In a region known for its deep musical roots and rich storytelling traditions, a new creative movement is quietly building in the world of film. The WV Youth Film Festival, now in its second year, is offering an unprecedented platform for filmmakers under the age of 24 to showcase their voices, visions, and stories.
This year’s lineup featured works from a talented group of emerging filmmakers, including Eve Sparks, Connor Zanath, Grant Nuzum, Liberty Morgan, Samuel Felinton, Gabriel Marcum, and Marilyn Bell.
Festival organizer Liberty Morgan says the mission is both simple and transformative: “The goal of the WV Youth Film Festival is to bring video art to communities through West Virginia and Appalachia and to promote an outlet for young creatives locally in an underserved art form.”
That mission is more than just a tagline—it’s a direct response to a gap Morgan and her collaborators saw in the region’s arts offerings. While West Virginia has a growing number of film screenings and festivals, there was no event dedicated solely to youth-led storytelling.
The idea took root last year as part of a filmmaking workshop at the Love Hope Center for the Arts. Morgan recalls, “Last year, the idea for our festival and filmmaking workshop was brought to Love Hope Center for the Arts in an effort to introduce video art and filmmaking to a younger audience in the area.”
What began as a small, community-driven project quickly caught attention. This year, the festival became an independent event, backed by new supporters. “This year, the festival stood alone from Love Hope but was sponsored by The Outpost NRG, Plateau Action Network, and Lost Appalachia,” Morgan explained.
That independence also came with growth. The first year’s program featured 12 short films; this year, organizers shifted focus to longer works. “Last summer we showcased 12 shorter films, and this year we showcased nine longer films,” Morgan said. “All the films entered were made and produced by individuals under age 24.”
It’s a distinction that Morgan is proud of. “This festival is unique as it is the first youth-oriented festival of its kind in WV,” she said.
But the festival is more than just a series of screenings. From the beginning, education and skill development have been at its core. In its inaugural year, the event featured hands-on workshops for aspiring filmmakers, led by respected industry professionals. “Last summer we worked to hold a filmmaking workshop for young filmmakers with classes taught by Tijah Bumgarner and Joe Strechay,” Morgan said.
The workshops covered both practical techniques and storytelling values. “One class was entitled Mobile Filmmaking, which taught kids how to make filmmaking more accessible by teaching how to film and edit using just a cellphone,” Morgan explained. “The other was about how to introduce diversity to your films and how to tell your own personal stories.”
The combination of screenings and workshops has already had a ripple effect. Several young participants have continued making short films, entering them into other festivals, or posting them to online platforms. Morgan says this is exactly the kind of impact the festival is aiming for: encouraging not just one-time participation, but lifelong creative growth.
Looking ahead, the WV Youth Film Festival hopes to expand its programming while maintaining its commitment to accessibility. “We hope to hold another workshop of this nature in the future,” Morgan said, adding that they are exploring new ways to make filmmaking resources available year-round.
For Morgan, it all comes back to the belief that Appalachian youth have powerful stories to tell—stories that deserve to be heard, seen, and celebrated. By creating a space specifically for them, the WV Youth Film Festival is helping ensure that the next generation of filmmakers doesn’t just find its voice, but amplifies it for the world to hear.