Kelsey Hibl and Brittany Berger, Stark County 4-H members, won third place at the third annual FilmFest 4-H, the national youth film festival held Aug. 4-7 in Branson, Mo.

Their entry, “The Adventures of Melvin & Marvin,” also won first place in the animation category and the People’s Choice Award at the 2013 North Dakota 4-H Film Festival, which was held during the North Dakota State Fair in Minot in July.

Their winning entry is on YouTube at http://youtu.be/xR7A4Bk1Pmw.

Other first places at the state festival were:

• 4-H promotional category - K2S Production (team members Seth Kjellberg, Sara Hatlewick and Kelly Susa, Stutsman County), “We’re 4-H Crazy,” available on YouTube at http://youtu.be/frkIT-wnCsc
• Documentary category - Farm Lover (Laura Huber, Emmons County), “I am From,” available on YouTube at http://youtu.be/Ia942e-caak
• Narrative category - The Creatively Insane (team members Megan Tichy and Ashley Tahran, Barnes County), “The Princess and the Peasant,” available on YouTube at http://youtu.be/siNSiOSdrb4

“The 4-H Film Festival gives youth a great opportunity to develop life skills such as decision making, planning and goal setting,” says Linda Hauge, a North Dakota State University Extension Service 4-H youth development specialist. She also is the festival’s organizer.

The North Dakota 4-H Foundation and North Dakota State Fair sponsor the festival.

Berger and Hibl were among nine North Dakota youth who participated in FilmFest 4-H. The youth entered four films in the national competition.

In addition, they attended screenings of youth-produced films and workshops designed to help young filmmakers improve their skills immediately. They also had opportunities to visit one-on-one with the workshop presenters and compare filmmaking notes with other 4-H’ers around the country.

This was the second year North Dakota youth attended FilmFest 4-H.

NDSU Agriculture Communication - Aug. 13, 2013