Films BYkids(2016–)

Home Is Where You Find It

Mentored by filmmakers Neal Baer and Chris Zalla, Alcides, a 16-year-old orphan living in Mozambique, conveys his inspiring story about finding family and how he and his young friends face hardship with dignity and resilience.

My Country Is Tibet

India is home to tens of thousands of Tibetan refugees, but only 17-year-old Namgyal Wangchuk Trichen Lhagyari was crowned King of Tibet by the Dalai Lama. Mentored by filmmaker Dirk Simon, Namgyal shows how he and other young exiles preserve their traditional culture while hoping to return to an independent Tibet.

Displaced But Not Defeated

For decades, Civil War in Colombia has displaced thousands of people like 16-year-old María Ceballos, who fled her home when guerrillas killed her father. Moving from gang-infested settlements to over-crowded rooms, María’s family finds comfort among fellow displaced families. Through her lens and mentored by filmmaker Susan Hoenig, María puts a human face on displacement.

Poet Against Prejudice

Moving to a new country was challenging for Faiza Almontaser, a 17-year-old from New York City, who immigrated with her family to the US from Yemen when she was in middle school. Mentored by the legendary pioneer of direct cinema, Albert Maysles, Faiza’s film documents her courageous and inspiring journey from victim to activist.

I Could Tell You 'Bout My Life

Mike Martin, age 19, faced challenges growing up. At 17, he tagged along with friends who committed a felony. Unable to post bail, he was sent to Rikers Island, one of the country’s most violent prisons. Mentored by filmmakers Chiemi Karasawa and Hollis Meminger, Mike shines a light on the juvenile justice system, while providing a message of hope and encouragement to others.

My Beautiful Nicaragua

Coffee is a way of life for Edelsin Mendez, age 12, and her family in Nicaragua. But climate change and shifting weather patterns are contributing to a crop disease and threatening coffee production in her community. Mentored by filmmaker Joyce Chopra, Edelsin conveys how her community is striving to maintain its traditions and livelihood, while forging a sustainable future.

Out of Aleppo

Teen refugee Mohammad Shasho and his family fled war-torn Syria for Berlin, Germany. Now, they are struggling to make a new life, learning to navigate a different culture and communicate in a foreign language. Mentored by filmmaker Anja Baron, Mohammad shares how he and his fellow refugees are surviving displacement, and their hopes for a brighter future.

Against the Current

17-year-old Daunnette Moniz-Reyome, who lives on the Umoⁿhoⁿ Reservation in Nebraska, interviews Native American youth and elders against the backdrop of a ceremonial powwow. Mentored by filmmaker Evan Mascagni, Moniz-Reyome shares her family’s journey to retain sacred rituals and culture traditions and the ways in which her community is healing historical trauma with strength and dignity.

L'Chaim