Press & Events

2019 Photos from the Red Carpet

Thanks to all who celebrated with us at the 2019 YDA Premiere at Colorado College.  Here are some photos from the red carpet!

2018 YDA Premiere Announced

FILM TODAY CHANGE TOMORROW A Five Year Anniversary Event Join the Youth Documentary Academy’s newest class of filmmakers at the premiere screening of their work on Sunday, November 4th, 2018 at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College. For five years, YDA graduates have made and distributed over 50 … Read more »

Trinity Film Festival Report From Russell Bowen

Just back from the Trinity Film Festival, Russell Bowen, YDA Alumni ’17 and director of THE MACHINIST, shared… When I first applied Trinity Film Festival, my expectations of other competition was very high. After sharing my film with a new audience, I have grown more confidence in my skills as a … Read more »

TWICE EXCEPTIONAL at Stargazers for the Achieve With Us Colorado Film Festival

Looking forward to seeing Samuel Faux’s film, TWICE EXCEPTIONAL, this Friday at Stargazers. Join us! https://www.facebook.com/events/1550198041696787/ The Arc Pikes Peak Region’s 6th Annual Achieve with Us Colorado Film Festival: Join the Dance, is set for Friday, March 23, at Stargazers Theater, and features simple yet powerful films to improve the … Read more »

2018 Short Circuit Film Festival Features 8 YDA films

YDA will be screening 8 films at this year’s Colorado Short Circuit Film Festival, hosted by the Independent Film Society of Colorado. April 13/14th SURVIVING by Tea Santos MEET ME IN THE PALE MOONLIGHT by Avon Schultz LOVE ME by Joshua Sun WE EXIST by Anabelle Martinez FINDING HOME by Yolande … Read more »

YDA is selected for the Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival

Congratulations to Joshua Sun (LOVE ME), Tea Santos (SURVIVING), Hadassah Nix (LABELED), Angel Baeza (FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE), and Yolande Morrison (FINDING HOME) for being selected for the 2017 Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival. See details below for screening information. https://rmwfilminstitute.org/films/student-spotlight-youth-documentary-academy  

Two YDA Films to Broadcast on Vermont PBS

Four YDA films were selected for the 2017 Scout Film Festival in Stowe Vermont.  Of those four, YDA walked off the stage with two winners:  Andy Kwiatkowski won Best Documentary for LONELY HIGHWAY, and Kalia Hunter won Best Cinamatography for DOM.   Vermont PBS partnered with Scout to showcase the … Read more »

YDA headed to the BIG APPLE!

Excitement is in the air as Kalia Hunter, Dee Contreras, and Shaienne Knox are off to the BIG APPLE for the All-American High School Film Festival where their films will screen at the AMC Theater in Times Square. We couldn’t be more proud of these ladies, and the 5 other … Read more »

2017 YDA Premiere Announced

Join the Youth Documentary Academy’s newest class of filmmakers at the premiere screening of their films on November 4th, 2017 at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College. Since the founding of the Youth Documentary in 2013, dozens of young people in the Colorado Springs area have received … Read more »

YDA Helps Start a Conversation around Youth Suicide Prevention

YDA is so proud to participate in a series of events this Fall surrounding the topic of Youth Suicide Prevention. Filmmaker Madison Legg, along with her film UNDER THE WIRE, have been included in a series of panel presentations offered by Colorado Springs School District 11, “Awareness Matters: Understanding Mental … Read more »

While walking around Boulder, so many people came up to me and my dad to thank me for making AFTER WAR.

Bailey Francisco, 17


We were struck by how deeply students were willing to delve into difficult topics, often personal stories, and handle that material with real sensitivity.

Tara Thomas, Director of Education, Bemis School of Art