Start your weekend off right at this beloved NFFTY tradition! Connect with like-minded individuals, gain valuable industry insights and build meaningful professional relationships at this exciting opportunity for young filmmakers and industry professionals. Community building starts here!

The mission of the Puget Sound All Femme Film Event is to give young femme identifying filmmakers in the PNW the opportunity to create films that showcase their perspective and screen them at high profile events. Helping to connect students with women in the media industry, the day will feature an engaging keynote presentation, a film screening, a professional panel, and a wealth of networking opportunities with over 20 professionals from a variety of roles in the film and media industry.

Curious about virtual production but not sure where to start? This workshop introduces students to the basics of Unreal Engine, the free software powering some of today’s biggest films and shows. Together, we’ll break down what virtual production is, why it matters, and how anyone can begin experimenting right now. Through images and examples, you’ll see the step-by-step process of building a scene from start to finish, giving you a clear sense of the creative workflow. Students will walk away with an understanding of how to create their own projects using free and accessible tools. Attendees to the workshop will also receive access to slides that will help kickstart their learning once they leave the festival.

In this hands-on session, discover how to stop fighting your tools and start owning your creative momentum. We’ll explore how Firefly Boards can accelerate previsualization and storyboarding, how Premiere Pro’s AI-powered features like text-based editing, filler word removal, translated captions, and object cleanup with AI-Powered Rotoscoping can dramatically reduce friction in post, and how After Effects’ new 3D tools, smart masking, and variable font support can elevate your visual storytelling. The goal? Less technical stress. More storytelling power.

In 2018, Chicago filmmaker Bing Liu’s heartrending documentary Minding the Gap premiered at Sundance and went on to be nominated for an Oscar. While Liu continued to work in documentary, he also began working in fiction filmmaking, eventually partnering with major production companies, Brad Pitt’s Plan B and Barry Jenkins’ PASTEL to make his fiction debut, Preparation for the Next Life, currently in release from Amazon MGM Studios. How did he do it? In this candid conversation, Liu will discuss his winding path from studying to become a high school English teacher to working as an IATSE camera assistant to suddenly finding himself navigating agencies, production executives, and financiers.

Join us for our fourth Pitch Competition! Six finalist projects, all works in progress directed by filmmakers 24 years old and younger, have been chosen to pitch for up to $5,000 in finishing funds. This is an opportunity for filmmakers to pitch in front of industry professionals and receive feedback on their work as they put on the finishing touches. Come get a sneak peak at these future projects in the pipeline before they premiere! Past winners have screened at Sundance, Toronto, Locarno, and more!

A film. A full crew. Just 48 hours. This session breaks down how a high-pressure, real-world shoot went from chaos to a finished film. Focusing on fast decision making, efficient gear choices, and staying creative under extreme time constraints. Walk away with a practical mindset and approach you can use to start making films immediately, no matter your resources. Michael Tobin is a filmmaker, editor and YouTuber who creates content helping creatives make more cinematic videos with the gear they already have and emerging technology. Through both narrative projects and hands-on productions, Michael focuses on capturing authentic, story-driven visuals without overcomplicating the process.

Every film is a miracle…some more so than others. Your best bet is to assemble the team with whom you wish to wage war against the movie gods. NFFTY alumni Giselle Bonilla’s feature debut, THE MUSICAL, played in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at Sundance 2026 and is based on a short of the same title she and her crew made while at AFI. This revealing session will take you behind the scenes on turning a proof of concept into a feature, the ups and downs of getting it made, and the road leading to a world premiere at Sundance.