The DBGYFF - Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival

Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival

Reaching out the young to become ambassadors of hope

Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival (DBGYFF) is the first worldwide festival from the Salesian Congregation to unite all our young people globally to come together on a common project where they can express their creative talents and be rewarded. This festival is our own festival, and is a precious opportunity to make the name of Don Bosco resonate in the 134 countries where we are present, especially in the hearts and minds of the young people. The festival screening will take place on Thursday and Friday, 18 & 19 of November 2021.

DBGYFF is structured as a creative global platform, through which young people from all over the world can showcase and build their dreams and aspirations. Inspired by the Strenna of our Rector Major, “Moved by hope”, it is a clarion call to encourage young people to become ambassadors of hope, and agents of transformation in our society. 

This film festival is indeed a gracious opportunity to go closer to the young, to encourage them and motivate them towards the common good. It is an excellent tool to focus on what matters to the young, to educate and empower them. This festival will offer an authentic entertainment and a meaningful engagement among the young, generating lot of enthusiasm, and co-responsibility in them.

DBGYFF represents a concrete and creative response to the educational objectives laid down in the Rector Major’s plan for this sessenium (2020-2025) and that of the plans of the Dicastery for Social Communication. Here are a few salient points:

• It is a communicative proposal from an educational pastoral perspective in the youth ecosystem. (cf: 1.1.1.1)
• An educational and creative dialogue to evangelize young people in culture and in their digital habitat, in today's context (cf 5.1.1.1), in harmony with the new styles of young people. (SyG 145, cf 1.1.1.4), a way of being church in today's world.
• Promote a vision of 'Youth Engagement', to empower, train and transform young people to contribute with their talents through the language of media.
• Promote the protagonism of young people, and involve them in co-responsibility in safeguarding and building a better world. (cf: 6.2.1.1)
• In line with the proposal of GC 28, to ensure that communication is a response to young people in today's world, accompanying them towards a sustainable future. (PPRM)
• In line with this year's Strenna “Moved by Hope”, this initiative will be a concrete response to involve young people to be signs and builders of hope.
• Create and promote a world forum of Salesians and young people both locally and globally which can be nurtured through this festival. (cf.3.1.1.4).

The whole world has been paralysed and severely hit by the Covid 19 pandemic. The reconstruction of humanity and the cosmos is the most pressing and urgent need to be addressed. The youth need to be motivated and engaged positively to build a just, safe and bright future. This proposal comes at the right time to encourage and motivate the youth to become ambassadors of Hope. DBGYFF is concerned about uniting, educating and motivating young people from all over the world to usher in, that bright ray of Hope to the whole of humanity in this post-pandemic time. DBGYFF thus becomes as an ultimate attempt to unite our many efforts to streamline them into one single festival, expecting to target millions of youth across the globe.

Submission Categories, Jury & Awards

DBGYFF provides three submission categories, namely live-action shorts, animated shorts and music videos. Live-action shorts are further divided in 1 minute and 10-minute shorts. The Animated shorts are divided into 1 minute and 5-minute shorts, while the music video can be up to a 5-minute music composition with video.

The DBGYFF Website and Application automates the whole process of submitting the film entries, quality control, first level of Preliminary Jury, the Grand Jury and Award Selection which ensures maximum objectivity, transparency and professionalism.  More than 200 film enthusiasts, film makers and experts will be part of the preliminary jury, while the grand jury panel will contain 15 outstanding experts, comprising the best of the best of the film world and the world of the young.

Young people deserve to be rewarded and encouraged for their efforts. The prestigious DBGYFF Awards are chosen by the board of experienced juries, who decide the winners. The list of awards are 36 and they include the Global bests, Category bests, Young bests, Continental bests and Jury’s choice awards, under the three submission categories, namely live-action shorts, animated shorts and music videos. Awards totalling a sum of 100,00 euros will be given to the winners of this festival.

Some unique features of DBGYFF

• A unique film festival that will connect the youth all over the world
• First time, a festival to be organized concurrently in 134 countries, and in multiple locations in each country.
• Only platform that can be easily and freely accessed by young people.
• Festival organized by the youth, for the youth. The audience and the creators are the youth.
• It is the first technologically driven festival not limited to geographical boundaries, where filmmakers, jury and widespread audience can unite through the online platform, breaking all barriers.
• One of the first festivals where there is online submission, streamlining of those entries by the Jury from any part of the world, decision of final awards also takes place online.
• The audience from any part of the world can watch the festival live for two days in their own geographical zones, through online streaming even if they are not able to go to the venue.
• DBGYFF has a great team of Patrons, Celebrities and Good will ambassadors to endorse the festival.
• Great force to unite young people to stand for a common good.

DBGYFF is a unique opportunity for every young person to be an Ambassador of Hope.

Empowering the youth to become catalysts of change and transformation is truly at the heart of the Salesian mission. This festival is passionate about igniting in every young person, that positive spark to empower them to dream big and emerge as protagonists of hope in creating a safe, just and a better world for everyone.