2025 FILMS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2025: 3 to 4:30pm
Final Cut. Washington D.C., DC International School. RT 05:53
Audrey Sloop (Director), Ada Morrison (Writer), Dakota Powell (Writer), Dakota Powell (Key Cast)
Set in Washington, D.C., A girl immersed in making her magnum opus almost misses out on her last summer before her senior year of highschool.*
Chef Seng. DC International School. RT 02:31
Morgan Hawkins (Director)
Polar Opposites. DC International School. RT 03:23
Lila Purcell (Director), Lila Purcell, Marley Flannery, Marina Ruschel (Writers), Lila Purcell, Marley Flannery (Key Cast)
A friend group splits when two friends run for class president.*
The Choice. Wide Angle Youth Media. RT 01:08
Arianna Lewis (Director)
You Belong Here. Washington D.C., DC International School. RT 04:04
Miya Castilla (Director), Zuri Mccurty (Writer)
A girl is forced to face her future through experiencing an alternate reality.*
What is Art? Wide Angle Youth Media. RT 02:40
Sophia Lee (Director)
The Tuba Guy. Wide Angle Youth Media. RT 02:33
The Story of Stars. Takoma Park Middle School. RT 01:32
Eve Lawson (Director)
The filmmaker’s personal connection to the earth and the stars.*
The Truman Show: Next Generation. RT 02:39
Max Akman, Maya Campbell (Directors), Mina Sadow, Layla Ramadan (Key Cast)
A remake of a scene from the original movie.*
Food Justice East of the Anacostia River. DC International School. RT 03:05
Morgan Hawkins, Sukey Hayden (Directors)
Leaving it Behind. Falls Church VA, Meridian High School. RT 02:12
Sebastian Roncoroni (Director, Writer, Producer)
A man goes to a high school graduation party and encounters unforeseen complications.*
Gagn Super. Rockville MD, A. Mario Loiederman Middle School. RT 10:01
Gabriel Ghertner Espinoza (Director), David Tadeusz Salgado, Angel Gabriel Hernandez, Gabriel Ghertner Espinoza, Nathan Jayden Bain (Writers), Gabriel Ghertner Espinoza, Angel Gabriel Hernandez, David Tadeusz Salgado, Ezekiak Pikofsky Christiansen, Liam Wang, Nathan Jayden Bain (Key Cast)
A ragtag team of atrociously terrible superheroes are tasked with saving a school from the evil terror of Fortune Cookie Man. Chaos Ensues.*
Bathroom Bandits. Baltimore MD. RT 01:15
Jamir Whaley (director, writer, producer)
A student reflects on a silly prank from fourth grade.*
Proscythe. DC International School. RT 00:30
Axl Moon, Ana Inskeep (Directors)
You Never Know. RT 04:10
Strung Along. Washington D.C., District of Columbia International School. 03:00
Ailani Bent (Director)
A girl questions who she is…*
Balancing the Books: Youth Quickens Training. Washington D.C., VIP University. RT 02:48
Alexander Anthony Williams (Director, Writer, Producer)
Hi, I’m Alex. I am 14 years old, and this is one of my first film projects. I created this training video to introduce young people to the basics of Quickens and financial literacy. Balancing the Books: Youth Quickens Training shows how learning simple money skills can empower teens to manage their future with confidence. This project reflects creativity in a post-COVID world by combining digital tools, educations, and storytelling to build community knowledge.*
Friend's Gold. American University. RT 03:53
Tyler Winston (Director, Writer, Producer), Sebastian Roncoroni, Dan Verkman, Owen Merritt (Key Cast)
On his way to a job interview, Wyatt reluctantly agrees to help his best friend steal back a gold coin from his potential new boss—only to realize what kind of friend he needs to be.*
Foreboding. District of Columbia International School. RT 03:14
Brian Thomas Wilson, Ian Kelly Davis, (writer) Ian Kelly Davis (Directors), Jose Reyes (Producer), Brian Wilson, Malachi Stern (Key Cast), Brian Thomas Wilson (Editor), (cinematographer) Joakim Bell (Cinematographer), Giancarlo Rivera, Khalil Marshall (Production Designers)
A guy wants to go home but is paranoid that someone is following*
What does Art mean to you? Washington D.C., District of Columbia International School. RT 18:00
Daniel Lim, a student at School Without Walls, discusses what art, particularly animation, means to him.*
Nathan Lim (Director, Writer)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2025, PART 1: 2 TO 3:15PM
Stained. DC International School. RT 05:30
Abigail Smith, Cole Hadley (Directors), Victoria Almendarez (Writer), Victoria Almendarez (Key Cast)
Vivian begins her healing journey after being haunted by the flashbacks of a traumatic event in her life*
Eyes of Resilience. Rockville MD, Montgomery Blair HS. RT 04:23
Marcella Verchinski, John Taylor, Evvaleen Robinson (Directors)
In this episode of Village Reels, John Wilkinson shares his journey as a blind person navigating the public school system and building a career. Village Reels is Docs In Progress intergenerational filmmaking program. This video was produced by the students of Montgomery Blair High School in cooperation with the Village of Takoma Park, with support from the City of Takoma Park, Heritage Montgomery, the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, and Montgomery County Government.*
I Love Film. Baltimore MD. RT 01:31
Jamir Whaley (Director, Writer, Producer, Key Cast)
A young filmmaker describes why he loves film using footage from NASA interspersed with iconic scenes from some of his favorite movies.*
A Beautiful Live. Montgomery Blair HS. RT 03:49
Andrew Luse, Aidan Waner, Sophia Van Praagh (Directors)
In this episode of Village Reels, Helena Fabry shares her story of living and working in Czechoslovakia under Communist occupation in 1948.
