GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Nourishing Narratives is a youth film competition that's ongoing, asking for a two- to three-minute short story about food justice and what it would take to create a fair, equitable food system for all.
The best part of this competition is you don't need a fancy camera. In fact, the organizers want all submissions to be filmed using mobile phones. One West Michigan filmmaker explains that this kind of film competition really set her up for a career that she’s passionate about.
“I grew up kind of making short films on my iPad and with my family's camera that they used for vacations and around the house,” Mariah Barrera said.
Barrera was 15 years old when she discovered her passion for filmmaking.
“When I was in high school, I didn't have a fancy camera, but I did have a phone,” Barrera said. “What I've learned over the last couple of years is that whether you want to be a filmmaker or not, you’re always going to need to know how to tell stories — stories about yourself, your family and your community. So don't be scared. Take the chance. You never know what this opportunity could blossom into.”
Now, others have a similar chance.
“The short films have to contain a prop, a saying. The theme is food justice. The prop is a fruit or vegetable, and it can be fresh, frozen or a picture of the fruit or vegetable — whatever they want,” Derek Baartman, COO of Mosaic Film Experience, said.
Baartman explains that the theme around food is crucial.
“There are food deserts all around the country. Food insecurity is something people live with, and access to fresh fruits, vegetables and meats is really important,” Baartman said.
The Grand Rapids Community Food Club knows how hard it is for people to get access.
“I think that people who have never experienced food insecurity are finding themselves in an economic food desert. They may have access to a grocery store, but they don't have the means to get the foods needed to complete their diet,” Community Food Club Executive Director AJ Fossel said.
Fossel adds that the need is only growing.
“We actually just had another record-breaking month. Our quarter has been record-breaking. Overall, we’re seeing a huge increase in need for folks looking for food resources that are economical and help them save on their grocery budget,” Fossel said.
Barrera explains that showing the impact of local organizations highlights innovative solutions.
“I’m really excited to be here at Community Food Club. This is a great organization that young students in our community can potentially highlight if they’re thinking about entering,” Barrera said.
She adds that taking a chance to create a short film for this competition led her to start a film studio.
“Winning $1,000 was amazing. It meant that for the first time, I could buy my own camera equipment. I was able to buy my very first camera lens. With the award money I got from Mosaic, I was able to invest in myself and begin telling stories in a different way than just using my phone,” Barrera said.
The competition is open until April 14, so you have time to enter. APPLY HERE.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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