AWARDS CEREMONY
Announcing our 14th Annual Directing Change Awards Ceremony!
Date: Thursday, May 21st 2026
Time: 11am to 2pm PST
Place: The United Theater
929 S Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Youth Creating Change will hold its 14th annual Directing Change Film Contest Awards Ceremony at the historic United Theater on Broadway on Thursday, May 21st. The event welcomes middle school and high school students, parents, educators, contest judges, mental health providers and entertainment professionals. The event celebrates excellence in mental health storytelling and includes screenings of youth-created films from across California, announcement of statewide contest winners, and a range of esteemed guest speakers and presenters.
Films created for the Directing Change Film Contest help raise awareness of mental health, suicide prevention, and substance use prevention in schools and communities.
We are also once again hosting a 2026 People’s Choice Award! This is your chance to vote for your favorite film.
- Vote for your favorite film to win the “2026 People’s Choice” award in each category. The film will be recognized on social media and filmmakers will receive an Amazon gift card.
- Share your favorite films & tag us; every share will result in a donation to the program by one of our sponsors!
- Tag us @youthcreatingchangeorg (TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook)
A big thank you to our sponsor, the Blue Shield of California BlueSky youth mental health initiative.