2025-2026 Film Festival
FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2026 | 4:45 P.M.
AT THE UNITED TALENT AGENCY IN BEVERLY HILLS
The Sierra Canyon Film Festival is an annual spring event. This year, the festival will be held at the United Talent Agency (UTA) in Beverly Hills. Organized and run by Sierra Canyon students and the Visual Arts Department instructors, the festival aims to showcase Sierra Canyon’s aspiring filmmakers, animators, and actors, as well as the best work of high school and college students from around the country. This evening honors the time, effort, and talent that go into their films.
The festival consists of a reception, screening, awards ceremony, and a Q&A session with the attending student filmmakers. During the reception, the filmmakers meet privately with a guest speaker, a professional currently working in the film industry, where questions are taken, and advice is offered on how to advance/enhance their craft and careers.
After an introduction by the professional/industry guest speaker, the screening begins. The student films are screened for roughly 90 minutes and consist of short films, animated and live action, from a wide pool of applicants. After the screening, student filmmakers are presented with trophies, awards, and scholarships.
The Sierra Canyon Film Festival offers aspiring student filmmakers the opportunity to have their films screened to a large audience. Students get feedback from an industry professional and a large audience of first-time viewers. Past festivals have been screened at the historic Raleigh Studios and under the stars on the Sierra Canyon Lower Campus.
Submissions
Submissions for the 2026 Sierra Canyon Film Festival are now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted a film this year!
Stay tuned for announcements about the 2027 festival, including new deadlines and submission details.
For any questions, please email Filmmaking instructor, Mr. Gvozden at [email protected].
Film Festival Team
2026 Film Festival Winners
- Tanner Cusumano "Trailblazer" Award
"The Final Slice" by Dean Gofnung '26*
- Jury Award
"Instant" by Hudson Hillin
- Audience Award
"Instant" by Hudson Hillin
- Documentary Award
"Phoenix" by Sarah Khaled, Chylier Williams, Phoenix Inaya, Ava Brenner, and Kendra Harris
"Tiny Cinema" by Dean Gofnung '26*
- Achievement in Animation:
"Tardigrade Man" by Kellen Oliver '26*
* Indicates Sierra Canyon student or alumni