Future Voices

Through the film and photography project, Future Voices New Mexico, middle school and high school students from more than 15 schools learn how to direct, shoot and edit short films, or learn darkroom and photography skills.

About Future Voices of New Mexico

August 2011 kicked off the 5th year of Future Voices of New Mexico, a film and photography project teaching film and photography skills to middle school and high school students. Students work in and out of classrooms with professional filmmakers and photographers to develop three-minute films or shoot documentary and artistic still photographs. The 2011-2012 theme is “My New Mexico” in commemoration of the New Mexico State centennial.

The students choose a specific category for their work. The 2011-2012 film categories are: Comedy, Documentary, Language, Mixed Media and Narrative. After production, the films and photographs are submitted to a panel of professional film and photography judges.

In April, the theater fills with 600 excited students from more than 15 schools for the annual award ceremony. The first, second and third place films and photos in each category are screened for the audience. The category winners are then presented with cash awards to the wild applause of their classmates.

Future Voices of New Mexico is made possible through a partnership involving The Lensic, National Geographic All Roads Film Project and Santa Fe Photographic Workshops.

(Below) Winning film from Tesuque Pueblo Film Group.
Photo credit: Kate Russell