A stunning red carpet, a cutting-edge ice sculpture and an exquisite buffet marked the 16th annual ReelStories Film Festival on Jan. 31.
This year, the festival aimed to celebrate those behind the lens who made the films memorable and lovable. Over 600 students, faculty and other locals attended the formal event, which featured its usual red carpet photo-op in Lower Mullin Town Square.
Presented by the Student Programming Board, RSFF16 catered appetizers and dessert through Bon Appétit. Members of the Psi Upsilon fraternity served non-alcoholic beverages to attendees at a minibar.
This year, the selection committee, which consisted of three local industry professionals, chose seven original student short films to be screened. A panel of 12 entertainment industry professionals, including three of RSFF’s founders, served as judges for this year’s competition.
Audiences were divided between Smothers Theatre and Elkins Auditorium for the dual screenings that took place during the second hour of the festival. After each short film, a brief interview with its respective filmmaker played on the screen. These segments often included behind-the-scenes production footage.
“VIOLET”
The festival screening kicked off with “VIOLET,” a story about loss and remembrance directed, written, edited and produced by fifth-year Screen Arts major Azriel Zhang. The film’s titular character, played by alumna Kayla Bryant (‘24), works to produce her late fiancé’s (Jacob Melton) unfinished play.
Zhang said that writing for “VIOLET” began last February, a few months after his grandfather died. He said the film was born out of personal grief and thoughts about “a ‘what could have been’ future.”
“I spent a lot of time on designing everything, and I made sure everything works together,” Zhang said.
Alumna Jeni Beni (’24) and junior Nico Heard produced two original songs for the short film. Zhang said music was a major part of his film.
“VIOLET” won the award for Best Directing.
“BIRD”
“BIRD,” a humorous horror film directed, written and edited by senior Screen Arts major Nick Yi, played next. The short was Yi’s second to premiere at RSFF, following last year’s “Undefeated.”
Yi’s short film follows the deteriorating mental state of an accountant named Jamie, played by senior Screen Arts and Theatre major Evan Huit, as he’s consumed by bird-related encounters. His Michael Scott-esque boss Bryan, played by Yi, torments him with a small plastic bird figure, which causes Jamie to have a nightmare in which his co-workers are giant birds.
Yi said the film was inspired by a wooden bird statue in his house he always thought looked creepy. He previously attempted to make a short film about a bird, which he wasn’t satisfied with.
“BIRD” won the Best Acting and Audience Choice awards at the screening. Attendees selected the Audience Choice award using a Google Form and voted for the Impact award at the end of the event
“Little One”
The only animated film in the lineup, “Little One” is about the difficulties of growing up and learning to love yourself. Junior Film major Sarah Breck wrote, directed, animated, edited and produced the film.
Breck came up with the idea for the film in high school, originally making it into a comic strip. After positive feedback from her friends and family, she decided to turn the comic into an animated short.
“I didn’t have a team of people to help me, but I didn’t want that to limit me,” Breck said. “I wanted to be able to create something, so I knew if I did an animation I wouldn’t have to let not having a whole team, fancy cameras and knowing how to even use a camera limit me.”
Breck said the most challenging part she faced when making her film was learning how to animate walking. The most rewarding part for her was finishing the film.
“Finally being able to finish something I worked really hard on instead of just giving up was a very big accomplishment for me, especially for my 16-year-old self,” Breck said. “If I could go back in time and tell my 16-year-old self that I made a short film about this comic strip, I’d be like, ‘What the heck?’”
At the award ceremony, “Little One” won the award for Best Editing.
“Please Don’t Take My Sunshine Away”
“Please Don’t Take My Sunshine Away” was directed and produced by sophomore Theatre major Kysiah Tapia. She co-wrote it with sophomore Theatre major Brooklyn Courtney-Moore, who also served as the assistant director of the film.
