Vashon Library is looking for budding young filmmakers, producers and documentarians to contribute films to its first-ever LateNight Festival of Short Films, set to take place at the end of October.

According to librarian Rayna Hotz, the festival — open to students in grades six through 12, or home-schooled kids ages 12 to 18 — comes partially in response to the fact that both Vashon High School and McMurray Middle School offer film classes.

“Vashon needs a forum for peers to enjoy and reward their achievements,” she said.

The festival is competitive, and an array of prizes including tickets to Vashon Theatre and a Vado pocket video camcorder will be given to films that garner the most audience votes.

The festival is currently accepting entries. Rules and entry forms are available at the Vashon Library and at McMurray and VHS.

There are two categories. The first is a book review category — students either narrate a description of a favorite book or make a book “trailer” similar to a movie trailer.

Those interested in entering that category can look at examples on the King County Library System website, kcls.org/teens/rfw/.

The other category is open choice — a documentary or a fiction production up to five minutes long.

The film festival will be held during the Vashon Library’s “LateNight at the Library,” at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, a teens-only affair.

There may be a broader audience for the best work of Vashon’s young filmmakers. Susan McCabe, Voice of Vashon programming director, has expressed interest in airing the festival’s top films on VoV.

DVDs and entry forms are due to Vashon Library by 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22. Content must be family friendly. For further information, contact Rayna Holtz at 463-2069.