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- DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILMS                                                            

Documentary short films shape and interpret factual material for purposes of education or entertainment. Their purpose is to educate, inform, communicate, persuade, raise consciousness, satisfy curiosity or maintain a historical record. Documentaries are meant to be informative works and are often used as a resource to teach various principles.

Scout is delighted to share the official selection for this category.

90 Days To Leave by Tanmay Srivastava, Judith Harward Carreon, and Prateek Srivastava

(India)
Produced By Tanmay Srivastava, Alain Azoulay, and Chris Bamford

NOMINEE

This short documentary is about the expulsion of the Asian community from the East African nation of Uganda in 1972.

Age Category: 18 and under

A Prayer For My Mother: The Eva Brettler Story by The Righteous Conversations Project

(United States)

An animated documentary which chronicles the extraordinary saga of Holocaust survivor Eva Brettler – a child facing brutality and profound loss who finds sustenance in faith and her own dreams for the future. The film is a production of The Righteous Conversations Project, a collaboration of Holocaust survivors and teens, founded in Los Angeles in 2011, in partnership with Harvard-Westlake School.

Age Category: 18 and Under

A United Nations Experience by Malinalli Perez

(United States)
Produced By Malinalli Perez

NOMINEE

As a 16-year-old participant in the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues with her school, she soon realized that many indigenous communities across the globe face a lot of similar obstacles and challenges within their communities.

Age Category: 18 and under

Anguish in the Aftermath by Joshua Riemer

(United States)
Produced By Malinalli Perez

NOMINEE

Photojournalist Ian Witlen helps tell the stories of the victims of the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

Age Category: 18 and under

Before the beauty is gone by Mackai Sharp

(Canada)


NOMINEE

An unfortunate reality: our fish are disappearing. Not our Salmon or our Halibut, but those will soon follow. Forage fish, a key segment of the marine food chain, is vanishing off the coast of British Columbia.

Age Category: 18 and under

Buzzbrews by Jaclyn Goldstein

(United States)

A booth, a missed concert, and a friendship lost in the memories of a diner's history.

Age Category: 19-24

Dad Jokes by Robert Gordon

(United States)
Produced By Allamaprabhu Pattanashetty
NOMINEE
A depressed middle aged, former standup comedian ends his standup career's 16 year hiatus for his son's college documentary project.

Age Category: 19-24

Davis Out Of The Unknown by Alexander Casimir, Claire Gostin

(United States)
Produced By Elizabeth Frankenthal
NOMINEE
Like any other kid, Davis is energetic, curious, joyful, and naturally sociable. He's also living with Koolen de Vries Syndrome (KdVS) which is a rare genetic disorder that affects every cell in the body and can cause hypotonia, speech delays, and epilepsy.

Age Category: 19-24

Euphoria by Wyatt Andraos, and Sammy Goyal

(United States)
Produced By Wyatt Andraos, and Sammy Goyal

High school senior, Jake Akita, shares his story about his life as a transgender.

Age Category: 18 and Under

Feminism: The Fifth Wave by Molly E. Smith

(United States)
Produced By Molly E. Smith

NOMINEE

Feminism is a dirty word. At least that is how some women see it. It has been weaponized, becoming closely associated with political ties and radical behavior. The media paints this picture of polarization between generations particularly regarding feminism, but these few loud opinions do not make up the whole.

Age Category: 18 and Under

Forgotten Valour by Taylor Doggett

(United Kingdom)
Produced By Samuel Hemingway

NOMINEE

Forgotten Valour is a short experimental documentary challenging the stigma surrounding PTSD and mental health within the military by telling one man’s story after he suffered for 35 years before his diagnosis.

Age Category: 19 to 24

Growing Up COVID by Rylee Landau

(United States)
Produced By Rylee Landau

I hope thinking about COVID-19 through a different lens will change people's perspectives during this difficult time.

Age Category: 18 and Under

HIDDEN PRONOUNS by Amal Alodaini, and Rahmeh Alshammas

(Jordan)
Produced By Amal Alodaini, and Rahmeh Alshammas

NOMINEE

This Documentary presents stories of three wonderful charecters who used to be illiterate, showing how everything in their lives has changed when they finally owned the simplest yet most important tool humans need, which is literacy!

Age Category: 19 to 24

Hope by Ali Meraai

(Syria, United States)
Produced By Dennis Dolan and Simon Peaslee

A Syrian refugee shares his life story and journey to the US.

Age Category: 19-24

Invasive Species of South Florida by Jake Siskin

(United States)
Produced By Jake Siskin

The Everglades are subject to many non-indigenous species which threaten the health of the environment and the natural habitat.

Age Category: 18 and Under

Just Being Here by Matteo Moretti

(United States)

Walter has lived alone for most of his life and doesn't venture far from his house, but his life is far from ordinary.

Age Category: 19-24

Life Support by Daisy Lyons

(United States)

A trans-feminine girl navigates her life and coming out with the support of her family and friends.

Age Category: 18 and Under

Life Without Parole by Mackenzie Robertson

(United States)
Produced By Mackenzie Robertson

NOMINEE

In 1992, 16-year-old Samuel Gladden was involved in a drug deal gone wrong. Despite having not pulled the trigger, he was arrested for murder, and faced life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Age Category: 19 to 24

Mattapan The Documentary by Moses Sibley

(United States)
Produced By Rick Aggeler, and Sean Stover
NOMINEE
Created by 15 teens out of the Mattapan Teen Center, Mattapan the Documentary is a short doc that covers the history of the neighborhood in Boston, along with celebrating local residents, and what the Mattapan Teen Center does to be a part of the Community. Led by 14 year-old Moses Sibley, this is MTC's debut short film! 

