The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) and NYC Public Schools congratulate the students whose films were chosen as part of the 7th Annual New York City Public School Film Festival. The New York City Public School Film Festival is an opportunity for students to submit their work and perhaps see it screened.
Twenty-one student films (Click Here for the Festival Program) from public schools citywide were selected in the categories of Feature/Narrative, Animation, Experimental, PSA Advocacy and Documentary by a panel of NYC Public School Film Festival teachers and media professionals. The student filmmakers chosen represent the diversity of public school student voices across the five boroughs.
Laundro-Mates (The Lost Sock) | Directors: Lillian Wallace, Sarah Chrostowski, Rosalyn Sudworth | School: The Baccalaureate School for Global Education | Teacher: Kevin Helfenbein
About: Like many other socks, our sock has been separated from its beloved partner. Will our sock be reunited with its beloved matching sock?
Denny & Carl Jr. in: Chipocalypse! | Director, Producer, Writer and Animator: Mathias Sypher | Key Cast: Niko Espinal | School: Digital Arts & Cinema Technology High School | Teacher: Naomi Barak
About: When a batch of chips turns everyone into zombies, slacker best friends and roommates, Denny and Carl Jr. try to figure out how to save the world from an apocalypse.
The Color Inside US | Director, Writer, Producer: Luka Dunlavey | Key Cast: Luka Dunlavey, Ryan Dunlavey | School: Brooklyn Prospect Charter High School | Teacher: Siwei Gong
About: Life's awkward moments bring out our hidden beauty.
MTA Public Service - Subway Surfer PSA | Director, Writer, Producer and Key Cast: Shaun Blade Valentin | School: Gramercy Arts High School | Teacher: Emily Lemp
About: When subway surfing for the thrill and views takes a wrong turn.
Water | Director: Jaden Rivera | Key Cast: Dominic Valerio, Parker Tiburcio | Editors: Brian Fajardo, Melady Hernandez, Jaden Rivera, Odaniel Raby | Songwriters: Dominic Valerio, Parker Tiburcio | Music Producer: Kevin Salem | Executive Producer: Ron Link | Director of Video Production: Steven Mudrick | Editing Supervisor: Harry Mavromichalis | Chief Technician: Anthonely Lora | School: Theatre Arts Production Company | Teacher: Harry Mavromichalis
About: The Film/Video Production students of TAPCo created this film for the Office of Sustainability's Climate Action Days, focusing on the vital role water plays in our lives. With original music written and performed by our music students, and visuals crafted by our film students, this piece highlights the beauty, necessity, and fragility of water. Through poetic storytelling and striking imagery, the film serves as a reminder of our responsibility to protect this essential resource for future generations.
Intruder | Director, Writer, and Producer: Kenji Lee-Young | Key Cast: Felix Schoeller | School: Frank Sinatra School of the Arts | Teacher: Jason Spagnuoli
About: A home invasion.
No Talking | Director: Judith Eraso | Writers and Producers: Ms. Gutierrez's Film Class | Key Cast: Youssef Abozoid, Cristal Benitez, Albert Dreic, Amy de lo Santos | School: Motion Picture Technical High School | Teacher: Ms. Gutierrez
About: A classroom become annoyed after a student can't stop talking.
Arachnids: Age of Resistance – Official Trailer | Director and Writer: Evan Deng | Key Cast: Josiah Freeman, Tyshaun Davis, Hudson Dorismond | School: August Martin High School | Teacher: Marie Granthe
About: Short horror film where a new creature is on the loose and on a rampage.
Nightmare on 96th Street | Directors: Amarylis Goyes, Elijah Singleton, Michael Fonville | Key Cast: Nicholas Yates, Ivette Adams, Shun Boyd, Keyshawn Garvin, Deonte McGee, Sean Milhouse, Ossie Patton, Morgan Richburg, Beth Kling, David Nelinson | Camera: Thierry Masson | Props: Destinee Williams | Music: Celestal 114064 Public Domain Pixabay, Drone 162365 Public Domain Pixabay | School: East Brooklyn Community High School | Teacher: David Nelinson
About: A student in Brownsville Brooklyn can't escape the same lesson, building, phone call and moment in time.
I Thought I Knew You | Directors: Sherone Allisson, Angelicah Moore Upshaw | Writers: Alize Ramirez, Angel Bawuah | Producers: Jaysson Farley | Key Cast: Samantha Almanzar, Samir Diaz, Isaiah Gayle | Corporate Partners: Five4Five Films | School: KAPPA International High School | Teacher: Olayemi Adebambo
About: A young woman ends a rocky relationship after she meets Mr. Perfect...but nobody's perfect.
Into the Field | Creator: Giancarlo Sella | Starring: Giancarlo Sella, Lorenzo Sella, Valentino Sella, Enid Graham, Robert Sella | Music, Lyrics and Performance: Chris Jennings | School: PSIS 187 | Teacher: Michael Bridenstine
About: An 8th grader is ready to move onto High School, but circumstances prove to make it less than simple.
Pride and Pencil-less | Director, Writer and Producer: Hana Lauscher | Key Cast: Abigail Bezuevsky, Ela Ulker, Kayla Rizzo | School: Staten Island Technical High School | Teacher: Michael Van Buren
About: A crush leads into an investigation of missing pencils.
