Young people will have the chance to tell it like it really is, in a new film project sponsored by the Bermuda International Film Festival and Imagine Bermuda.Imagine Bermuda is a local group that aims to transform the community through community dialogue.The special film project ‘The Reel Voices of Bermuda’s Youth’, is asking Bermuda’s youth to talk about what it is like to be a young person in Bermuda. It is being organised to celebrate the United Nation’s (UN) International Year of Youth.People between the ages of 15 and 24 are asked to create a personal short film no more than two minutes in length, that answers the question ‘If someone was really listening, what would you say about being a youth in Bermuda?’. Films can be shot in any way on camera phones, flip cameras, camcorders, laptops or iPads.The International Year of Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding, officially started last August. The UN’s framework seeks to increase commitment and investment in youth, increase youth participation and partnerships and to build bridges to increase intercultural understanding among youth.Imagine Bermuda held a gathering of a variety of Bermuda’s community and faith-based organisations last November. The group, which includes organisations such as Chewstick, BIFF, Masterworks and the Bermuda National Gallery among its members, determined that encouraging youth to share stories of real life was a contribution that the arts could offer.“An initiative like The Reel Voices of Bermuda’s Youth is a perfect fit for BIFF,” said BIFF director Aideen Ratteray Pryse. “We believe that artistic expression through various outlets like film, painting and performance enable our youth’s voices to be heard. We really want the young people of Bermuda to tell us what they are thinking, and we are excited to truly listen to the stories of Bermuda’s youth.”Glenn Fubler of Imagine Bermuda, said: “Asking our young people to tap into their creativity, to share personal stories through the eye of a camera, offers opportunities. Participants have a chance at introspection that serves their own growth and provides the wider community with their perspective of Bermuda the good, the bad... As they dig down to bring out their insights, they will provide material that serves to bring our Island together across the generations.”Videos can be submitted on DVD to the BIFF office at Somers Building, first floor, 15 Front Street, Hamilton. Alternatively, send an e-mail to programming[AT]biff.bm with a link to an online platform such as YouTube or Vimeo. Make sure to the submission clearly states ‘The Reel Voices of Bermuda’s Youth’ and includes a contact name and phone number.For those looking for a place to tell their story, Chewstick Foundation will have their video camera running next Saturday, 12 February from 11am to 3pm.The aim is to screen a selection of these films during the BIFF, which is this year scheduled for March 18 to 24. The films will also be posted on BIFF’s new website, which is set to launch in the coming weeks. BIFF and Imagine Bermuda are pleased to partner with Joanne Burgess-Ball of Bermuda National Gallery, Robyn DeSilva of Masterworks, Gavin Smith of Chewstick Foundation and Julie Hastings-Smith of Bermuda Society of Arts on this project. They will review the submitted films and curate the selection screened during the March festival.Check BIFF’s website, www.biff.bm, for information and project updates. For more information e-mail info[AT]biff.bm or call 293-3456. For Chewstick details contact info[AT]chewstick.com. Deadline for entries is March 1.