Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival is a project started by AdkAction in 2019 to celebrate student creativity and expand opportunities in filmmaking and digital storytelling.
Starting in 2022, the festival is moving to a new home at Mountain Lake PBS.
“Beyond the Peaks” film festival is a community-based showcase of art made by young filmmakers. The festival was created by AdkAction in partnership with Tupper Lake Central School District. Initially open to Adirondack area students, the Inaugural Festival took place on May 10, 2019 at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, NY. Film submissions were accepted from 50 students representing 7 school districts in the greater Adirondack area.
In 2020 and 2021, the festival took place entirely online due to COVID restrictions. Although finalists were unable to walk the red carpet and debut their films on the Wild Center’s theater screen, their work was enjoyed and voted on by viewers in the Adirondack region and beyond.
In 2022, AdkAction worked with Mountain Lake PBS to transition the festival to a new home. We’re thrilled to see Mountain Lake PBS take this project to the next level by providing more hands-on learning opportunities in filmmaking and television production, and greater exposure for films made by local students. The festival is returning for the 2022-23 school year.
The “Beyond the Peaks” festival creates and expand opportunities for young people interested in filmmaking or “digital storytelling.” It’s all about giving our youth a platform for creative expression and empowering their voices.
Students will upload video submissions online through Launchpad, a digital film contest platform donated by Skills21 at EdAdvance, an Educational Nonprofit based in Connecticut. All New York State high school students are eligible to enter. The deadline for submissions is noon on Friday, April 23, 2021 and participation is free.
Special thanks to Lake Placid Institute for supporting and building this event.
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