Reflections | Writers, Directors and Producers: Jude Clifford Dorema, Sienna Simone Menou | Editor: Sienna Menou | Key Cast: Sienna Simone Menou, Terry Lesane | Actors: Nadia Cutz, Anna Shen, Isabelle Ramirez, Abriyana Dozier, Jude Dorema | Camera: Jude Dorema | School: Abraham Lincoln High School | Teacher: Peter Andrus
About: A young woman sheltered in her self image struggles with loneliness and the need for self-acceptance.
Stay Calm in Any Situation | Directors: Eugenia Tem, Evelyn Dishu | Writers: Eugenia Tem, Evelyn Dishu | Producers: Eugenia Tem, Evelyn Dishu, Angel Dolores | Key Cast: Angel Dolores, Brian Oswaldo De Goana Diaz | School: Cyberarts Studio Academy | Teachers: Kayinde Harris, Zaca Anderson
About: Even though things are difficult, always look to the positive side.
Beyond the Sidelines | Director: Abigail Khazan | Writers and Producers: Emma Sit, Abigail Khazan | Key Cast: Selina Liu, Nicole Lin, Leviathan Alijanova, Shawn Bennett, Abigail Khazan, William Waterman | Executive Producers and Cinematographers: Abigail Khazan, Jahvion Flanders, Tina Lin | Production Assistants: Zion Charles, Fiona Chen, Vinh Tan Nguyen, Justin Velez | School: Midwood High School | Teacher: Henry Mei | Special Thanks: Henry Mei and NYPD 70th Precinct & Community Affairs Department
About: Facing relentless physical bullying, a young teen encounters harassment even outside of school. Unsure of what to do, she comes across a group of teens who make a bold decision to seek out support at their local precinct.
The Cost of Distraction | Director and Writer: Anna Todd | Producers: Anna Todd and Juan Carlos Recinos | Key Cast: Amelia Larkin, Amy Garcia, Aribah Tazmeen, Clare Sullivan, Jafrin Suborno, John Benedict Magampon, Kacper Wroblewski, Liana Musarrat, Nicholas Dockery, Samia Islam, Saniya Adeniyi, Sanvi Deonarain, Victor Wu, Edwin Turcios | Music Composer and Editor: Saniya Adeniyi | Lyrics: Anna Todd | Singer: Zion Danclair | School: The Scholars' Academy | Teacher: Juan Carlos Recinos
About: A distracted student. A reckless driver. One moment that changes everything. This gripping shot film follows the devastating consequences of texting while driving, showing how a single second of inattention can cost a life. As grief and regret unfold, the story rewind-- revealing the simple choices that could have prevented the tragedy. Stay alert. Stay alive.
Pretty Tony | Creators: Jack Cornelius, Maxwell Dugger-Ades, Leila Flores, Juliana Giraldo, Aidan Grayson, Zheng Liu-Gonzalez | Featuring: Jack Cornelius, Stephanie Powell | School: Art & Design High School | Teacher: Michael Bridenstine
About: A documentary about a father's death, and a boy's difficulty in moving on with life.
Identity Through Art | Director: SONYC BIZ Afterschool | Writer: Samuel W., Ethan S., William H. | Producers: Avery B., Gregory M., Liam M. | Key Cast: Dennis B., Kalanji C., Zieeda C., Jack P., Beniah, Deasia, Denelle, Samuel W., Ethan S., Liam M., Kaylee, Zoe | Camera: Aiden M.R., Ethan M. | Interviewers: Ethan M., William H., Esmel S., Nahiem F. | Audio: Jackson A., Nahiem F., School: Brownsville Middle School (Ascend Charter School/SONYC BIZ Afterschool) | Teacher: Jack Polefko
About: The SONYC BIZ Afterschool program proudly presents their documentary about how the programs in afterschool help them find their identity through art.
The Final Bell | Directors: Christopher Vergara, Tary Diallo | Writers: Tary Diallo, Arlenis Morel-Obispo | Key Cast: Alison Estudillo, Yaemil Ortiz, Alexa Alatorre, Damilka Nunez, Kiara Genao, Caleb Arrieta, Maya Pabon, Sarah Melendez, Juan Guerrero, Carol Parra, Arlenis Morel Obispo, Dorianny Ortega, Kiona Alcantara, Aryana Puente, Jake Paulino | Cinematographer: Christopher Vergara | School: Bronx Early College Academy for Teaching & Learning | Teacher: Sophia Weissmann
About: The Final Bell is a short film that highlights students' feelings as the end of High School approaches.
The Big Game | Editors: Jahlil Magee, Amaya Heyliger | Crew: Thomas Prado, Mathew Escobar, Void Rosas, Gary Jimenez, Juan Rodriguez-Alvarado, Sarhi Paredes, Amaya Heyliger, Jahlil Magee | School: Academy for Careers in TV & Film | Supervisors: Yoshie Otomo, Paola Muñoz | Teacher: Ryan Bennet
About: A documentary centered on the most inclusive sport's league in the world!
The Cafe | Directors: David Zou, Matthew Gellerstein, Supreme Ryant | Writers: Matthew D'Oria, Vincent Fattorusso, Yousuf Asghar | Producers: Dylan Accornero, Frank Cannizzo | School: The David Marquis School of the Arts P37R | Teachers: Rob Leavey, John McCahey
About: The Cafe is a mockumentary based in a student-run coffee shop, Barks & Beaks, that highlights the individuality and often overlooked whimsical side of individuals with disabilities.