Each year, Nashville Film Festival partners with Youth Villages and local music publisher Moraine Music Group on the Living Reel Project to provide at-risk teens in the Nashville community with a healthy outlet to express themselves and further explore their strengths.
With the help and guidance of professional songwriters, musicians, and producers, the teens learn how to write, compose, and record an original song in a professional studio. Professional filmmakers document the process and produce a short film to premiere at Nashville Film Festival, where their work and proven strength is celebrated. With support from Moraine Music Group, Metro Arts, and the Tennessee Arts Commission, the program has operated since 2004.
2024 NashFilm Living Reel Project
This year’s song, “Love Is Always There,” is an original piece co-written by Nashville singer-songwriters Kyshona, founder of Your Song, an organization working with vulnerable communities to help them find their voice through music, Steph Jones, co-writer on Sabrina Carpenter’s #1 Billboard hit, “Espresso,” and the teens of Youth Villages, also known as the AURORA.
2023 NashFilm Living Reel Project
Watch the 2023 NashFilm Living Reel Project film and music video below. The 2023 Living Reel song “Today Is Someday” was written by the Teens of Youth Villages, Shannon LaBrie, Kyshona and Autumn Nichols.
2022 NashFilm “Living Reel” Project
The 2022 song “Page by Page” is an original song rooted and co-written by the teens of Youth Villages, Shannon LaBrie, Sinclair, Karalyne Winegarner, Nikki Christie and Pauline Andres.