Age Category: 18 and under

Nobody Special by Jackie Rose Abramsohn

(United States)
NOMINEE
A documentary on the accompanist and military veteran, Patty Jacob.

Age Category: 18 and under

Ocean Bound by Dani Sadun, and Esteban Powell

(Ecuador)
Produced By Dani Sadun

The volunteers of “Mingas por el Mar” dedicate their time to organizing beach cleanings, and educating the citizens of Ecuador regarding sea pollution with the hope of changing people's lifestyle and raising awareness of the conscious use of pollutants. This short documentary explains how this problem is not limited to Ecuador but affects countries around the world.

Age Category: 19-24

Overcast by Mikayla Kim

(United States)

Asian-American youth showcase how parenting plays a significant role in one's upbringing and its relationship to mental health all while delving deeper to reveal the reality of growing up in an immigrant household.

Age Category: 18 and under

Queens by Abbey Sacks

(United States)

“Queens” is a documentary that explores the artistry and stories of four different Seattle-based drag queens. The film shares conversations about why these artists do what they do, and how drag plays a meaningful role in their lives.

Age Category: 19-24

SEAK Studios by Suzanne Christine McAuley

(United States)
NOMINEE
A personal and reflective documentary about four ten year-old filmmakers, their two feature-length films, and the friendship that inspired a life-long love of creation.

Age Category: 19-24

Serendipity and Me by Tal Anderson, and Vickie Anderson

(United States)
Produced By Tal Anderson, and Vickie Anderson

A short look at the life of a young autistic actor, this documentary investigates the effects isolation and the 2020 pandemic have had on her, using her cat to demonstrate that despite the circumstances, we can all reclaim unexpected joy in our lives if we put in the work and allow ourselves to discover the possibilities.

Age Category: 19-24

She was not alone by Hussein Al-asadi

(Iraq)
Produced By Hussein Al-asadi

NOMINEE

Fatima, 50, lives unmarried and alone in the Iraqi swamplands and keeps buffalo, chickens, a kitten and other animals. She describes her lonely and often hard life, but she would never move to the city, as she would perish there like a fish out of water.

Age Category: 19 to 24

Six Feet Apart by Ewan Pipe

(Ireland)
Produced By Ewan Pipe

A documentary on the experiences of people in Dublin, Ireland during the global pandemic and economic crisis in 2020.

Age Category: Middle School - 12 Years Old

Snoring by Sara Abedi

(Islamic Republic of Iran)
Produced By Mohammadhossin Abedi
NOMINEE
Ten-year-old Sarah faces the challenge of her father's snoring. She decides to make a documentary about this challenge and it's conflicts.

Age Category: 18 and Under

Stop Pebble Mine by Mason Mirabile

(United States)

A short documentary by Mason Mirabile about the Pebble Mine project in Bristol Bay Alaska and its potential impact on local communities and wildlife. Interviews from the World Wildlife Fund, United Tribes of Bristol Bay, and Trout Unlimited.

Age Category: 18 and Under

Stronger Than Steel by Jacob Pincus

(United States)
Produced By Jacob Pincus

Three days after the Tree of Life synagogue shooting, thousands of people in Pittsburgh came together to protest the hate and violence in the country. “Stronger than Steel” explores the notion that, even after tragedy, there is hope in this divided nation.

Age Category: 18 and Under

The Art of Avila Rose by Elsis Saravia, Isaiah Puletasi, Yulieth Aguilar, Michelle Gao, Sojo Titus, and Naomi Garcia Pasmanick

(United States)
Produced By Michelle Gao

In this short doc we meet Isaac Vazquez Avila and Lauren Rose D'Amato, the artists and owners of Avila Rose Signs, a custom sign shop in San Francisco, CA.

Age Category: 18 and Under

The Artificial Revolution by Elyas Masrour

(United States)

A young artist investigates the recent advancements in creative Artificial Intelligence to see if we're approaching the end of art.

Age Category: 19-24

The Unspoken Code: A Teen Perspective by Lillian Dight

(Australia)
Produced By Lillian Dight

Rebellion is the ‘Unspoken Code’ that most teens will encounter during adolescence. The documentary proposes concepts that aim to challenge and redefine the audience's perception of what it's like for teenagers in the current phase of society.

Age Category: 18 and Under

Things That Won't Die by Manuela Gutiérrez Arrieta

(Spain)
NOMINEE
After finding some videos she uploaded to YouTube when she was a child, Manuela attempts to follow the trail she herself has left on the Internet. Things that won’t die is a film about childhood, consent, and the way we look at ourselves.

Age Category: 19-24

VISIBLE by Elena Hutchison, Chisom Ukoha, and Autumn Love

(United States)

A student-filmed documentary grown out of the Coronavirus pandemic of 2020, VISIBLE is a story chronicling the lives of trans and non-binary young people as they face one of the most difficult years in history. Our film seeks to answer how quarantine affects gender presentation--and, most importantly-- hopes to shed light on a community easily forgotten in the shadows of a pandemic.

Age Category: 19-24

Wind of Changes by Johannes Rass

(Austria)
Produced By Johannes Rass

NOMINEE

Natural landscape and wind power plants - an alpine pasture under electricity, instead of black clouds of coal. A divided sky in a village, between profit and sustainability. Since electricity began its triumphal procession into our homes, there have been conflicts over its origin and use.

Age Category: 18 and Under

wired shut. by Alex O. Martinez

(United States)
Produced By Alex O. Martinez

That one time I broke my jaw and had to get my mouth wired shut.

Age Category: 18 and Under

Scout Film Festival

Scout Film Festival (Scout)—is a 501c3 non-profit organization that produces an annual international event celebrating emerging filmmakers - aged 24 and under - through film.
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