Scottish Youth Film Foundation

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Scottish Youth Film Foundation

We are a charity that improves the life outcomes of young Scots through film. www.syff.scot

06/10/2026

💜 SYFF 2026💜

That’s a wrap on SYFF 2026, and what a weekend it was! From our New Talent Showcase on Friday to a full day of screenings, workshops, industry sessions, 1-1s and awards on Saturday, we’ve loved every minute of celebrating young people and their passion for film 🙌

We’d like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make SYFF 2026 so special:

To all our attendees, thank you for showing up, getting involved, asking questions, sharing your work and bringing such brilliant energy to the festival 🎥

To all our speakers, industry professionals and workshop leaders, thank you for sharing your time, knowledge and experience with the next generation of filmmakers. Your support makes such a difference 🎤

To our incredible Festival Assistants, thank you for all your hard work, enthusiasm and dedication throughout the weekend. We couldn’t have done it without you 🫶

And, of course, to our amazing local partners South Ayrshire Council, DYW Ayrshire, Ayrshire Film Company, Kyle from the incredible The Broadway Cinema, The Coo Shed and Prestwick Academy for welcoming us to Prestwick and helping us bring SYFF 2026 to life 🙌

Finally, a massive thank you to Screen Scotland for supporting this year’s festival and helping us continue to create free opportunities for young people across Scotland to connect with the film industry 🎬

We’re so proud of what we created together and incredibly grateful to everyone who played a part.

Until next year… 🎬💜

📸 by the wonderful Tom Mitchell

01/10/2026

We can’t believe the Scottish Youth Film Festival is finally here 🙌

Kicking off the weekend is our New Talent Showcase, an evening for anyone aged between 19-26 for a chance to discover Scotland’s emerging filmmaking talent, celebrate this year’s incredible shortlisted films and connect with other young creatives 🎬

Don't forget about our amazing opportunity to hear from Sarah Purser, Producer of upcoming TV Show "Wax Fruit". Hear all about developing a high-end Scottish period drama during our In Conversation and Q&A 🌟

And the best part? It’s completely FREE! 💜

So, what are you waiting for, head over to www.scottishyouthfilmfestival.co.uk secure your spot now!

📍 Prestwick Academy, South Ayrshire
📅 Friday 2nd October
🎬 The Scottish Youth Film Festival is supported by Screen Scotland

30/09/2026

Ask the Industry Q&A 💭

Join our panel of friendly industry experts to ask them about everything from breaking into the industry, developing your craft, and building a career in Film & Screen. Whether you’re curious about training, networking, creative practice, or just what a “day in the life” really looks like, this is your opportunity to hear honest advice and insider tips directly from those who’ve been there!

Panellists include:

Raisah Ahmed - Writer & Director
Diane Henderson - Film Festival Producer
Sarah Grant - Writer, Director and Actor
Sara Hamilton - Sustainability Consultant

Tickets are FREE and spaces are limited so head over to www.scottishyouthfilmfestival.co.uk secure your spot now!

📍 Prestwick Academy, South Ayrshire
📅 Saturday 3rd October
🎬 The Scottish Youth Film Festival is supported by Screen Scotland

29/09/2026

Interested in the world of Production Design? Then get ready to hear from Emer O’Sullivan about her experiences working in Film & TV on productions such as Frankenstein, Half Man and Rebus 🙌

Emer worked her way up through the art department, developing a strong background in art direction for film and television. She has worked with production designers including Tamara Deverell, Suzie Davies, Jon Gary Steele and Mark Tildesley, with credits including Frankenstein, Under the Skin and Outlander.

Before attending film school, Emer studied Fine Art, earning a degree in Drawing and Painting. She is also an advocate for working mothers in the film and television industry and a guest tutor at the National Film and Television School, where she has delivered short courses for new entrants to the art department.

Tickets are FREE and spaces are limited so head over to www.scottishyouthfilmfestival.co.uk secure your spot now!

📍 Prestwick Academy, South Ayrshire
📅 Saturday 3rd October
🎬 The Scottish Youth F

28/09/2026

Get ready for an exciting conversation with Tommy Gormley, a Producer and 1st Assistant Director who has worked on Star Wars, Mission Impossible and Star Trek.

There will be plenty of time for a Q&A, where you can pick Tommy's brain about his experience and the industry!

