Mentored by filmmakers Neal Baer and Chris Zalla, Alcides, a 16-year-old orphan living in Mozambique, conveys his inspiring story about finding family and how he and his young friends face hardship with dignity and resilience.

India is home to tens of thousands of Tibetan refugees, but only 17-year-old Namgyal Wangchuk Trichen Lhagyari was crowned King of Tibet by the Dalai Lama. Mentored by filmmaker Dirk Simon, Namgyal shows how he and other young exiles preserve their traditional culture while hoping to return to an independent Tibet.

For decades, Civil War in Colombia has displaced thousands of people like 16-year-old María Ceballos, who fled her home when guerrillas killed her father. Moving from gang-infested settlements to over-crowded rooms, María’s family finds comfort among fellow displaced families. Through her lens and mentored by filmmaker Susan Hoenig, María puts a human face on displacement.

Moving to a new country was challenging for Faiza Almontaser, a 17-year-old from New York City, who immigrated with her family to the US from Yemen when she was in middle school. Mentored by the legendary pioneer of direct cinema, Albert Maysles, Faiza’s film documents her courageous and inspiring journey from victim to activist.

Like most girls from rural India, 16-year-old Jayshree Janu Kharpade never expected to get an education. Film mentor, Joyce Chopra, a pioneer of documentary film, helped Jayshree share her journey from illiterate laborer, to scholar and young activist – in this powerful story that illuminates the social and economic potential of educating girls in the developing world.

Mike Martin, age 19, faced challenges growing up. At 17, he tagged along with friends who committed a felony. Unable to post bail, he was sent to Rikers Island, one of the country’s most violent prisons. Mentored by filmmakers Chiemi Karasawa and Hollis Meminger, Mike shines a light on the juvenile justice system, while providing a message of hope and encouragement to others.

Coffee is a way of life for Edelsin Mendez, age 12, and her family in Nicaragua. But climate change and shifting weather patterns are contributing to a crop disease and threatening coffee production in her community. Mentored by filmmaker Joyce Chopra, Edelsin conveys how her community is striving to maintain its traditions and livelihood, while forging a sustainable future.

Teen refugee Mohammad Shasho and his family fled war-torn Syria for Berlin, Germany. Now, they are struggling to make a new life, learning to navigate a different culture and communicate in a foreign language. Mentored by filmmaker Anja Baron, Mohammad shares how he and his fellow refugees are surviving displacement, and their hopes for a brighter future.

Had Senegalese teen Ndèye Fatou Fall been born several years earlier, she and her friends would have been subjected to child marriage and other rituals harmful to girls. Mentored by filmmaker Elizabeth Hummer, Ndèye Fatou shares how her village abandoned these practices, and the ways in which these cultural shifts have empowered and transformed her community.

17-year-old Daunnette Moniz-Reyome, who lives on the Umoⁿhoⁿ Reservation in Nebraska, interviews Native American youth and elders against the backdrop of a ceremonial powwow. Mentored by filmmaker Evan Mascagni, Moniz-Reyome shares her family’s journey to retain sacred rituals and culture traditions and the ways in which her community is healing historical trauma with strength and dignity.

19-year-old Semon Shabaev is part of a vibrant Jewish community in Germany. Despite his country’s dark history of genocide and a rise in antisemitism, he embraces his German-Jewish identity. Mentored by filmmaker Anja Baron, Shabaev shines light on how Germany is addressing its past, and how his generation looks to the future.

16-year-old Faith Guilbault from Baltimore, Maryland, who is visually impaired and has cerebral palsy, is resilient, adventurous and determined to realize her dreams. Mentored by filmmaker Joyce Chopra, Faith shines light on her world, inviting viewers to focus on the similarities rather than differences between people living with and without a disability.

18-year-old Rinzin Jurmey from Bhutan became a monk when he was 11 years old. He travels between his monastery, village and the city, meeting with hip-hop dancers, video gamers, and sports fans to understand the intersection of tradition and pop culture. Guided by filmmaker Cat Papadimitriou, Jurmey explores how he—and his country—are preserving ancient practices while embracing globalization.