Planet Frame: International Youth Film Festival & Anthology

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Planet Frame: International Youth Film Festival & Anthology

International Student Film Festival presenting new voices in cinema from around the world.

International Student Film Festival celebrating young filmmakers and new voices in cinema from around the world.

10/09/2026

It's people who make every event special!

What could be better than a cup of delicious hot chocolate on a cool autumn evening, surrounded by great films and wonderful people?

A heartfelt thank you to our festival partner, 111 Coffee Valdese, for bringing warmth, flavor, and a little extra magic to our movie nights!

Thank you for helping make these evenings so delicious and unforgettable!

10/08/2026

FILMMAKING IN THE MOUNTAINS — NOW THAT TAKES COURAGE!

Filming in the mountains is one of the most challenging and extreme kinds of filmmaking!

Unpredictable weather, batteries running out, waiting for the perfect sunlight, exhausting climbs... You're already soaked in sweat, and you still have to find the strength to set up your camera and capture the perfect shot!

What an incredible group of young adventurers and filmmakers!

In their documentary WHY WE CLIMB?, the CORE Student Filmmakers take us on a 20-day expedition through the mountains of Wyoming and Idaho, exploring courage, friendship, and the powerful connection between people and nature.

Creating a film under these conditions deserves the highest praise and respect!

Congratulations to these brave young filmmakers! We are incredibly proud to present your work through Planet Frame Youth Film Lab.

Watch WHY WE CLIMB? in the Film Room on our official Planet Frame website. The website is linked on our page.
WHY WE CLIMB?

Filmmakers: CORE Students
Organization: Morganton CORE Carolina Outdoor Recreation & Education
Location: Wyoming & Idaho, USA
Genre: Youth Documentary
Program: Planet Frame Youth Film Lab 2026

10/05/2026

MEET OUR PLANET FRAME YOUTH FILM LAB FILMMAKER

We are proud to introduce Ellie Ramazzini and her very first film, MY GUATEMALAN ROOTS.
Director: Ellie Ramazzini
Location: Morganton, North Carolina
Duration: 3 min
Program: Planet Frame Youth Film Lab

Ellie did an amazing job! During the Film Lab, we created this film together step by step — from the first idea and developing the story to filming and final editing.
At just 13 years old, Ellie tells a very personal story, exploring her Guatemalan and Mayan heritage through her father’s memories and discovering how family history, culture, and traditions have become part of her own identity.
Congratulations, Ellie! We are very proud of what you accomplished and excited to share your first film.

Watch MY GUATEMALAN ROOTS in the Planet Frame Film Room:
https://www.planetframe.net/filmroom

10/04/2026

MEET THE WINNERS | PLANET FRAME 2026 AWARD WINNERS
The Planet Frame 2026 winners are here!
From different countries, cultures, and perspectives, young filmmakers brought their stories to Planet Frame — and now it’s time to celebrate their achievements.
Congratulations to all Planet Frame 2026 Award Winners, finalists, and every young filmmaker who shared their voice with us.
Your frame. Your voice. Our planet.
PLANETFRAME.NET

10/02/2026

While we are preparing a full video and photo recap of our Film Festival, held in Morganton on September 25–26, 2026, we are excited to share another wonderful piece of news!

Our film almanac Planet Frame 2025 has been selected for the Official Selection of the Luminous Frames Festival in Denmark in the Best Experimental Film category!

This is an exciting and important step forward for us Planet Frame continues its journey, bringing together stories, creativity, and people from different countries.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in Planet Frame 2025 — writers, directors, actors, and everyone who contributed their talent, time, and energy to creating our film almanac. This achievement belongs to all of us!

Let’s keep creating, growing, and moving forward together!

Planet Frame — our stories continue to travel around the world.

09/30/2026

Celebrating Young Voices at the Planet Frame Youth Film Festival

We were delighted to welcome Morganton CORE to the Planet Frame Youth Film Festival and to present their inspiring short film, “Why We Climb?”, on the big screen.

