Telling our story.
The Detroit Teen Truth Film Festival strives to empower youth voices to get a better understanding of what’s really important to young people in our region.
Established in 2019, the Detroit Teen Truth Film Festival (formerly the Detroit Can Film Festival) is an opportunity for youth in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties to create 15 second films that share their truth and perspectives on the festival theme. Finalists are eligible to win cash prizes and scholarships. Each year, the theme is selected by festival founders working with focus groups of area young people to reflect important social issues in hopes of empowering youth to use their creativity to share their voices for understanding and change.
2025 Festival Theme
In our conversations with young people about ideas for the 2025 theme, before we could get to any conversations about the environment, or social or political issues, the same framing kept coming up. Teens often feel like even if they have strong feelings on a topic, no one is really listening to them or might diminish the importance of their opinions because of their age.
Well, we’re listening!
We’re proud to provide a platform for youth voice and this year’s theme opens young people to address whatever they think is the most important thing to say in 2025.
Our theme this year is IF EVERYBODY WAS LISTENING, I’D SAY…
2025 Festival Information
The DTTFF festival will take place Saturday May 31 at the Marlene Boll Theatre at the Boll Family YMCA. Stay tuned for more information on how to purchase tickets and more.
2025 Prizes
A first round of judging will determine festival finalists, all of which will be screened at the festival event. Final judging will take place at the festival by a panel comprised of volunteers with backgrounds in media arts. The panel will select one grand prize winner and a runner up. The audience award will be decided by popular vote.
- Festival Grand Prize – $750
- Festival Runner Up – $150
- Audience Award – $150
How To Submit a Film
Submission criteria/contest rules:
- Must be between 15-30 seconds in length
- Must address festival theme
- Can be produced using any available technology that can be shared digitally (phone, tablet, digital camera, etc.)
- Participating young people must live and/or attend school in Wayne, Oakland, or Macomb counties
- Applicants must be between 13-18 years old (as long as participants are 13 by the festival date on 5/31, they are eligible)
- Videos must be submitted during the festival submission period, Monday March 24 at 9:00 am to Friday April 18 at 5:00 pm
- Participating young people must provide current, valid parent/guardian contact information on submission form or submission will be void
- Applicants may enter as many videos as they like.
- There is no fee to apply
The below guidelines for the Detroit Teen Truth Film Festival outlines AI usage and stock assets in submissions:
- AI may be used to assist in generating and brainstorming ideas and research.
- AI may not replace or assist in any part of the final execution/video. Examples include, but are not limited to, AI photography, artwork, video and audio.
- Stock imagery may not be used as a final product or make up the entirety of any frame in the video.
- Stock imagery (public usage rights only) may only be used to assist in creating portions of original artwork. Example: A stock image of a sky or other background may be added to your original artwork to complete the frame. Students are strongly encouraged to recreate stock imagery where possible.
- If you are unsure of the usage rights for an asset, please reach out to medwartowski@ymcadetroit.org for assistance.
Submissions are open Monday March 24 at 9:00am through Friday April 18 at 5:00 pm. A Google Form will be available during this window on this page to submit.
If you have questions about the submission process or the festival itself, please contact Margaret Edwartowski at Y Arts Detroit at medwartowski@ymcadetroit.org or (313) 223-2743.