BUSHWICK STORIES YOUTH FILMMAKING WORKSHOP
A Bushwick Film Festival youth media initiative
Presented in partnership with B&H Photo and Canon
Bushwick Film Festival teamed up with B&H Photo and Canon to launch Bushwick Stories, a five-day documentary filmmaking workshop created for young storytellers in Bushwick.
The program was designed to empower local youth with the tools, training, and support to tell their own stories while introducing them to filmmaking as a viable creative and professional pathway. Over the course of five days, 15 students between the ages of 16 and 24 learned the fundamentals of documentary filmmaking, including storytelling, lighting, and the use of professional digital video and audio equipment.
Participants had the opportunity to learn from accomplished industry professionals, including Adam Neuhaus, Director of Development at ESPN Films; costume designer Alexyz Kemp (Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, The Hunger Games); and Filippo Piscopo, director of the HBO documentary It Will Be Chaos. Students also benefited from the expertise of B&H Photo, with its decades of leadership in the photo, video, and audio space, and Canon, whose industry-leading equipment gave participants access to professional tools and hands-on experience.
With guidance from producers within the Bushwick Film Festival network, students developed their projects from concept to completion, creating original short documentaries rooted in their communities and lived experiences. One film reflected on the changes and history of the neighborhood through the eyes of members of Brotherhood Boxing Gym, while another explored the impact of contemporary politics on local youth.
The completed films were screened free of charge during the the Bushwick Film Festival, giving these young filmmakers the opportunity to share their work with friends, family, community members, and fellow creatives. Each screening was followed by a Q&A, allowing the filmmakers to speak directly about their process, perspectives, and the stories behind their work.
STUDENT FILMS
Bushwick Means Family
Set in Bushwick, Brooklyn, this documentary captures the voices of longtime residents as they reflect on the neighborhood’s identity, evolution, and sense of community. Through personal memories and street-level conversations, the film explores Bushwick as a place shaped by culture, resilience, family, and change. As gentrification, rising rents, and shifting lifestyles transform the area, the people of Bushwick share what the neighborhood has meant to them, what has been lost, and what still endures.
Our Class
AMERICA FIRST
Set in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, this documentary gives voice to young people grappling with fear, frustration, and uncertainty in America. Through candid interviews, Black, Latinx, immigrant, Muslim, and queer youth reflect on racism, identity, belonging, and the daily realities of living in a country where they often feel unseen or unsafe. Honest and urgent, the film captures a generation speaking for itself—about politics, power, and the fight to be heard.
BEYOND THE BATTLE GROUND
Through intimate interviews and personal reflection, this documentary centers queer and trans voices exploring what it means to move through the world in search of safety, self-definition, and joy. Set in and around Bushwick, the film brings together artists, activists, and community members as they speak candidly about gender, femininity, belonging, visibility, and survival. What emerges is a powerful portrait of resilience and chosen community—one that honors the struggle of living authentically while celebrating the beauty, creativity, and freedom found in being fully seen.
Participating Students
Avery Bowling
Brian Franco
Cynthia Huerta
Dana Fraye
Gabriel “Gabe” Reyes
George Walker
Joshua Harris-Agunloye
Krystal Diaz
Kyvon Edwin
LaQuann Dawson
Olivia Von Opel
Roman Johnson
Sabrina Polanco-Ferreyra
Sania Hyatt
Zakaria Siraj