The film tells the story of an incredible 20-day summer expedition and captures the spirit of adventure, teamwork, personal growth, and determination.

We are especially proud that the Planet Frame Film Lab had the opportunity to contribute to the editing process and help bring this story to the screen.

A heartfelt thank you to the young filmmakers, mentors, families, guests, and everyone who joined us for this special event.

Planet Frame is about more than watching films — it’s about giving young people a screen, a voice, and a place to share their stories with the world.

And there’s more to come! Soon, we’ll make the film available for everyone to watch. Stay tuned — we’ll share when and where you can see it!

Congratulations to CORE and everyone involved in “Why We Climb?”!

09/29/2026

🏆 PLANET FRAME 2026 — WINNERS
We are proud to announce the winners of the Planet Frame International Film Festival 2026, held September 25–26 in Morganton, North Carolina, USA.
Congratulations to our 2026 winners! 🎬
🏆 BEST YOUNG FILMMAKER — AGES 12–15
US AND THEM
Director: Anne Mitchell | USA
🏆 PLANET FRAME VOICE AWARD
BREAKING NEWS
Director: Lior Cahana | Israel
🏆 BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM
CHIMERA
Director: Alice Ferreira | Portugal
🏆 BEST SHORT FILM
RESTART
Director: Matilde Carvalho | Portugal
🏆 ECO MESSAGE AWARD
NEW WONDER
Director: Ryan Hainline | USA
🏆 FUTURE OF FILM AWARD
ETERNAL ECHOES
Director: Nianyu Zhong | China
🏆 BEST ANIMATION
DIE PERFECTLY
Director: Shuo Yang | USA
🏆 WATER QUALITY & WATERSHED SCIENCE AWARD
Presented by Lake James Environmental Association (LJEA)
UNDERCURRENTS
Director: Aayas D. Joshi | USA
🏆 PLANET FRAME SPECIAL AWARD
GOOD JOB.
Director: J. Wyatt Turner | USA
FILM LABORATORY 2026
WHY WE CLIMB.
Film Laboratory Participants:
Sam Mack
Ava Mack
Asher Antal
Greg Antal
Sam Wood
Roco Carriker
Langston Lacombe
Caitlin Horner
Mathew Lehn
Fransiso Risso-Hemstreet
Whisper Smith
Jacob Ciofoletti
Country: USA
Runtime: 6 min
MY GUATEMALAN ROOTS
Film Laboratory Participant: Ellie Ramazzini
Country: USA
Runtime: 3 min
Congratulations to all our winners, finalists, and official selections! Thank you to every filmmaker who shared their work and creative voice with Planet Frame, and to our jury, partners, guests, and audience who made Planet Frame 2026 possible.
See you at Planet Frame 2027! 🎬✨

09/17/2026

FREE OPEN-AIR FILM FESTIVAL IN DOWNTOWN MORGANTON!

Friday, September 25 | 7:30–9:30 PM
International Short Film Program

Saturday, September 26 | 7:30–9:00 PM
Planet Frame 2026 Awards Ceremony
Water Quality & Watershed Science Award presented by Lake James Environmental Association
From 9:00 PM — Official Festival After Party at The Hedge Restaurant

Downtown Morganton, North Carolina
Historic Morganton Courthouse Square
100 E Union St., Morganton, NC

Special Guest: actress Carrie Stauber

International filmmakers & jury

FREE ADMISSION — OPEN TO EVERYONE
With support from WPCC Small Business Center

09/10/2026

Who decides which films make it to the festival screen? And what do jury members see beyond the film itself?

In her new article, “Why a Jury of Different Industries Makes All the Difference,” Eliza Hopper introduces the international jury of Planet Frame 2026 — professionals from very different fields, each bringing a unique perspective to films created by young filmmakers.

What makes this jury different? And why does it matter?

Read the full story on Medium: https://medium.com//why-a-jury-of-different-industries-makes-all-the-difference-6f3f71425e7b
Why a Jury of Different Industries Makes All the Difference

Address

Мorganton
Morganton, NC
28655

Website

https://www.planetframe.net/

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