The First Cut Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is a group of young people who share a special interest in film and bring their perspectives as young people to advise First Cut on how to improve the festival each year and make it relevant. They are responsible for selecting a Youth Advisory Council Award for a film from the open call programme. They also take on significant roles during the festival itself, feeding into the design and delivery of the programme and the presentation of events. In return, they get to meet like-minded peers and participate in specially designed workshops.

First Cut works to create an innovative, stimulating, and responsive programme that celebrates and connects young people through filmmaking, while constantly adapting to the changing needs of young people in developing their interest in filmmaking. We could not accomplish that without the participation of our amazing YAC!

YAC 2024 are Heather Barry, Adrian Corzo, Aislinn Cuffe, Mark Delaney, Tara Desmond, Muireann Forde, Orlanne Jallet, Maya Lupton, Thomas McNamara, Liam O’Leary, Kyra Owers, Dylan Sheehan, Dylan Shortt and Nora Twomey.