YouTube has announced a new chapter for its platform by launching a dedicated film festival called Your Film Festival. The plan is to bring ten finalists to the Venice Film Festival to celebrate short form storytelling and to bridge online creativity with a world stage. As a Google owned service, YouTube uses its global reach to spotlight emerging filmmakers who traditionally might rely on festival circuits or online premieres. The format centers on concise storytelling, with each entry designed to capture attention quickly and leave a lasting impression. The event aims to connect creators from Canada, the United States, and beyond with a broader audience you can access from anywhere, sparking new collaborations and opportunities for distribution, audience feedback, and recognition in the indie cinema community. The festival also invites a wide range of voices to participate, with scheduled screenings, audience discussions, and opportunities for creators to network with seasoned professionals who understand both the digital and traditional film ecosystems. In addition to the Venice showcase, the program is designed to stimulate ongoing visibility for winning shorts, encouraging creators to consider festival circuits, streaming partnerships, and international audiences that cinema audiences increasingly expect today.
From February 2 to March 31, aspiring filmmakers can submit works under 15 minutes. A diverse slate of films will be considered, representing voices from North American markets including Canada and the United States, as well as other regions. After the submission window closes, fifty semi-finalists will be chosen based on creativity, craft, and potential for audience resonance. Those semi-finalists will be showcased to the YouTube audience, who will vote to select their ten favorite entries. The top ten will receive further attention and will travel to Venice to participate in the festival’s official program. The process emphasizes audience participation, creator accessibility, and the chance for a global audience to discover fresh perspectives in a single event. Filmmakers can expect clear guidelines on technical requirements, accessibility options like captions, and tips to optimize their entries for screen and streaming, making the submission process approachable for producers across North America.
Judging the finalists will involve industry professionals with an eye for cinematic quality and market potential. Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions will sit in on the judging process and help guide the final selections. From the ten Venice finalists, one grand prize winner will be chosen by a jury overseen by Scott Free. The ultimate prize carries a $500,000 grant to produce a film in collaboration with Scott Free, providing substantial support to convert a short idea into a feature or continuing project. The partnership signals a real bridge between online video culture and big screen storytelling, offering a platform where North American filmmakers can gain traction with international producers and distributors. The winner stands to gain not only funding but also mentorship, access to industry networks, and potential distribution paths that can elevate a project from a short film to a full production with studio backing.
Filmmakers in Canada and the United States are encouraged to start planning and scripting now. The Your Film Festival promises a path from online submission to a Venice showcase and a significant production opportunity. For creators seeking guidance, official creator resources offer starter tips, technical requirements, and best practices for submitting work. The initiative represents YouTube’s ongoing investment in creator-led cinema and its commitment to connecting online audiences with emerging film talents. This approach centers on practical, audience-driven content that can resonate across platforms and cultures, turning a successful short into a lasting creative venture that reaches both personal fans and professional partners across North America.