Roots & Reels – International History Competition for Digital Storytellers (13-27)

Roots & Reels is an international history competition for young people that connects history, storytelling and film. With a camera or smartphone in hand, participants explored stories from the past that still speak to them today and turned them into short films to share with other young people across Europe and beyond. The competition links historical research with media literacy, creativity, and cross-border dialogue.

Initiated by EUSTORY, the competition is organised by the network’s Albanian partner, the Institute for Democracy, Media & Culture (IDMC) from Tirana, and is supported by Körber-Stiftung.

The past is not just dates in a textbook. It lives in family stories and everyday conversations, in the streets, monuments and landscapes around us, in the words we use, and in what is remembered or left out. At the same time, our social media feeds are full of images and videos about history: sometimes inspiring, sometimes nostalgic, sometimes misleading or manipulative.

Roots & Reels was created to slow this flood down for a moment and to ask:

• How can we work with sources and still tell creative, emotional stories?
• Whose voices are we listening to and whose are missing?
• Why does it matter today?

Participants were asked to create short films of up to three minutes that explore a history, memory or heritage topic that matters to them today. Each film had to be based on at least two historical sources, such as archival documents, family photos, letters, interviews, objects or places. Any film style was welcome – from documentary or video essay to animation, collage, creative re-enactment or experimental formats. The focus was not on professional equipment, but on curiosity, critical thinking and storytelling.

Roots & Reels was open to:

• young people aged 13–27 until 1 April 2026
• from Europe (defined as a EUSTORY or Council of Europe Member State)

Participation could take place individually or in small groups (for example friends, classmates or youth groups). Teachers and youth workers could support the process, but the creative lead and main work remained with the young participants. Entries could use any language as long as English subtitles are included.

The Roots & Reels journey started on the 16^th of January with the offical presentation of Roots & Reels by IDMC.

• 16 January 2026, 17:00 (CET) – Call opens & online opening event
• 21 February 2026, 10:00 (CET) – Online Q&A and brainstorming session
• 7 March 2026, 10:00 (CET) – Online Q&A: Video Editing & Storytelling Tools
• 1 April 2026, 23:59 (CET) – Submission deadline
• Spring 2026 – Jury viewing & selection of the Top 30 films
• Summer 2026 – Instagram Audience Awards on the EUSTORY account
• Autumn 2026 – Announcement of winners and presentation of films, invitations to ceremony event in Hamburg, Germany

A jury of historians, educators, youth representatives and media/film practitioners will award three main jury prizes. The jury members are Prof. Dr. Dhurata Shehri (University of Tirana), Marcus Bösch (University of Münster), Dr. Fernande Raine (History Co:Lab), Dr. Marek Mutor (Platform of European Memory and Conscience), and Steven Stegers (EuroClio). In addition, three Instagram Audience Awards will highlight the films that spark the most interaction online. Selected participants will be invited to present their work at an award ceremony in Hamburg, Germany.

Roots & Reels is organised by the Institute for Democracy, Media & Culture (IDMC) in Tirana. It is initiated by EUSTORY and supported by Körber-Stiftung.