Dam Short Film Festival has youth on its side

The Dam Short Film Festival is now older than some of its filmmakers.

The festival often includes films from local college students, and it will again this year when it returns Feb. 12 through 17 at the Elaine K. Smith Building, 700 Wyoming St., in Boulder City. The Nevada State University Showcase is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 13.

As part of its 21st installment, the festival has added a block of programming from students in the Cinematic Arts Program at Del Sol Academy of the Performing Arts. It’s set for 11 a.m. Feb. 17.

“When you have youth involved, it just gives it new energy,” said Amy Vandermark, the festival’s social media coordinator. “They have different ideas. They have different perspectives. And so any time you see the youth getting more involved, I think that that is a great sign of sustainability and growth.”

The festival’s Love and Romance block is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Valentine’s Day. Grandma Daisy’s will give a free chocolate to festival badgeholders that day.

More than 150 films will screen during the festival as part of 30 thematic blocks. In addition to the high school and college showcases, blocks dedicated to Nevada filmmakers will be shown at 7:45 p.m. Thursday and 5:45 p.m. Feb. 14.

A filmmaker meet-and-greet is set for 4 p.m. Feb. 14 at Boulder Bowl. The 21st annual Dam Short Mixer will take place at 5:15 p.m. Feb. 15 at Beer Zombies. And attendees can have coffee with filmmakers from 8 to 10 a.m. each day of the festival at the Dam Roast House.

Tickets are $12.50 per film block. Day passes for all blocks on Wednesday or Thursday are $45, while passes for Friday or Saturday are $55. A pass for the entire festival is available for $150, and a VIP experience, including an all-access pass, costs $300.

For tickets, a full schedule and more information, see damshortfilm.org.