Clio burst onto the All American scene with her outstanding 2015 and 2016 Official Selections, “Stranded” and “Congratulations Abigail”- the former a riveting drama about a young dancer traumatized by failure and insecurity as she travels to a competition that consumes and overwhelms her entire physical and psychological universe. The film earned her our Best Cinematography Award for its striking imagery of a desolate setting that aptly reflects and supports the protagonist’s character and...

Gabe’s talents earned him several category nominations and our Best Drama award in 2018. His restrained and heartwarming film, “DV-130” conquered our most competitive category with its mature sensibility and perspective, character-driven emotional core, and subtle, but purposeful, layers of conflict. A “DV-130” is the official legal document representing a domestic violence protection order - a protection that typically ends when the individual turns 18 years old. In the film, we meet the...

Dig deep in the credits of some of our best submissions from the last few years, and you will find the name Roxy Sorkin again and again. A constant collaborator with her peers, Roxy seems poised for anything: fueled by her limitless potential and an insatiable desire to create. As a writer and director, Roxy is equally impressive. Her 2019 submission “We Don’t Talk” won our Best Music Video award recognizing her ability to illuminate patient imagery reflecting glamorous settings somehow full...

I stared at my computer screen for a long time thinking about what to say about Lukas Dong… thinking about how to craft an appropriate narrative for a filmmaker so integral to our organization’s belief in the future of film, a filmmaker so immensely… innately talented, so destined to make a profound impact, and yet so humble, gracious and giving... so incredibly respectful and professional even as the young man we first met back in 2013… How could I possibly articulate this All American OG so...

At just 21 years old, Ciara already boasts the kind of resume dreams are made of… But a closer look reveals a relentless work ethic and passion for genre-shifting storytelling at the core of her success. She’s the writer and director of 16 short films with considerable experience in both independent cinema and commercial projects. After graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of North Texas, she transitioned to Los Angeles where she works as a freelance cinematographer creating music...

Throughout high school, Leo was a prolific submitter of top tier content, consistently producing a diverse array of stories focused on subjects and characters entrenched in highly personal, but instantly universal conflicts. His films always earned high scores from our judges, regardless of genre, because he possessed an innate understanding of how to focus his lens on the little details that help illuminate a larger, more complex journey. Leo’s work as a director and editor is deceptively...

Dusan is a Chicago native who has been living in LA for the last ten years, honing his skills as an actor, writer and director. His resume is incredibly impressive, prompting us to break our protocol for only interviewing AAHSFF alumni who have already graduated high school, in order to explore his wealth of experience and striking talent. So what does an 18-year-old’s impressive resume look like? Consider these credits… acting in the Jackie Robinson film “42” and CAP, a short film that won...

We were introduced to Grace back in 2017. Her film “The Missing Piece” illuminated her ability to expose intimate, personal themes of the teen experience with a soft and subtle approach. In 2019, her talents had matured, earning her several category nominations and the award for Female Rising Star. Her films, “Close From Afar” and “Jonah and Julie” are focused on strong female leads... dynamic characters who exhibit a delicate but profound growth as they navigate the complexities of family...

Dallas, Texas native and AAHSFF '14-'17 alum, Cal Etcheverry, first came on our radar in 2014 with multiple Official Selections that illuminated his ability to embrace a wide range of genres with a keen interest in revealing genuine human connection triumphing over adverse circumstances. His dark comedy, “Surgeon of Seoul” won Best Comedy in 2015, further displaying his limitless range and passion for exploring the psyche of unique characters navigating equally unique trials. The fact that...

Isaac came out of nowhere in 2017. Unlike many of the young filmmakers who submit projects to us throughout high school, their talent maturing with each submission and each year, Isaac only ever submitted one film. It just so happens that this filmmaker from a tiny town in South Carolina, and a tiny school with no film program, created one of the most complete and professional films we have ever received. His film “Journeybound” winner of Best Overall Film in 2017 is a fearless production...

We have a talk with AAHSFF alum ‘17-’19, Nepal Arslan to dig deep into what drives this emerging filmmaker. Nepal began submitting films in 2017, so we’ve had the pleasure of watching his talents mature for three years - his passion was first recognized with several Official Selections and ultimately with his win for Best Drama in 2019. Nepal pursues stories rooted in character explorations - whether making documentaries or narratives, his films consistently reveal the realistic challenges...

AAHSFF '19 alum, Quinn Fluet is our most recent winner of our top award, Best Overall Film, for his insightful and pleasantly delicate story of two teens struggling to connect and come-of-age under the shadow of an imminent alien invasion. The story concept of the film “Ground Control” sounds big, and it is, but what won over our judges was Quinn’s ability to balance the dramatic conflict, subtly focusing both his lens and his broader themes, on complex characters rooted in realism despite...

AAHSFF ‘15 alum Carol Nguyen's films explore her evolving relationship with her cultural heritage, often presenting abstract and dreamlike reflections of her emotional journey while employing mixed media to evoke a powerful sense of tone and atmosphere that compels the viewer to become engaged with the deeper themes of her projects. Her process and style provide a wonderful glimpse into a truly unique and passionate artist with an unmistakable voice. Check out Carol's work HERE --- This...

AAHSFF ‘16 alumni Jackson, Nick, Allan and Ricardo (collectively Hot N Tedious Productions) are the epitome of the power of collaboration, seamlessly blending writing, directing, cinematography and acting talents to tell stories drenched in a sunny Southern California charm that lures the viewer in through hilarious humor and keeps them engaged with much deeper explorations of the complexities of being human. Their 2016 submission, “Noose” exemplifies their ability to balance the duality of...

AAHSFF '13 Alum Emily Cohn was part of our very first festival, all the way back in 2013, and she was a big part of helping us affirm our belief that the future of film was bright and that talented young filmmakers needed our support and recognition. Emily’s early films were full of strong and engaging female characters, navigating complicated relationships and coming of age in a world rife with uncertainty. Her film, “Pierced” (winner of our first Best Drama Award) explored the complex...

AAHSFF '17 Alum Caleb Wild is the writer and director of "Cycle" a film mature in theme, rich in symbolism, and beautifully rendered on screen while simultaneously grounded  in authentic youthful perspective and emotional exploration.  Caleb writes stories that expose a raw, universal human condition and then employs the elements of film to illuminate the depth of these stories in remarkably poignant ways. Check out Caleb's work here --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The...

AAHSFF ‘16 alum Christina Xing is a writer and director of immense talent. Her 2016 submission, “Goldfish” made an irresistible impression on our judges, taking home the award for Best Drama. Her refreshingly unique coming-of-age story provides a rich study of character and conflict as it explores an unlikely and challenging romance and its power to overcome trauma. But this film was clearly just the beginning… Christina continues to create boundless stories rich in diversity and surprises -...

Dan Kelly, AAHSFF alumni ‘14-’16 is living a young filmmaker's dream, traveling the world capturing hip-hop’s biggest stars, with amazing social posts and insanely energetic and beautifully shot music videos. As head of media for Wiz Khalifa’s record label, Taylor Gang Entertainment, Dan Kelly, is not up and coming, he has already arrived. View Dan's work HERE --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app