Presidential Foundation Launches Latest Generation Film Contest

The Lincoln Presidential Foundation has launched the third year of its Latest Generation Film Contest, a national program inviting young filmmakers to explore American history through documentary filmmaking.

The contest, offered in partnership with The Better Angels Society and supported by its Amy Margerum Berg Education Fund, is open to young people ages 14 to 22 across the country. Participants are asked to create a five- to eight-minute documentary examining a true story from the past based on this year's theme, "Stories of Repair."

The theme draws inspiration from President Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, delivered in March 1865 as the Civil War neared its end. In the speech, Lincoln reflected on the causes of the war and the work that would be required to reunite and rebuild the country.

Contest organizers are asking participants to examine how people, organizations and communities have responded to periods of conflict and upheaval throughout American history. Potential subjects could include efforts to expand opportunity, strengthen institutions, confront injustice or rebuild communities.

"Lincoln understood that the beginnings and endings of major conflicts and periods of upheaval rarely tell the whole story. How a society approaches recovery and rebuilding can have a profound impact on what comes next," said Erin Carlson Mast, president and CEO of the Lincoln Presidential Foundation. "We look forward to seeing how young filmmakers research and tell stories from our shared past, and to the many different ways they will explore the people and communities who worked to repair, rebuild, and move forward."

The Latest Generation Film Contest takes its name from a question Lincoln posed during a speech in Indianapolis in 1861, when he asked, "Shall the liberties of this country be preserved to the latest generation?"

There is no entry fee for the contest. Participants will also have access to free online mentorship sessions with professional filmmakers and historians as they research, produce and prepare their documentaries for submission.

Contest winners will receive cash prizes and additional mentorship opportunities. They will also be invited to attend a red-carpet screening event in Chicago.

Katherine Malone-France, president and CEO of The Better Angels Society, said the program gives young people an opportunity to combine historical research with filmmaking and digital media skills.

"The Better Angels Society supports storytelling that is deeply researched, compelling, and grounded in a spirit of curiosity and civic engagement," Malone-France said. "This contest embodies those values by harnessing the creativity and digital media skills of young people to tell stories from our history that are meaningful to them."

She said researching and producing the documentaries can also encourage participants to examine the relationship between historical events and present-day communities.

"In researching and creating their films, young people have an opportunity to engage more deeply with our shared history and consider how the past shapes the communities and country we live in today," Malone-France said. "We look forward to seeing how their films bring to life stories of repair that speak to our strength and resilience as a nation."

The Lincoln Presidential Foundation was established in 2000 and is an Illinois-based nonprofit organization focused on expanding access to history, educational programs, exhibits and sites related to Lincoln's life and legacy. The foundation works with organizations and institutions at the local, national and international levels.

The Better Angels Society supports American history documentary filmmaking through funding, mentorship, education and outreach programs. Its programs include the annual Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film and the Better Angels Lavine Fellowship. The organization also works with young filmmakers ages 11 to 22 through programs focused on documentary production, historical research, critical thinking, communication, leadership and civics.

The deadline to submit a film is Feb. 28, 2027. More information about the Latest Generation Film Contest, including eligibility requirements, contest criteria and submission details, is available through the Lincoln Presidential Foundation’s website.