About us
The Amsterdam Student Film Festival (AmsFF) began in 2022 as an initiative by a group of students, in a film club named CUT at Amsterdam University College, with the desire to create a space where student filmmakers could meet, connect, and showcase their work. The festival focuses on experimental, non-commercial films by emerging makers, offering students a professional platform to present their work on the big screen while fostering an inclusive and supportive creative community.
Our vision is clear: a cinema filled with students, teachers, film professionals, cinephiles, and creatives of all kinds. AmsFF celebrates what students can achieve with minimal resources and a strong determination to bring their ideas to life. Despite having little to no funding, we realized this vision in 2022 in the dorms of our university, and again in 2023 in collaboration with Kriterion, selling out every seat in the venue within just one day.
Recognizing the need for unfiltered films that address subjects often overlooked by commercial cinema and larger film festivals, our team works to provide a platform for stories we believe deserve visibility. We aim to support creatives who may not yet have the networks or access needed to enter the Dutch film industry, offering them the stage they need to continue developing their work.
In February 2025, the festival placed greater emphasis on connection, celebration, and support for student filmmakers. That year, we organized a networking event for selected filmmakers, pairing them with industry professionals in a speed-dating format. Once again, all screenings at FC Hyena sold out within a few hours.
In February 2025, the festival placed greater emphasis on connection, celebration, and support for student filmmakers. That year, we organized a networking event for selected filmmakers, pairing them with industry professionals in a speed-dating format. Once again, all screenings at FC Hyena sold out within a few hours.
Now entering our 2026 edition, AmsFF continues to grow while remaining a student-driven initiative, organized entirely by a team of volunteer students. As we prepare for our 2026 edition, which will span three days across multiple locations in Amsterdam, we are expanding the festival beyond screenings to include workshops, Q&As, and several networking events.
Although the team has changed and grown throughout the years Director Emma Byvanck and producer Alya Yumrukcal have been part of the festival team since they founded it. With AUC still having a special place in our hearts, for this is where the festival began, we also have many students from the university part of our new team. Below take a look at all our current team members, we have students from across the Netherlands from recent graduate from HKU to current UVA en Willem de Kooning students.
Although the team has changed and grown throughout the years Director Emma Byvanck and producer Alya Yumrukcal have been part of the festival team since they founded it. With AUC still having a special place in our hearts, for this is where the festival began, we also have many students from the university part of our new team. Below take a look at all our current team members, we have students from across the Netherlands from recent graduate from HKU to current UVA en Willem de Kooning students.