About Us
At the Youth Filmmaker Alliance, our mission is to empower the next generation of storytellers by providing resources, mentorship, and a supportive community where creative visions can flourish into powerful creative works.
We believe that young filmmakers possess unique perspectives that deserve to be seen and heard. By breaking down barriers to entry and creating accessible pathways into the industry, we aim to diversify the voices shaping our media landscape.
Through education, collaboration, and exhibition opportunities, we’re committed to helping young filmmakers develop their craft, build meaningful connections, and launch sustainable careers in an ever-evolving industry.
Resources
Providing educational materials, tutorials, and guidance for aspiring filmmakers.
Mentorship
Connecting young filmmakers with other young filmmakers for guidance and support.
Community
Building spaces where young filmmakers can connect, collaborate, and grow together.
MEET THE TEAM
Kiran Srikant
President & Founder
Kiran is a student at Manhattan Hunter Science High School and a member of the class of 2026. She is a passionate filmmaker, which has been illustrated through her work not only in YFA but also in the Summer Media Intensive and Media Fellows programs at DCTV, in which she has been able to create numerous films both independently and with peers. Kiran hopes to pursue filmmaking in college and enter the industry after college.
Violet Tong
Vice President
Violet attends Manhattan Hunter Science High School and is expected to graduate in the class of 2026. She aims to pursue a career in medicine and will be participating in a year round laboratory research with TCI at Mount Sinai. However, Violet passionately enjoy the arts including photography, physical art, and filmmaking in which she hopes to promote to others who join YFA.
Anna Chen
Head of Social Media and Treasury
Anna is a student at Millennium High School and a member of the class of 2026. She has a passion for digital arts, particularly photography and graphic design. Anna aims to pursue a career in business and finance after high school, focusing on marketing or economics.
Gavin Bernard
Head of Designing
Gavin attends Millennium High School and is a member of the 2026 graduating class. He has a passion for music and community, while also being a very involved student in his school. Gavin hopes to enter marketing and media after high school.
Nike Gene
Head of Content Management
Nike attends Art & Design High School, majoring in Film & Video Production as a member of the class of 2026. She's worked on about a dozen films (some for school, some independently) in roles including director, editor, colorist, and cinematographer. She also plays the drums for both a folk rock band, Sol, Asphodel and a queer, femme punk band, Stinky Grrrls, where she is also the editor and featured writer of a DIY zine titled Stinky Grrrl.
Gavin Bernard
Secretary
Gavin attends Millennium High School and is a member of the 2026 graduating class. He has a passion for music and community, while also being a very involved student in his school. Gavin hopes to enter marketing and media after high school.
Nike Gene
Secretary
Nike attends Art & Design High School, majoring in Film & Video Production as a member of the class of 2026. She's worked on about a dozen films (some for school, some independently) in roles including director, editor, colorist, and cinematographer. She also plays the drums for both a folk rock band, Sol, Asphodel and a queer, femme punk band, Stinky Grrrls, where she is also the editor and featured writer of a DIY zine titled Stinky Grrrl.
Avery Vilela
Article Creator
Avery attends Bard High School Early College Queens and is a member of the class of 2026. She perpetually explores and works with underrepresented communities within the context of art, history, and literature. Her goal is to be a curator of American art collections so that she can give back the complex narratives to people whose stories have been erased and lost. Through writing and activism, Avery continues to deepen her understanding of her own perspective on the world and how she can make a meaningful impact.
Jesse Barshop
Article Creator
Jesse attends Manhattan Hunter Science High School and is a member of the class of 2027. He has always had a passion for filmmaking and has produced two films. Jesse wishes to pursue filmmaking as a career after attending college.
Rebecca Kundel
Article Creator
Becca Kundel is a current senior in the film program at PPAS. She has worked in just about every role on a film crew on at least 8 films, and is always open to helping on more in any way she can. She hopes to attend film school after high school.
Benji Singh
Video Creator
Benji attends Digital Arts and Cinema Technology High School and is a member of the class of 2026. He is a filmmaker, musician, and storyteller who is passionate about capturing emotion through visual and auditory mediums. With experience in narrative, documentary, and music video work, he blends his personal voice with technical craft to craft meaningful, youth-driven content.
Chloe Santiago
Video Creator
Chloe Santiago recently graduated from Arts High School as a Cinematography major and has enjoyed filmmaking since their sophomore year. They love that filmmaking is a collaborative process where people can come together to make something impactful or entertaining.
Celeste Duffy
Video Creator
Celeste is from Queens, and is a student at High School of Applied Communication, class of 2026. She is a multi-disciplinary artist who specializes in painting, filmmaking, drawing and more! She hopes to study animation after high-school and plans to extend her baking business.
Destiny Ugochukwu
Art Designer
Destiny attends Manhattan Hunter Science High School and is a member of the graduating class of 2026. She is a passionate and creative individual, often expressing this through art. She hopes to develop these skills further through her role in YFA.
Avyn Yates
Art Designer
Avyn is a student at Art and Design high school and a member of the class of 2028. She is a graphic design major who will pursue art throughout college. Avyn likes to draw as well as work on photoshop and other programs.
Vi Huang
Art Designer
Vi Huang attends Manhattan Hunter Science High School and will be part of the graduating class of 2026. Vi is an artist, and has been drawing since she was a kid. She hopes to inspire others to join the Youth Filmmaker Alliance.
Ayanna Walton
Social Media Manager
Ayanna attends Manhattan Hunter Science High School and is a member of the graduating class of 2026. Ayanna has a passion for science and helping others. After high school, she plans to attend college to major in Pharmacy and pursue a career in healthcare. She is driven by the desire to make a positive impact in her community through medicine.
Kaspar Clay-Youman
Website Moderator
Kaspar attends Manhattan Hunter Science High School and is a member of the graduating class of 2026. He enjoys playing volleyball and the cello. During the pandemic, he taught himself video production and editing. He hopes to study physics or a related field in college.
Juliette rubin
Website Moderator
Juliette is in the graduating class of 2026 at Manhattan Hunter Science High School. Juliette is passionate about musical theater and has led five shows as assistant stage manager throughout her high school career.
Amiri Carela
Website Moderator
Amiri attends A. Phillip Randolph high school as a member of the class of 2026. Amiri is a varsity wrestling athlete as well as an avid film enjoyer, paying attention to small details and techniques on screen! Amiri hopes to be a school counselor and wrestling coach after high school.
Aminah Diaby
Website Moderator
Aminah goes to Manhattan Center for Science and Math and is a member of the class of 2027. She enjoys fashion, cooking, chemistry, and hanging out with friends. Aminah hopes to enter the world of medicine after highschool and become an optometrist.
Amiri Carela
Website Moderator
Amiri attends A. Phillip Randolph high school as a member of the class of 2026. Amiri is a varsity wrestling athlete as well as an avid film enjoyer, paying attention to small details and techniques on screen! Amiri hopes to be a school counselor and wrestling coach after high school.