Redlands Unified Hosts Third Annual FilmFest Celebrating Student Creativity

Redlands Unified School District hosted the third annual RUSD FilmFest at Harkins Theatres at Mountain Grove on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. The event featured 53 short films across fiction and nonfiction genres, created by students in elementary through high school.

Each film, ranging from two to eight minutes in length, was selected based on creativity, storytelling, impact, and polish. The top 10 entries in each category premiered for audiences of families, friends, staff and community members during two evening showings.

“It’s important for us as educators to create opportunities for students to shine in all different areas — whether it be building robots, competing in science fairs, or doing engineering,” said Jamie Cortz, senior director of TK-12 education, secondary. “This event is specific to kids who love movies, love storytelling, and love to express their creativity through videos. We are thrilled to present this avenue for those kids.”

The RUSD FilmFest serves as a platform for nurturing young talent, offering students the chance to showcase their creativity, storytelling abilities, and technical skills. From writing and directing to editing and acting, the experience exposes students to the multitude of careers in the entertainment industry. Seeing their work premiere on the big screen alongside Hollywood blockbusters empowers students to pursue their passions with confidence and enthusiasm.

This year’s event highlighted a wide range of student voices, from first-time filmmakers to returning creators.

Penny Miranda, a fourth-grade student at Kingsbury Elementary School, whose fiction film Sea Expedition was included in this year’s lineup, shared that she had already started working on her film before learning about the festival. She said seeing her story on the big screen was “really cool!”

Cope Middle School filmmakers Mackenzie Reed and Julia Heede sought to teach audiences about the importance of ants in their documentary — though the stars of the show didn’t always cooperate.

“One day, when we were filming, there were no ants!” Reed said. “We went to a park, and we were searching for them but couldn’t find any,” Heede added. It turns out, even the tiniest of talent can have scheduling conflicts. Still, the pair agreed, “It was a really fun experience.”

Another middle school filmmaker, Amy Zhou, brought lighthearted energy to the screen with Trick Shots at School, in which students at Moore Middle School perform tricks like water bottle flipping.

“I made new friends in this process, and I think the main thing this taught me is that a little laugh is fun — that happy little accidents can end up taking you really far,” she said. “Being at Harkins to watch the clip I created is definitely an amazing feeling. I’m really happy that I made it, and I feel really proud of myself.”

To view photos from this event and many more across the district, view the RUSD online photo gallery at www.redlandsusd.smugmug.com and follow @RedlandsUSD on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

For more news and notifications about Redlands Unified School District, visit our website at www.redlandsusd.net.