Do It Your Damn Self Film Festival

KENDALL MIT OPEN SPACE 392 MAIN STREET CAMBRIDGE MA

JUN 5-6, 2026

28 YEARS RUNNING

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Deadlines

FEB 28, 2026Deadline

About festival

Filmmaker Must be between the ages of 13-20Looking for, but not limited to, entries in the following categories:

Do It Your Damn Self Film Festival

Do It Your Damn Self (DIYDS!!) National Youth Film Festival is the longest-running youth-produced film festival in the country. Founded in 1996 by six Cambridge teens responding to media misrepresentation, the festival elevates youth voices and social justice–focused filmmaking. DIYDS!! is a program of the Community Art Center’s Teen Media Program and is rooted in the belief that young people create change by doing it themselves.

Festival Amenities

Hotel HostingAirport TransportSwag BagsWelcome DinnerQ&A SessionsFestival CatalogSocial Media Spotlight

Accepted Content

Genres:

ActionAdventureAnimationBiographyComedyCrime

DocumentaryDramaFamilyFantasyHistoryHorrorMusicMysteryRomanceScience FictionThriller

Sub-Genres:

Social IssuesSocial ImpactStudentPoliticalMockumentaryHuman Rights

Coming of AgeDanceRomantic ComedyPsychological ThrillerSilentFeministFantasy-DramaBio PicBlack ComedyFantasy-ComedyBuddy ComedyChildren'sMartial ArtsSportsCyber PunkDarkDetectiveEnvironmentalPoetryPeriod PieceSuspenseFaith

Film Types:

NarrativeDocumentaryNon-FictionExperimentalAnimation

Categories:

Short FilmMusic Video

Submission Categories

Short Narrative

Type: Video

Short Documentary

Type: Video

Exprerimental

Type: Video

Music Video

Type: Video

Animation

Type: Video

Contact

Kendall MIT Open Space 392 Main Street Cambridge MA

Festival Rules

Filmmaker Must be between the ages of 13-20Looking for, but not limited to, entries in the following categories:

Filmmaker Must be between the ages of 13-20:

This film festival is strictly for youth between the ages of 13 and 20.

Critical Rule

Looking for, but not limited to, entries in the following categories::

• Youth Perspectives (leadership, teen violence, relationships, family, education, etc.) • Social Justice (politics, diversity, activism, LGBTQ+, gender and race equity, etc.) • Youth Perspectives (leadership, teen violence, relationships, family, education, etc.) • Experimental Films that are abstract in nature but feature a perspective or voice not commonly heard from

Critical Rule