Village Reels is Docs In Progress intergenerational filmmaking program. This video was produced by the students of Montgomery Blair High School in cooperation with the Village of Takoma Park, with support from the City of Takoma Park, Heritage Montgomery, the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, and Montgomery County Government.*
Acquired Taste. John D’Aquinos Actors Workshop. RT 02:40
Landry Townsend (Director), Sebastian Berry Landry Townsend, Molly Jean Edwards (Writers), Soundstorm Management (Producer), Sebastian Berry, Molly Jean Edward (Key Cast)
A suspenseful short story about a boy who is lost in the woods and trying to find his way home.*
What COVID Taught Gen. Alpha - The Coronavirus Pandemic and its Effects on Early Education. Kensington MD, Richard Montgomery High School. RT 06:27
Isabel Alazar Woldeab, Eton Smith (Directors), Isabel Alazar Woldeab, Eton Smith (Writers), Isabel Alazar Woldeab, Eton Smith (Producers)
This documentary covers the impact that the COVID-19 Pandemic had on the early education of Generation Alpha and the emotional, societal, and political impacts this will have if we do not take action soon.*
Ravenous. Washington D.C., District of Columbia International School. RT 02:55
Zuri Mccurtny, Dallas Reid (Directors), Ada Morrison (Writer), Jose Reyes (Producer), Mari Silva (Key Cast), Stevan Gutierrez (Editor), Mari Silva (Production Designer)
A girl invites a friend over to eat but they slowly start eating savagely and sloppy with no regards*
Something Bigger: A Short Running Documentary. Washington D.C. RT 06:50
Jack DeMarco Laws (Director, Writer, Producer, Key Cast)
A documentation of my journey to complete the FitDC Fresh Start 5k.*
Mr. Adams' World. DC International School. RT 01:49
Marley Flannery (Director), Winnie Centofanti (Writer)
Dragon Cup PromoGenOUT. DC International School. RT 02:03
Marley Flannery (Director)
Beyond the Whistle. Washington D.C., VIP University. RT 04:31
Alexander Anthony Williams (Director, Writer, Producer)
Hi, I’m Alex. I am 14 years old, and I am new to filming, creating, editing, and publishing videos. This video is my first creative video, and the second one submitted for a contest. My video, titled Beyond the Whistle, aims to capture how soccer, anime, and music helped me push past the silence of COVID and rediscover my drive for the sport. It’s my Comeback Story on how creativity helped me find my game and my community in a post-COVID World.
When I lost my place to play soccer due to COVID, I felt hurt, sad, and bored, stuck at home. Being inside, unable to play soccer, I slowly forgot the sensation of being on a soccer field.
One day, while scrolling through Crunchyroll (a streaming platform for Anime), I stumbled upon a soccer Anime called Blue Lock. While watching Blue Lock, I felt the inspiration that made me play soccer in the first place return. It had music and incredible soccer scenes that excited me. The way the music corresponded with the action made my heart race with joy. I saw so many ways to combine actions within the separate videos into one unique video with music. However, I didn’t know anything about film or video editing.
After mom and I attended the Anacostia Film Festival last year, mom mandated that I learn to edit and create film. Well, I’ve been teaching myself to edit videos, and I like it.
I had been learning for about a week before she received an email about the submission. The festival provided an excellent opportunity to showcase my idea of combining multiple scenes from Blue Lock videos into a single video with seamless transitions, creating action-packed scenes.
I wanted to create a video that displays three of my favorite things: soccer, Anime, and music. Initially, I was scared because I didn’t have much experience with video editing. Yet, my mom reminded me that I can learn, and everyone has to start to succeed. So, I spend many long days and nights researching and learning how to edit music, motion, and mindset shifts to create this video. I am proud of it, and I’m glad I discovered it in time to submit it to the film festival.*
Don't Move. Wide Angle Youth Media. RT 00:49
The film is about being scared to ask for help. A young girl tries to do things on her own, like combing out her hair. But when it doesn’t go well, she’s too afraid to tell her mom.
