Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NOVEMBER 4, 2004 Contact: Saquora Lowe-McLaurin The Community Art Center, Inc. (617) 868-7100 ext. 15

NATIONAL TEEN FILM FESTIVAL COMES TO CAMBRIDGE
FILMS EXPLORE ISSUES OF FAMILY, CULTURE, AND VIOLENCE

CAMBRIDGE, MA – The award-winning Teen Media Program (TMP) of the Community Art Center, Inc. proudly presents the 9th Annual “Do It Your Damn Self!!” National Youth Video and Film Festival on November 19-20, 2004 at the Boston Pubic Library and M.I.T.’s Bartos Theater.

The DIYDS!! Festival was created in 1996 by inner-city teens who felt misrepresented in the media and wanted their videos seen by a wide audience. It now serves as a tool of empowerment for youth to gain important leadership and public speaking skills, while building their self-esteem. The festival has also become a nexus in the growing youth media field. The youth screening and discussion give area teens a chance to engage youth producers from around the country.

One star of the 2004 festival is Charnee Green, 19, who has been coming to the Community Art Center for 13 years and volunteered to coordinate all the youth events at this year’s festival. This year, Cambridge teens screened 82 entries and selected the final 13 films based on 5 criteria including technical quality and strength of message. Film selections include:

• One Family (Global Action Project, NYC) This documentary film weaves together the stories of twelve young refugees who reflect on their experiences in war and coming to America and find common bonds with one another.
• Elements (Youth Sounds Factory, Durham, NC) This madcap experimental film captures teen views on the frustration, passion and hilarity of falling in and out of love.
• Haiti Project (Community Art Center, Cambridge, MA. Dominique Bonner, 17) In a magazine format, teens and adults introduce viewers to the fascinating culture, people and history of Haiti.
• Monster Under the Bed (SCOOP, Detroit. Ashley Cain, 17) Public Service Announcement about incest.
• Remembering the Holocaust (Cambridge, MA. Elena Mead, 18) This documentary film follows three people and explores their experiences and feelings about the Holocaust and its impact on society.

Youth screening and panel discussion with 350 high school students will be Friday, Nov. 19th from 9:30am – 1:30pm at the Boston Public Library. Two public screenings will be held on Saturday, November 20th at 7:30pm and 9:30pm at M.I.T.

To schedule interviews with teens or festival staff, call Saquora at (617) 868-7100 ext. 15. For more information visit www.doityourdamnself.org. The DIYDS!! Festival is hosted by MIT and the Boston Public Library with major funding from the Holland & Knight Foundation.

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The Community Art Center (CAC) is a non-profit community-based organization that promotes the social, educational, and cultural growth of young people through exposure to the arts. We provide comprehensive, year-round after school programs for over 125 youth annually who live in Washington Elms/Newtowne Court public housing in Cambridge's Area IV, the most diverse and lowest income district in the city. The Teen Media Program provides 21st century training in photography, video production, and multimedia skills, giving teens a chance to explore their lives through a media arts curriculum. The DIYDS Film Festival brings the work of hundreds of youth filmmakers to Cambridge every year.

Listing Information:

Producer: The Community Art Center, Inc. - Teen Media Program

Event: The 9th Annual Do It Your Damn Self!! National Youth Video and Film Festival

Date: Saturday, November 20, 2004

Time: 7:30pm – gala public screening followed by dessert and discussion.
9:30pm – late screening introduced by DIYDS teens.

Place: MIT’s Bartos Theater, Wiesner Building – 20 Ames St., Free Parking at MIT’s East Annex Lot. MBTA Red Line to Kendall Square.

Cost: Adults, $10 - 25. Under 18, $5. Complimentary passes available for teens.

Tickets: Please call 617-868-7100 x15, or email diyds@communityartcenter.org. Indicate the number of tickets and the screening you wish to attend.

General Info: www.doityourdamnself.org or (617) 868-7100 x15

The Community Art Center is a 72-year old agency that promotes social, educational, and cultural growth through exposure to the arts. We provide after school programs for 100 youth annually who live in Cambridge public housing. The Teen Media Program provides 21st century training in photography, video production, and multimedia skills, giving teens a chance to develop themselves through the media arts.