After Dark
Directed by Natalie Henderson, El Dorado High School, Placentia
A young man struggles to fit in with a society in which showing your face reveals more than you may imagine.
Alien Love
Directed by Hazel Sepenuk, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
A visually striking music video depicting a girl and her relationship with an otherworldly love interest.
Back to Back
Directed by Youning Jiang, Orange County School of the Arts
A 16-year-old girl’s desire to adopt a dog tests her relationship with her mom as the two of them adapt to life in the United States.
Bloom
Directed by Ella Fields, CHAMPS Charter High School of the Arts, Los Angeles
A claymation portrayal of a young girl trying to come to terms with the reality of sexual assault.
Chasing Normality
Directed by Madison Empalmado, Portola High School, Irvine
An illuminating documentary focused on high school students’ struggles with debilitating depression.
Definition
Directed by Murshidul Alam Bhuiyan, Faizur Rahman Ideal Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Highlighting the harsh reality of the ongoing abusive treatment of women in Bangladesh, this film asks the question: how is this year different from any other?
El Sueño Intocable
Directed by Andrea Campos, The Archer School for Girls, Los Angeles
A man reminisces about his happy youth by the seaside while reflecting on the current struggles he faces as an immigrant in America.
Hairlines: Exploring Image Curation Through Hair
Directed by Elizabeth Kostina, Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire
A documentary about the importance of hair in queer culture and how it can help define one’s identity.
Lost and Found
Directed by Francesca Cappello, The Archer School for Girls, Los Angeles
A whimsical portrait of a teenage girl venturing from her home and trying to engage with a city devoid of human life.
The Zoom Call
Directed by Shelby Eroen, The Archer School for Girls, Los Angeles
After being let down by her boyfriend, a heartbroken young woman tries to use Zoom to reconnect with him, but a curious stranger appears on her screen instead.