"The America I Am" Short Film Competition Launched

Date: December 30, 2015
Contact: Cherie Butler, [phone]

THE STATUE OF LIBERTY NATIONAL MONUMENT AND ELLIS ISLAND AND TRIBECA FILM INSTITUTE® PARTNER TO LAUNCH FILM COMPETITION THE AMERICA I AM

Today's Youth Invited To Submit Short Films around Personal Connection to the American Experience in Celebration of the National Park Service Centennial

New York, NY–The National Park Service (NPS) and Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) have launched The America I Am (TAIA), a film competition for young people across the country. The cinema contest invites youth, ages 18 and under, to create and share a personal film of up to five minutes in length that explores their American experience. The contest is designed to uncover the stories of Americans of all backgrounds in order to better understand our shared culture and history.

Entries can be submitted through February 12, 2016. A jury of film professionals will select five winners. The selected youth filmmakers will be mentored by industry professionals before their short films premiere at a special Tribeca Film Institute event during the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival®. The films will also be shown at the NPS Centennial Celebration event during National Park Week, April 16-24, at the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island.

"We're thrilled to collaborate with Tribeca Film Institute and excited to see America through the eyes of the next generation of storytellers," said John Piltzecker, Superintendent, Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island.

"We're proud to partner with National Park Service for the The America I Am competition," said Anna Ponder, executive director of TFI. "We look forward to seeing young people's perspectives on American history and culture, and we are excited to give them the opportunity to have their work seen by industry leaders at our special event during the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival."

The National Park Service Centennial goal is to connect with and create the next generation of park visitors, supporters, and advocates. Tribeca Film Institute's education programs empower students through hands-on training and socially relevant films, offering young people the civic skills to be creative, active members of society. With the two organizations headquartered at Statue of Liberty National Monument and in Lower Manhattan, respectively, this New-York-City-based partnership was a natural fit.

How can you enter? The America I Am competition will be accepting youth film entries through Friday, February 12, 2016. 

About Statue of Liberty National Monument (http://www.nps.gov/stli)

"The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World" was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States and is recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886 and designated as a National Monument by Presidential Proclamation in 1924.Its purpose under the National Park System is to preserve, protect, and interpret as a national and international symbol of freedom and migration and to promote understanding, reflection, and discussion about the meanings of liberty and opportunity.

About Tribeca Film Institute (http://www.tribecafilminstitute.org)

Tribeca Film Institute champions storytellers to be catalysts for change in their communities and around the world. Each year, we identify a diverse group of exceptional filmmakers and media artists and empower them with funding and resources to fully realize their stories and connect with audiences. Further, our education programs empower students through hands-on training and exposure to socially relevant films, offering young people the media skills necessary to be creative and productive global citizens. We are a year-round nonprofit organization founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in the wake of September 11, 2001.