The Crandell Theatre honored the winners of the Bridging Divides, Healing Communities Youth Film Challenge with a screening of selected films and a discussion of topics raised by local young people in their submissions. Over 60 attendees enjoyed eight films focused on themes such as learning disabilities, self-image, pronouns and food insecurity.
Yonah Sadeh, a student at Bard College at Simon’s Rock, earned first place and $2,000 for “In Our Backyard,” a film about affordable housing in his hometown of Falls Village, Conn. An honorable mention went to Samantha Hoffman, a student at Chatham High School from East Chatham, N.Y., for “He/She/They.” All of the filmmakers demonstrated resilience and determination by making and submitting meaningful films in the midst of a pandemic.
The Youth Film Challenge was led by Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative and the Civic Life Project as part of Berkshire Taconic’s Bridging Divides, Healing Communities initiative. This multi-year effort is focused on building greater social cohesion and trust in the face of persistent disparities and increasing polarization.
Photos by John Dolan Photographer.