The short film stars alumna Avery Beavers (‘24), who plays an infertile woman that daydreams about the prospect of motherhood. She’s seen smiling and playing in a backyard with three kids before waking up and embracing reality.
Tapia said the film is intended to amplify the experience of infertile women, but also is meant to be relatable for anyone who’s forced to give up their dreams and cope with their new path.
The film doesn’t rely on dialogue to tell its story. Instead, the audience only hears laughter and short snippets of Beavers’ character talking to her children.
The child actors, all siblings, were found through Courtney-Moore’s local babysitting job. Tapia said they were excited to act in her film.
“No Feeling is Final”
“No Feeling is Final” stars an apprehensive girl who opens an envelope containing photos that take her on a journey of memories and help her to finally accept her past in order to embrace her future.
Senior Screen Arts major Sydney Herrera wrote, directed, edited and acted in the film.
“I was shooting for the stars with this film I wrote,” Herrera said.
Herrera said her favorite part of the filming process was being with her friends, and getting to ReelStories was a dream come true. She also gives credit to her film crew, junior Screen Arts major Thomas Chang and senior Screen Arts major Hailey Ponchione, for making this short film possible.
“I always dreamed about getting my film to ReelStories, but never really thought it would be possible because there’s so many talented people at this school. But this has just been a dream,” Herrera said.
“COOL”
“COOL,” directed, written and edited by senior Screen Arts major Hali Orefice, is a comedic piece about a nerdy high school student who discovers that his sunglasses make him the coolest guy in school.
Senior Jacob Melton starred in the leading role of “Lenny.”
“COOL” is Orefice’s fourth film to be featured at ReelStories and her third in a row to win Best Picture after last year’s “Disconnected” and 2023’s “Looped!” The film also won the Best Original Screenplay award.
“I liked the idea of making a film that makes people smile,” Orefice said.
Orefice said she takes inspiration from her father, who gave her his old camcorder when she was nine years old. She said that her whole childhood was spent making movies with that camcorder and immersing herself in cinematography with her father.
“[My dad] is my biggest inspiration because he’s so influential,” Orefice said. “He helped me learn film techniques.”
Her father, Cary Orefice, had the opportunity to act in “COOL” alongside his daughter. Additionally, Orefice had the chance of utilizing her former high school as a filming location for “COOL,” enabling audiences to become fully immersed in the life of high schooler Lenny.
This immersion paid off at the screening in Smothers Theatre, where the audience laughed and cheered at “COOL’s” humorous dialogue.
“The thing that makes me happiest is when people like what I make,” Orefice said.
“A Part of Me”
“A Part of Me,” by senior Screen Arts major and Currents co-photo editor Liam Zieg, is about two surfer boys living out of a van along the California coast.
Inspired by a camper van he saw on PCH, Zieg completed the project in a single day at Surf Outposts in Malibu, navigating constraints such as a strict 12-minute film duration and restricted access to his shooting location.
“I was parking my car [on the Pacific Coast Highway], and I parked right behind like a camper van. And I was like, ‘huh?’ I wonder what the daily life of somebody living out of a camper van on the side of PCH would look like,” Zieg said. “So I was just kind of, like, obsessed with that aesthetic.”
Zieg said he strived to create a film that conforms to very strict aesthetics and resonates with the surfers of the world.
“A Part of Me” won two awards at the festival: Best Cinematography and the Impact Award.
A Night to Remember
As the night came to a close, the ReelStories Film Festival proved to be a celebration of creativity, storytelling and the talent behind the lens.
From the glamour of the red carpet to the excitement of the awards ceremony, RSFF16 showcased the dedication of Pepperdine’s student filmmakers and the vibrant film culture within the community.
As attendees departed, the evening left a lasting impression, inspiring future storytellers and reinforcing the festival’s role as a platform for emerging talent.
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Contact Alexa Mcglathery and Henry Adams via email: alexa.mcglathery@pepperdine.edu and henry.adams@pepperdine.edu
