AdkAction and Tupper Lake Central School have announced the Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival that will take place next May at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake.

Interested teachers, parents and advisors are invited to attend a free professional development half-day from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 5 at BluSeed Studios in Saranac Lake with the creators of the renowned Connecticut Red Carpet Film Festival, Matt Mervis and Cameron Audia.

Attendees will learn how to support students as they plan, film, edit, and submit their films for the festival. Students from throughout the Adirondacks will be invited to submit original submit short films.

“Filmmaking is an important artistic discipline that is underrepresented in rural America,” said Brittany Christenson, executive director of AdkAction. “We want to create and expand opportunities for young people in the Adirondacks interested in filmmaking or ‘digital storytelling.’ We are excited to give Adirondack youth a platform for creative expression and an opportunity to have their voice heard. We will launch a high-profile celebration of student innovation and creativity through the Beyond the Peaks Film Festival, including a red-carpet showcase student films.”

The festival is an extension of AdkAction’s Technology in the Classroom project.

Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival will feature digital media and film challenges such as Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Animation, PSA and the ultimate “Made in the Adirondacks” challenge. Participation is open to all middle school and high school-aged youth in the Adirondack Region.

Interested teachers, administrators, students, and parents are encouraged to visit https://adkaction.org/filmfest to learn more and sign up.

For more information, email Wendy Cross at wendyc@tupperlakecsd.net, or Brittany Christenson at brittany@adkaction.org.