FILM PRIZE JUNIOR NEW MEXICO IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY
FILM PRIZE JUNIOR NM 2024-2025 IS HAPPENING NOW!
We are currently supporting over 70 New Mexico middle schools and high schools to create short films for this year’s festival!
IMPORTANT DATES
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 7, 2024
SCRIPT SUBMISSION DEADLINE: DECEMBER 13, 2024
COMPLETED FILM DUE: MARCH 4, 2025
EVERY STUDENT PLAYS AT THE FESTIVAL
EMPOWERING YOUNG FILMMAKERS SINCE 2021
Film Prize Jr launched in New Mexico in the 2021-2022 school year. Since then, we have supported over 3,000 students from more than 200 schools to create 320 short films which we featured on the big screen at our annual festival.
Preparing Students for Success
By making films for Film Prize Junior, New Mexico students gain technical and crucial soft skills that prepare them to succeed in their academic and professional careers.
In 2024, an independent evaluation found significant impact for participating teachers and students in a wide range of skills, related to the technical craft of filmmaking, as well as leadership and collaboration.
Film Prize Junior is helping students to feel connected to their education, confident and optimistic about their futures, that their voices matter, and that their schoolwork is meaningful.
New Mexico schools use Film Prize Junior to support student success in:
- Career Technical Education
- Career Exploration
- Social Emotional Learning
- Cultural Engagement
- Project Based Learning
- Capstones
- Graduate Profiles
- Dual Credit
Native storytelling
With the success of shows like Reservation Dogs, Yellowstone and Dark Winds, and films like Prey, Native students are starting to see more authentic Indigenous representation on the big screen. Native land in NM has long been the setting for non-Native films. Film Prize Jr NM is humbled to be working with Native communities to support students to tell their own stories on their own land.
Last year, the Film Prize Junior New Mexico festival featured over 50 films with Native representation.
Because of this surge in Native storytelling, we created the Native Youth Filmmakers Emergence Award, which was presented by Academy Award winner Wes Studi, who also received a Film Prize Junior Lifetime Achievement Award.
As we continue to increase our support of Native students to create films for Film Prize Junior New Mexico, we are working closely with industry partners like Native Stars Studios in Gallup, and expanding our internship program with the Institute of American Indian Arts.
Check out this selection of Native films from FPJRNM students.
Empowering Rural Communities
While it’s no surprise that Film Prize Jr NM has been adopted by Albuquerque Public Schools and Las Cruces School District, it is extraordinary how the program has been embraced by so many rural communities across New Mexico.
Of the 167 films that were featured at the 2024 festival, 36 of them were from rural communities. (or communities with populations under 5,000).
Since 2021, Film Prize Junior New Mexico has supported communities like Demming, Cuba, and Peñasco, to build robust film programs, while opening college/career pathways and opportunities for their students.
Film Prize Junior New Mexico will continue to champion access, equity, agency and opportunity for New Mexico students, wherever they live.
HOW TO JOIN FILM PRIZE JUNIOR NEW MEXICO
Registration for the New Mexico 2024-2025 school year has closed. However, interested Teachers and Organizations may contact us using the form below for more inforamtion about future program years. Once your form has been received and reviewed, Teachers will be contacted by the Film Prize Junior New Mexico team for information you will need to participate next year.
Contact Form
To learn more about what you need to participate, Contact Us! If you are a student, please have your parent or teacher fill out this form.
FILM PRIZE FOUNDATION, INC.
Film Prize Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2012. Our mission is to promote economic development, workforce development, youth job training, art-based and entrepreneurial business development through film production, education, live and recorded music events, conferences, competitions, and festivals in the Shreveport-Bossier area. We operate six major initiatives year-round: Louisiana Film Prize, Startup Prize, Film Prize Junior, Food Prize, Music Prize, and Fashion Prize.