
March 13–15
2026
Washington, DC
A free festival celebrating teen creativity.
Come watch the films in competition at the 2026 Y-CAM Film Festival. For free.
Y-CAM Film Festival is your golden ticket to showcase your creativity on an international stage and make your mark as a high school filmmaker. Don’t miss out on this unmatched opportunity to elevate your film career.
Program
Experience the thrill of on-site awards with esteemed judges from the film industry. Get the inside scoop from experts and listen to our captivating keynote speaker talking about the realities of working in the media world. Discover incredible film school opportunities and connect with fellow filmmakers who could be your next collaborators. Join us on March 13–15 2026 in Washington, DC.
Sunday March 15, 2026
Angelika Pop-Up at Union Market
12:00 PM — 12:30 PM
Live Streaming: Filmmakers interviews
12:30 PM — 1:45 PM
Workshop: Screenwriting and Creative Writing with Writopia Lab
A light-heartedly serious dive into screenwriting led by Leah Ly and Melanie Howard from Writopia Lab.
Get tickets to participate in this Workshop ($12)
2:00 PM — 2:30 PM
Keynote: Podcasting/YouTubeing
Learn the know-hows from a surprise guest speaker.
2:30 PM — 3:00 PM
Zoom chat with actor JB Blanc
JB Blanc is a highly accomplished stage, screen and voice actor and director with projects in film, animation, video games, anime, and commercials. His animation work includes Arcane, Dragons: Race to the Edge, Scooby Doo, The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Avengers Assemble.

3:00 PM — 4:00 PM
Awards Ceremony & Games
Join the ceremony where the members of the 2026 Jury will award this year's prizes.
Jury

Spencer Bruttig
Spencer Bruttig is an Emmy Award-winning documentary film producer and cinematographer based in Washington, D.C.
He has produced films on the lost Maya of Belize, a soccer academy for at risk girls in Africa and on the re-introduction of frogs in Yosemite. In 2012, he went through a documentary film production summer intensive, which he credits for inspiring his career passion and knowledge and is very happy to be a part of this program helping to inspire the next generation of filmmakers.
Erin Devost
Erin is a Social Media Manager for Teak Media + Communication, with years of experience in marketing, PR and podcasting. She was until recently the Outreach and Engagement Manager for PBS’s American Experience documentary series.

NiLa Austin
Dr. NiLa Austin is a Washington DC educator, psychologist, and education equity advocate committed to expanding creative and academic opportunities for young people. She designs innovative, culturally responsive programs that place student voice, creative expression, and real-world skill development at the center of learning. Dr. Austin has led transformative initiatives in student programming, youth media, wellness, and career-connected learning. Her work is driven by a mission to ensure all students have access to empowering pathways that cultivate confidence, creativity, and leadership.
Team
Meet the 2026
Y-CAM Team
Learn from indie founders, digital artists, and product designers at the top of their game.

Fiona Cammack
2026 Coordinator

Joy Brown
2026 Coordinator

Ava’Marie Arnold
2026 Coordinator
Join us. For free.
All student and young filmmakers are welcome.
Stay tuned for our Selection and Keynote announcements.


































