The ST. LOUIS YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL (STLYFF) is an organization that
embraces cultural diversity and environmental awareness.
We also honor and promote the work of women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other
young people from historically marginalized groups.
Announcing the 2026
St. Louis Youth Film Festival (STLYFF)
We don’t select winners,
we showcase films created by youth.
The 2026 St. Louis Youth Film Festival (STLYFF) will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 12:00 PM-4:00 PM at the St. Louis Public Library, Central Location, which co-sponsors the event. This year’s theme is FREE TO BE . . . emphasizing the significance of staying authentic to yourself, your stories, and your art.
Unlike other festivals, STLYFF emphasizes content over specific themes, offering young filmmakers the opportunity to freely and unrestrictedly share their stories through film. Consequently, STLYFF does not award prizes to winners; rather, it selects a group of filmmakers to showcase and celebrate their stories to a wider audience, often for the very first time. The 2026 STLYFF is free and open to the public.
Founded in 2024 by retired educator, filmmaker, and activist Thomasina Clarke, STLYFF officially launched in 2025 to highlight original works by young people in St. Louis that engage, entertain, and inspire through creativity and innovation. STLYFF is becoming a vital platform for young filmmakers to premiere their work, gain recognition, and connect with their community, audiences and industry professionals.
Clarke’s vision for STLYFF is to create a lively and diverse event featuring various activities that celebrate and support filmmaking as an art form. At the 2025 festival, attendees—including college and high school students eager to discover new films—enjoyed meet-and-greet sessions, merchandise sales, festival swag, and opportunities to hear filmmakers discuss their work. Find out more about how to submit your film to the 2026 STLYFF. ◙
2026 STLYFF Returns in April with a Slate of Films, Presentations and Discussions that Entertain and Inspire
I’m excited to announce that following our successful launch in 2025, STLYFF is coming back this spring on Saturday, April 25, 2026, to continue showcasing young filmmakers in St. Louis who are creating accessible regional stories. We are now officially accepting submissions! Please review our submission guidelines and help spread the word.
2026 STLYFF will once again be held at the St. Louis Public Library. The Central Library offers a welcoming auditorium equipped with modern facilities that support STLYFF’s various events and provide a safe, comfortable environment for everyone, including children and young adults. Audience feedback will remain crucial in shaping the event, and we intend to build on it through other engaging methods.
We’re also making some updates to our programming. The 2026 STLYFF has been moved from January to April to avoid weather-related issues for filmmakers and audiences traveling to the Library. This year, we’ve lowered the minimum participant age after discovering that some eight-year-olds are outstanding storytellers. The festival now includes three age categories: 8-13, 14-18, and 19-24. I also plan to announce additional festival events soon, such as special screenings and a guest speaker.
More importantly, we have simplified the submission process, which now involves an online application and requires entrants to provide a YouTube link to their video. It’s crucial that submissions strictly follow the guidelines, or they will be disqualified.
Although STLYFF is not a competitive festival in the traditional sense, there is a judging process to select films for showcasing and celebration. An impartial panel uses a standardized evaluation rubric to ensure fairness. I want STLYFF to be open, fair, and enjoyable for everyone.
In recent years, film festivals have grown in popularity. New festivals are emerging, and established ones are seeing increased attendance. I believe this is because film festivals offer unique, time-sensitive “event” experiences that give audiences early access to a variety of independent films, opportunities to interact directly with creators, and the excitement of discovering hidden gems that might never reach mainstream viewers. For filmmakers, these festivals offer essential credibility, networking, and distribution possibilities. For attendees, they provide a chance to engage with a passionate community, support artistic cinema, and gain cultural insights beyond typical commercial blockbusters, fostering both local pride and industry excitement. 2026 STLYFF fills an important role by providing a diverse platform specifically for young people. Each year, I plan to expand and introduce new elements to STLYFF to better serve our filmmakers and meet audience expectations.
Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates on our progress as we prepare for the festival being held on Saturday, April 25, 2026. If you’d like to help or have questions about submitting, please contact me at info [AT] stlouisyouthfilmfestival [DOT] org. ◙
Our Symbolism of Green Instead of Gold
Since ancient Greek and Roman times, olive and laurel wreaths have symbolized peace and victory. Originally crafted from plants and later from precious metals, these wreaths were given during ceremonies to honor outstanding achievements. Over time, they were awarded to Olympians, Nobel Prize winners, and poets, and by the mid-20th century, laurel crowns were presented to winners at film festivals. The unique laurel design associated with each festival helped to promote both the award and the festival’s reputation. While the golden beauty of the wreath has been a prominent feature in global cinema for nearly a century, in light of climate change, STLYFF has chosen to revert to the green laurel wreath to express our commitment to a sustainable future. ◙
Paying Tribute
STLYFF was established and is based in what is now known as St. Louis, Missouri, situated on part of the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories in the Mississippi River Valley of the Illini Confederacy. This also includes the Osage tribes, and portions of the Miami Confederacy, as well as the routes of numerous other tribes who were forcibly relocated to this area during the nineteenth century. We recognize their existence and strive to educate ourselves by commemorating their history to help break their cultural silence. ◙