The largest youth film festival in world, the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY), kicks off its sixth annual festival on Thursday with a red carpet event and opening night screening at the Cinerama Theater, as well as the first ever Future of Film Expo on Friday.

It’s expected that more than 250 filmmakers (all 22 and younger) and film industry professionals from around the world will walk the carpet, including a group of Ballard High School students.

NFFTY is the brainchild of Ballard High School video alumnus Jesse Harris (’04), who made history in 2004 when his feature film and senior project was purchased by FilmMates and given a theatrical release.

The festival showcases outstanding work by filmmakers age 22 and younger, and is a rare opportunity for high school students to share the spotlight with college students from our nation’s best film schools.

This year, NFFTY received nearly 700 entries from 40 states and 22 countries, and the Official Selection was made by a jury of professional filmmakers, and six short films made by students in the Ballard High School Video Production Program were selected for the festival.

As part of NFFTY this year, there is going to be the first ever Future of Film Expo. The Expo is free and open to the public, and will have exhibitors from some of the biggest names in the film industry, as well as exclusive panels on the newest trends in film technology, music in the film industry, navigating the film school system, behind the scenes with independent film heavyweights, and more.

NFFTY opens at the Seattle Cinerama Theater on Thursday, April 26 and continues through Sunday, April 29 at the Seattle Center.

The Future of Film Expo takes place at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall Friday and Saturday, April 27-28.

For more information go to http://www.nffty.org/expo.