The annual YCN Award recognizes excellence in film made by young people. Established in 2016 as a single award, it is now presented to the best films in three age groups:
ages 0 – 14
ages 15 – 19
ages 20 – 27
In 2021, one more section was presented: film made in the framework of a short-term workshop.
YCN festivals nominate one film for each group, YCN members cast one vote per age group (a festival may not vote for its own nomination) and the films with greatest number of votes in each age category are declared winners. Every year the YCN awards are presented at a different festival. Starting with Wicked Wales Film festival, UK in 2016, the awards have been announced at REC, Germany (2017), Nextfilmfestival, Denmark (2018), Enimation, Slovenia / Up and Coming, Germany (2019), Camera Zizanio, Greece (2020), Nordic Youth Film Festival, Norway (2021) and Novemberfestivalen, Sweden (2022). For the last two years (2023 and 2024) Awards have been presented online – gathering all the shortlisted filmmakers to see who has won the precious award.
In 2025, the YCN Award was presented online, but it will also be presented in person at Novemberfestivalen in Trollhättan, Sweden.
The list of the winners 2025 is as follows:
Ages 0 – 14: Trash
Filmmaker: a group of authors (Atelier Caméléon)
Belgium / animated
Nominated by BALÓSS - Milan Junior Film Festival (Italy)
Ages 15 – 19: Red Reverie
Filmmaker: Hugo Fearon
Ireland / fiction
Nominated by Fresh International Film Festival (Ireland)
Ages 20 – 27: Bird Drone
Filmmaker: Radheya Jegatheva
Australia / animated
Nominated by A-FILMTEENSFEST (Czech Republic)
Workshop category: (dis)connected
Filmmaker: group of authors (Mythos Project)
Greece / documentary
Nominated by Camera Zizanio (Greece)
