About

The Underground Academy of Cinematic Arts is an arts/education 501(c)3. We help teens discover their stories through film, media, and broadcast by offering educational programs, film competitions, a Midwest film festival, and teen experiences.

Our Programming

• Cinematic Arts School. We offer semester courses in Film, Television, and Film Studies for teens 15-19 years old. Students can apply for flexible art credit through the State of Ohio.

• Educational Programming. We provide day-long workshops, week-long summer camps, and after school enrichment programs for middle school and high school students.

• Recognition. We produce the annual Golden Lion Awards High School Film Festival for students living in the Midwest.

• Competition. We produce the Teen Film Challenge (TFC), a competition in which teens compete to create a short narrative film in 72 hours.

• Teen Experiences/Social Outings. We offer a monthly “Directors’ Series,” “Countdown to Oscars” socials, and local/out-of-state film festival trips.