At this film festival, area teens will have their say

When it comes to film festivals in Baltimore, the youth, too, shall be served.

The first Youth Film Jam, scheduled for May 6-7, will center on youth-oriented films, which students from Baltimore's middle and high schools will be invited to watch and critique. An awards ceremony at the festival's conclusion will honor performances and films in several categories.

The Maryland Humanities Council is putting together the festival, using a $20,000 grant from the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts.

Other organizations working together on Youth Film Jam 2006 include the Maryland Film Festival, Wide Angle Community Media and the Maryland Institute College of Art's Community Arts Corps program.