In September, the city of Turin hosted the international short film festival “Moonstep”, an event entirely organized by young people from Belgium, Italy, and Hungary. More than just a film showcase, this festival served as a true springboard for the sociocultural and professional inclusion of young European adults.
A total of 45 young adults from Belgium, Italy, and Hungary took part in a technical and professional training program combining in-person sessions with online mentoring. The aim was to help them acquire concrete skills in audiovisual production and event organization. Guided by the partners of the BE UNIT project, the young participants led every aspect of the Moonstep Festival — from short film selection and event management to communication and debate facilitation.
For this first edition, the theme chosen by the young organizers was (Dis)connection by frames. The short films selected — following a call for entries launched in March 2025 — were presented in two categories:
- “First Step”, dedicated to emerging filmmakers (ages 18–30) presenting their first short film, where the jury awarded Not Buried Yet by Ahmed Al-Kassem.
- “Next Step”, open to all genres and filmmakers over 18, where the audience prize went to La Reproduction by Jean-Marie Villeneuve.
A third award, presented by the BE UNIT project partners, honored Square by Marieh Rudzka.
A Joint Advocacy to Promote the Socio-Professional Inclusion of Young People
Ahead of the festival, many additional young participants actively took part in screenings, debates, and the pre-selection of videos during events held in Belgium, Hungary, and Italy. These exchanges helped identify their expectations and needs regarding cultural life, forming the foundation of an advocacy paper co-created with the young people involved in the BE UNIT project.
This advocacy aims to promote social inclusion and the socio-professional development of young people, by delivering clear policy recommendations to public decision-makers.
Join the BE UNIT Conference in Brussels: A Day Dedicated to Youth Employability and Civic Engagement
The advocacy will be officially presented at the final BE UNIT conference, to be held in Brussels on Thursday, December 4, 2025. This day will provide an opportunity to take stock of the project’s results, showcase the skills gained by the young participants, and discuss the challenges of youth employability and civic engagement.
Several renowned speakers will address key issues related to the employability of young European adults and their active citizenship.
The conference is co-organized by the young people who took part in the training and have been involved in the design and implementation of the BE UNIT project since its inception — strengthening their experience and engagement.
Participation is free but registration is mandatory. A lunch will be offered to attendees to encourage networking and exchanges.
We warmly invite all professionals, engaged youth, and interested individuals to register now and take part in this inspiring day of reflection, discussion, and forward-looking ideas by completing this form: https://framaforms.org/ameliorer-lemployabilite-des-jeunes-europeens-dans-le-secteur-audiovisuel-et-leur-citoyennete-active
