“If the sky is the limit with student films, why can’t it be the limit with student film festivals?”
- Chris Casey, WYFF founder 

In 2004 this was the question that Weston High School sophomores and filmmakers, Chris Casey and Emma Wiseman batted around that became the catalyst for the Westport Youth Film Festival, (WYFF).   Fellow sophomore David Burstein joined them and they were off and running.  Their goal was to create an institution where high school filmmakers around the country and throughout the world could showcase their films. 

Over the first three years, the trio organized festivals that showed films made by high school students, and also held panels with industry professionals, and roundtables with student filmmakers. The festival is revolutionary because it was and remains a film festival run by high school students, for high school filmmakers. In the fourth year following the founder’s graduations from high school, WYFF was passed on to Greenwich Academy junior Diana Snyder.  Additionally WAC hired Sandy Lefkowitz as coordinator to assure WYFF’s continuity and growth. 

In four years the festival received over 1200 submissions from thirty states and two countries. Now beginning its fifth year WYFF ’08 promises to reach new heights in excellence and involvement.