International Youth Media Summit Partners With Zanzibar Film Festival For Its Next Edition, The First To Be Held In Africa

The 19^th edition of the International Youth Media Summit (IYMS) will be held in Zanzibar in July. 

The International Youth Media Summit is a collaborative film production and training event organized by the Teen International Media Exchange (TIME). TIME was established in the wake of 9/11, when the attacks motivated a group of Los Angeles media instructors to find a way to get teenagers to set aside differences and collaborate on media projects.  

It has never been held in Africa before, with past editions taking place in Australia, Croatia, Nepal, Serbia, Sweden, and the U.S.

IYMS is partnering with the Zanzibar International Film Festival and the Zanzibar Arts Initiative Foundation. Together, they will produce three overlapping events – the Summit, the Film Festival, and the Zanzibar African Youth Arts Festival. Other high-profile support partners for the Summit include UNESCO, the European Union Delegation in Tanzania, Alta Global Media, and Disney’s VoluntEARS.  

The Summit will have 100 selected filmmakers and activists from around the world participating in film production and training, guided by media educators and industry professionals. Delegates will be placed in one of seven film production teams, each focusing on a different social issue: discrimination, environment, health, poverty, violence, women’s rights, and youth empowerment. 

The theme for the 19th IYMS is ‘Karibu Nyumbani: Homecoming’.

“Scientific evidence suggests that all modern humans are descended from ancestors in Africa, so I’m looking forward to a family reunion in Zanzibar with my relatives from 36 countries,” said Evelyn Seubert, President of the IYMS. 

IYMS alums incude Pakistan filmmaker Babar Ali, who created his award-winning short film True Impact at his first Summit in 2016. IYMS also co-produced his feature debut JOHN which premiered to positive reviews in Karachi and is now set up with an LA-based sales agent.

Ahead of the Summit, the IYMS will host a special screening of short films from past editions. It will take place at the HollyShorts Monthly Screening at the TCL Chinese Theater on April 24.