From 26 to 29 March 2026, Youth Cinema Network (YCN) members gathered in Limerick, Ireland, for the annual YCN Conference, generously hosted by Fresh International Film Festival. Bringing together professionals working with young filmmakers, the four-day event offered an inspiring combination of discussions, presentations, film screenings, industry visits and networking opportunities.
This year’s conference was particularly special, as it coincided with the celebration of 30 years of Fresh International Film Festival, providing a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the importance of supporting young filmmakers and the role that festivals and film organisations play in nurturing emerging talent.
Celebrating Young Filmmakers and 30 Years of Fresh
The conference officially opened on Thursday, 26 March, with a welcome reception and dinner at the Strand Hotel in Limerick, giving YCN members an opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new colleagues.
Friday’s programme combined YCN working sessions with an introduction to the local film industry. One of the highlights was a guided visit to Troy Studios, offering participants an insight into professional film production in Ireland.
The evening was dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Fresh International Film Festival. The Big Shots x Fresh celebration featured archival footage from the festival’s history, curated screenings and favourite films selected by YCN members. The celebrations continued with informal networking and live music by Hazey Haze.
Saturday brought another interesting perspective on youth filmmaking through a keynote presentation by Dr Ciarán Kissane, Director of Film Classification at the Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO). His presentation, Celebrating IFCO 100 + Fresh 30: Regulation, Responsibility and Creative Freedom, explored the relationship between film classification, creative expression and responsibility. This was followed by a panel discussion entitled Supporting or Holding Back? Young Filmmakers, Creative Freedom and Classification. The discussion addressed an important question for everyone working with young filmmakers: how can we encourage young people to explore challenging subjects and express themselves freely while navigating questions of responsibility, access and age classification?
The day’s programme concluded with a memorable visit to Bunratty Castle, where participants enjoyed a traditional medieval banquet featuring Irish music, song and dance.
YCN Working Sessions: Sharing Experiences and Developing New Ideas
Alongside the public programme, YCN members participated in two dedicated working sessions on Friday and Saturday. These meetings provided space to exchange experiences, discuss current activities and explore future directions for the network.
A central topic was the further development of the YCN Award, but the sessions also featured three presentations highlighting different approaches to youth filmmaking, education and international cooperation.
Food for Thought – Sanja Zanki Pejić, Croatian Film Association, Croatia
Sanja Zanki Pejić from the Croatian Film Association contributed to the discussions with her presentation Food for Thought, encouraging members to consider new possibilities for cooperation and the development of opportunities for young filmmakers. She introduced the European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists (EFFEA), an initiative supporting international cooperation between festivals and emerging artists. The presentation highlighted a potential opportunity for YCN members to work together on joint applications, combining the strengths of different festivals and organisations across the network. More information about the programme is available at www.effea.eu.
Scenario X: A Case Study in Practice-Led Youth Film – Pete Moles, Ireland
Pete Moles, a filmmaker and youth film practitioner from Limerick, presented Scenario X: A Case Study in Practice-Led Youth Film. His presentation introduced a practical approach to working with young filmmakers, contributing to the exchange of methods and experiences among YCN members. The session offered an opportunity to reflect on how hands-on filmmaking experiences can support young people’s creativity, collaboration and development, as well as the importance of sharing educational practices across different countries and organisations.
Windows to the World – Zuzana Dražilová, Czech Republic
Another inspiring presentation came from Czech film producer Zuzana Dražilová, who introduced Windows to the World, an audiovisual project for disadvantaged children. Running since 2019 and organised by the Czech non-profit organisation Adonai for People, the project provides film, animation and media workshops for children living in children’s homes across the Czech Republic. Unlike traditional filmmaking workshops, where participants often already have an interest in cinema, Windows to the World reaches children who may never previously have considered filmmaking as a form of creative expression.
Through practical workshops, participants learn storytelling, filming, animation and editing while developing confidence, teamwork, communication and media literacy skills. The project also includes public screenings, allowing young participants to share their work with audiences and experience the excitement of seeing their films on the big screen. At the time of the conference, the initiative was working with 12 children’s homes across seven Czech regions. Zuzana’s presentation reminded participants that filmmaking is not only about discovering future filmmakers. It can also be a powerful tool for inclusion, personal development and giving young people a voice.
The Future of the YCN Award
One of the most important outcomes of the conference was the agreement on several changes to the YCN Award, aimed at making the process more inclusive, transparent and closely connected to the network’s annual activities.
A new timeline and award ceremony
The YCN Award process will move from its previous September–November schedule to December–February, allowing the awards to reflect the best films produced during an entire calendar year. Another important decision was to bring the announcement of the winners back to the annual YCN Conference, reviving a tradition from earlier years of the network. The next YCN Award winners will therefore be announced at the YCN Conference in Milan in May 2027, with nominations beginning in December 2026.
More opportunities for members to participate
The nomination and voting process will also become more flexible. All YCN members will be able to nominate films in every age category and vote across all categories, except for films they have nominated themselves. Members will not be required to vote in every category, allowing them to participate according to their available time. If the same film is nominated by several members, it will remain in the competition and receive an additional voting point for each nomination beyond the first.
Special Awards instead of the Workshop category
Another change concerns the removal of the separate Workshop category. Instead, each age category may now receive a Special Award. Members will be able to suggest films for these awards during the voting process, with final decisions made through a dedicated discussion involving members who have watched the films.
Increasing the visibility of young filmmakers
The conference also emphasised the importance of giving nominated and awarded films greater visibility throughout the YCN network. Member festivals are encouraged to announce their YCN nominations during their own award ceremonies and to include shortlisted or winning films in their festival programmes whenever possible. The aim is to ensure that the YCN Award becomes more than a competition, creating additional screening opportunities, festival invitations and professional experiences for young filmmakers.
Looking Ahead: New Collaborations and Milan 2027
Beyond the formal presentations and decisions, the conference offered valuable opportunities for informal conversations, exchanging ideas and strengthening relationships between YCN members. Discussions explored possibilities for joint projects, international funding, film screenings and further cooperation between organisations working with young filmmakers.
The conference also provided an opportunity to look ahead to the next annual gathering, which is planned to take place in Milan, Italy, in May 2027.
The four days in Limerick once again demonstrated the value of bringing together people who share a commitment to young filmmakers. While YCN members work in different countries and contexts, they face many similar challenges and share a common ambition: to create more opportunities for young people to discover, explore and express themselves through film. We look forward to continuing these conversations, developing new collaborations and meeting again in Milan in 2027!