She is an advocate for increasing trans and queer representation in cinema. Her inspiring film connects with the powerful messages of the LGBTQ+ Institute at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.