The 2024 Fresh International Film Festival, which will take place in Limerick in April, is seeking entries for Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year.

The competition is open to budding filmmakers between seven and 18 years of age. Documentary films, fiction, music videos and animation works are welcome. In fiction, genres can include comedy, horror, drama and experimental.

There are three categories in the young people’s event: Junior (7-12 years), Senior (13-18 years) and International (7-18 years). Awards include money, filmmaking equipment, mentoring sessions with creative professionals and an opportunity for young people to have their work screened theatrically.

Submissions will also be considered for specialist awards, including the Radharc Trust Award for heritage and documentary, the RTÉ 60 Second Award, and the RTÉ Factual Award, Best Animation, and Best Performance, along with the peer-to-peer Audience Award.

Entries are welcome in English, or with English subtitles, and in Irish, from independent young makers, filmmaking collectives, groups and primary and secondary schools.

Seventeen-year-old student Max Hendrickson won the young filmmaker prize last year for his short, animated film, The Tell-Tale Heart, a re-telling of Edgar Allan Poe’s famous short story.

He has been submitting work to the Fresh Festival since he was 12 and says  “it has provided the inspiration and motivation for me to keep making movies”.

The deadline for this year is Friday, January 19,  and all the details can be found at www.freshfilm.ie.