2025 World Premiere Highlights

On November 9th, at the Cornerstone Center for the Arts at Colorado College, YDA presented the World Premiere of new films produced by the Class of 2025.

This year, 11 budding filmmakers unveiled impactful and poignant works to a record audience of over 500 attendees. The films focused on a wide range of topics such as schizophrenia, women’s health, immigration, blackness, interracial families, the importance of empathy and curiosity, aging, religion, smoking, body image, and teen pregnancy. Through post-screening Q&As facilitated by moderator Ashley Cornelius, these short documentaries opened the door to courageous conversations.

To continue the dialogue that began in the theatre, a connections corridor of 15+ community groups tabled in the lobby, forming a town’s square, full of resources dedicated to mental health, education, and community building.

Huge thanks to this year’s sponsors:

Media, Outreach, and Reception Sponsors: Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region (COPPR), Colorado Public Radio + 91.5 KRCC, Colorado Party Rentals, and TDB Family Foundation. 

Event Sponsors: Colorado College Journalism Institute, Colorado Office of Film, Television & Media, the Colorado Film Commission, Lindsay-Brisbin Family Fund, Pikes Peak State College, UCCS (College of Public Service & Social Work), CALM Foundation, Diversus Health, H Chase Stone Charitable Trust, Strub-Heer Foundation, Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention Partnership, Peak View Behaviorial Health, Sally Sharpe, and The Colorado Trust. 

Huge thanks to this year’s connections corridor partners: 

Accompaniment and Sanctuary Coalition, Colorado College Journalism Institute, Colorado College Education Department, CPR/KRCC, Diversus Health, Educating Children of Color, NAMI CoS, Peakview Behavioral Health, PFLAG Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention Partnership, Pikes Peak State College Journalism Department, Silver Key Senior Services, TESSA, and UCCS Social Work.

For more info on becoming a future sponsor or connections corridor partner, please contact
Tom Shepard at tom@youthdocumentary.org.

Watch Teaser Here