Contestants from all over the United States (including California, Florida, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas) competed in the fourth annual Young Filmmakers Contest in two age categories: under 20 and 20+. Their assignment was to create an original short of five minutes or less centered around Jane Austen. The winning films premiered during JASNA's 2020 Virtual AGM.
2020 Judges
- Ashley Clements, star of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
- Laurie Viera Rigler, author of Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict and its sequel, and creator of the Babelgum web series Sex and the Austen Girl
- Thomas Rigler, Emmy-winning director, executive producer, and showrunner
- Robin Swicord, director and screenwriter of The Jane Austen Book Club
- Kenneth Turan, longtime (now retired) film critic for the Los Angeles Times
- Aydrea Walden, writer/producer/actor and creator of the Webby-nominated Black Girl in a Big Dress
Jane Austen Virtual Book Club
By Jillian Davis and Yolanda Rodriguez
First Place, 20+ Years Old
Handsome, Clever, and Rich
By Thomas Fitzgerald
First Place, Under 20 Years Old
A Letter to Jane
By Lydia Smith
Second Place, 20+ Years Old
A Certain Step Towards Falling in Love
By Ellie Cagle
Second Place, Under 20 Years Old
Morland and Mishaps
By Courtney Birnbaum
Third Place, 20+ Years Old
Courtney Birnbaum shared a link to the concept for her series based on Northanger Abbey.
Letters to Cassandra
By Sajween Khan
Third Place, Under 20 Years Old