A Sweet Treat. DC International School. RT 01:03
Axl Moon, Ana Inskeep, Madi Jackson, Joel Tensay (Directors)
What's Next? Washington D.C., District of Columbia International School. RT 02:55
Stevan Gutierrez (Director), Stevan Gutierrez, Brian Wilson (Writers)
A boy questions what is next in his life.*
From Lockdown to Kickoff. Washington D.C., VIP University. RT 01:59
Alexander Anthony Williams (Director, Writer, Producer)
Hi, I'm Alex
I am 14 years old, and I am new to filming, creating, editing, and publishing videos. This video is my second creative video, and the first one submitted for a contest. My video is titled, From Lockdown to Kickoff: My Comeback Story on how creativity helped me find my game and my community in a post-COVID World.
When I lost my place to play soccer due to COVID, I felt hurt, sad, and bored, stuck at home. Being inside, unable to play soccer, I slowly forgot the sensation of being on a soccer field.
One day, while scrolling through Crunchyroll (a streaming platform for Anime), I stumbled upon a soccer Anime called Blue Lock. While watching Blue Lock, I felt the inspiration that made me play soccer in the first place return. It had music and incredible soccer scenes that excited me. The way the music corresponded with the action made my heart race with joy. I saw so many ways to combine actions within the separate videos into one unique video with music. However, I didn't know anything about film or video editing.
After mom and I attended the Anacostia Film Festival last year, mom mandated that I learn to edit and Create film. Well, I've been teaching myself to edit videos, and I like it.
I had been learning for about a week before she received an email about the submission. The festival provided an excellent opportunity to showcase my idea of combining multiple scenes from Blue Lock videos into a single video with seamless transitions, creating action-packed scenes.
I wanted to create a video that displays three of my favorite things: soccer, Anime, and music. Initially, I was scared because I didn't have much experience with video editing. Yet, my mom reminded me that I can learn, and everyone has to start to succeed. So, I spent many long days and nights researching and learning how to edit music, motion, and mindset shifts to create this video. I am proud of it, and I'm glad I discovered it in time to submit it to the film festival.*
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2025, PART 2 3:30 TO 4:45PM
Epic Senior Film. Wide Angle Youth Media. RT 04:02
Delores Carroll, Kamryn Harvin (Directors)
My Family's Deportation Story. DC International School. RT 03:27
Santiago Campos (Director)
The Meaning Of Thanksgiving. District of Columbia International School. RT 03:06
A family in the future celebrate thanksgiving with an Illegal turkey to eat to become closer as a family.*
Daria Valovic (Director), Fiona McCarthy (Writer), Jose Reyes (Producer), Kai Hegwood, Bryce Lloyd, Brian Wilson, Fiona McCarthy, Audrey Sloop (Key Cast), Daria Valovic (Editor), Sylvia Panetta (Cinematographer), Kai Hegwood (Sound Designer), Audrey (Production Designer)
Rewinded. RT 07:28
Aaliyah Idrissa (Director, Writer), Jimmeka Anderson, Sierra Davis, Zuri Johnson, Chassidy Jade, Yha Mourhia Wright, Regina Hoyles (Producers), Numa Perrier, Maia Sanaa, Kellianne Rae Jordan, Dutch Stephens, Jared Brubaker, Braeden Holtz (Key Cast), Jazmine Bunch (Editor)
A 45-year-old Black woman who gave up on her dreams as a teen embarks on a 2nd chance journey when she is rewinded back in time to live one day with her younger self in the 90s.*
How You Get There
Elliot Zwirn-Williams (Director)
Little Red. Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Sabrina Butler (Director)
Dawg Days. District of Columbia International School. RT 07: 09
Ian Kelly Davis (Director), Stevan Gutierrez, Brian Wilson (Writers), Jose Reyes (Producer), Ian Kelly Davis, Joakim Bell (Key Cast), Stevan Gutierrez (Cinematographer), Brian Wilson, Stevan Gutierrez (Editors), Joakim Bell (Production Designer)
The feeling of last summer where friendship are tested and change feel unavoidable*
Leaving it Behind. Falls Church VA, Meridian High School. RT 02:12
Sebastian Roncoroni (Director, Writer, Producer)
A man goes to a high school graduation party and encounters unforeseen complications.*
Unsung Heroes of our School: Angelica the Custodian. DC International School. RT 01:02
Edwin Acevedo, Maya Seek (Directors)
Grow up. District of Columbia International School. RT 07:04
Sylvia Panetta (Director), Ninal Lundry (Writer), Jose Reyes (Producer), Nina Lundry, Astrid Lundry, Lo Lundry, Elizabeth Handson, Agustin Lundry, Mateo Posche, Delaney Williams, Lilian Castilla, Emmalee Johnson (Key Cast), Miya Castilla (Editor), Zuri Mccury (Cinematographer)
A story about a girl growing up, yet she feels like she's falling behind.*