CineYouth Film Festival
Catalog organization: Cinema/Chicago
Compiled by: ExtracurricularHub Editorial Team — editorial policy
Last updated
What Is CineYouth Film Festival?
CineYouth is Cinema/Chicago's annual showcase for short films directed by filmmakers age 22 or younger worldwide. Selected work screens at Chicago's FACETS venue and online, alongside free workshops, live filmmaker Q&As, and networking. The completed 2026 edition presented 71 shorts from 16 countries across ten programs, with in-person events April 24-26 and worldwide streaming April 27-May 3.
The linked FilmFreeway portal correctly says Entries Closed. For 2026, eligible films were no longer than 15 minutes, English-language or English-subtitled, used properly licensed content, had not previously been submitted to CineYouth, and stated the director's age at completion in the synopsis. Each film needed its own entry. Directors could now be 23 if they had completed the film while 22.
CineYouth Film Festival Key Facts: Cost, Deadline, and Eligibility
| Cost | Varies — see Cost and funding |
|---|---|
| Format | Hybrid |
| Eligibility | Up to age 22 |
| Application deadline | Dates not announced |
| Listing last updated | August 30, 2026 |
Program details shown here reflect the current catalog record.
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