This workshop is included with your General Admission ticket which is FREE, however spaces are limited so head over to www.scottishyouthfilmfestival.co.uk secure your spot now!

📍 Prestwick Academy, South Ayrshire
📅 Saturday 3rd October
🎬 The Scottish Youth Film Festival is supported by Screen Scotland

25/09/2026

Learn how to navigate Film Festivals with festival producer Diane Henderson. From submitting your film to understanding how to budget, this is a masterclass in understanding film festivals 🎞️

From Action To Reaction:
You’ve made your film—now what? Don’t waste money on random submissions. Join veteran festival producer Diane Henderson to learn how the festival circuit actually works. Discover how programmers choose films, how to build a smart submission strategy on a budget, and how to use festivals to find networking and funding opportunities. Turn your project into a career launchpad.

Diane is a film programmer and festival leader who loves connecting people with great cinema. Currently working with the Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival and French Film Festival UK, she is also on the board of the Edinburgh Film Guild. A former Chair of the Scottish Youth Film Foundation, she has spent decades supporting film culture and future filmmakers.

Tickets are FREE and spaces are limited so head over to www.scottishyouthfilmfestival.co.uk secure your spot now!

📍 Prestwick Academy, South Ayrshire
📅 Saturday 3rd October
🎬 The Scottish Youth Film Festival is supported by Screen Scotland

24/09/2026

Meet our presenters! 🎤

Sonido Sewornu is a multidisciplinary artist with a background in Film, Fashion and Music. He is currently studying Fashion Design at Glasgow School of Art and maintains his connection to the Film through his music videos and occasional acting appearances.

Kara Gillespie is a content creator and BAFTA Young Presenter. She is passionate about using her platforms to inspire and empower other young deaf people. She creates engaging content for her own social media channels and has also worked with BBC Scotland to produce videos and content for them. Outside of content creation, she enjoys learning British Sign Language and travelling. Join them at this year's Scottish Youth Film Festival for an amazing weekend filled with conversations, connections and collaborations!

Tickets are FREE and spaces are limited so head over to www.scottishyouthfilmfestival.co.uk secure your spot now!

📍 Prestwick Academy, South Ayrshire
📅 Saturday 3rd October
🎬 The Scottish Youth Film Festival is supported by Screen Scotland

23/09/2026

We are so excited to announce that Jono Bond from Dreamworks Garden Company will be joining us for our Sustainable Filmmaking 101 workshop 🙌

With major hits under his belt such as The Odessey, Outlander and Maleficent, Jono will be sharing his expertise on Greens Departments in film production!

Jono has worked in Greens Departments for 15 years. Starting his career in London working on Disney and Marvels films. He was then offered a job on “Outlander” which brought him to Scotland. After falling in love with the industry and of course the country he decided to stay here and open up a Greens company of his own.

Tickets are FREE and spaces are limited so head over to www.scottishyouthfilmfestival.co.uk secure your spot now!

📍 Prestwick Academy, South Ayrshire
📅 Saturday 3rd October
🎬 The Scottish Youth Film Festival is supported by Screen Scotland

18/09/2026

Learn all about Archive Filmmaking with Emily Munro who will guide you through an exploration the exciting opportunities and challenges archive filmmaking can bring 🎥

Discover the process of reusing historical footage, photographs, documents, and audio recordings to tell a new story!

Tickets are FREE and spaces are limited so head over to www.scottishyouthfilmfestival.co.uk secure your spot now ✨

📍 Prestwick Academy, South Ayrshire
📅 Saturday 3rd October
🎬 The Scottish Youth Film Festival is supported by Screen Scotland

15/09/2026

🎥 Fights for Film

Join Fight Director EmmaClaire Brightlyn for a crash course in how fights work on film!
You’ll learn some moves and have the chance to see how pieces of action are caught on camera.

Tickets are FREE and spaces are limited so head over to www.scottishyouthfilmfestival.co.uk to secure your spot now!

Please note that workshop session tickets must be booked separately to your general admission ticket.

📍 Prestwick Academy, South Ayrshire

📅 Saturday 3rd October
🎬 The Scottish Youth Film Festival is supported by

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Edinburgh

Website

http://www.syff.scot/, https://www.scottishyouthfilmfestival.co.uk/

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