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2025 Finalists

With six new categories under consideration this year, it was a great year for festival entries. Below is the list of entries that are nominated for one or more awards. They are broken up into Elementary  and Secondary Finalists. Be sure to check the entire page to see if your project is in the finals for an award!

 

Whether your project is on the list or not, please register to attend the festival, to be held on May 17 LIVE in person at Hollywood High School and online.

 

This year, we will split the festival into two sections:

  • Elementary starts @ 10:30am

  • Secondary starts @ 12:30pm

 

The festival will also be streamed online. Watch this page or the homepage for the link. But in-person is a unbeatable experience.

About: About Me

Explore Historic Hollywood

Because the festival is at the historic Hollywood High School, there are many attractions nearby.  Across the street is the iconic Mel’s Drive-In.  Within walking distance is the famous TCL Grauman's Chinese Theater (with the concrete handprints). The Ghiradelli Soda Fountain, next to the El Capitan Theater, is also nearby, as is Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum.  We hope to see you in Hollywood, May 17!

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Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Tim Wang

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Photograph: Robert Mora

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ELEMENTARY CEREMONY

May 17, 10:30am

Hollywood High School1521 Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

The projects below have been nominated for Category Awards or Special Awards!

NOTE: This is not our program order - we like to mix it up!

Click on each title below to view the project 

Elementary Film/Video - Fiction Finalists

Youth Cinema Project | Latino Film Institute 

Youth Cinema Project | Latino Film Institute 

Mission Estancia | Encinitas Union SD

Elementary School Film/Video - Non-Fiction Finalists

La Costa Heights | Encinitas Union SD

La Costa Heights | Encinitas Union SD

La Costa Heights Elementary | Encinitas Union SD

El Camino Creek | Encinitas Union SD

Elementary School Animation Finalists

Mission Estancia | Encinitas Union SD

Park Dale Lane | Encinitas Union SD

Flora Vista | Encinitas Union SD 

Elementary School Interactive Media

Flora Vista | Encinitas Union SD

SPECIAL AWARD FINALISTS

The projects below are nominated for Special Awards and will be included in the Elementary Ceremony

NOTE: This is not our program order - we like to mix it up!

Granada Elementary | Los Angeles USD

La Costa Heights  | Encinitas Union SD

Ocean Knoll   | Encinitas Union SD

Youth Cinema Project  | Latino Film Institute

Mission Estancia  | Encinitas Union SD

Olivenhain Pioneer | Encinitas Union SD

Mission Estancia | Encinitas Union SD

SECONDARY CEREMONY

May 17, 12:30pm

Hollywood High School 1521 Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Middle School Film/Video - Fiction Finalists

Youth Cinema Project | Latino Film Institute

Youth Cinema Project | Latino Film Institute

Cope Middle School | Redlands USD

Middle School Film/Video Non-Fiction Finalists

El Camino Creek | Encinitas Union SD

Las Flores Middle School | Capistrano USD

Las Flores Middle School | Capistrano USD

Middle School Animation Finalists

El Camino Creek | Encinitas Union SD

El Camino Creek | Encinitas Union SD

Nobel Middle School | Los Angeles USD

Middle School Photography Finalists

Thurston Middle School | Encinitas Union SD

Royal Oak Middle School | Charter Oak USD

Aptos Community Youth Program | Aptos Junior High

Middle School Music Finalists

Nobel Middle School | Los Angeles USD

St. Anne School

St. Anne School

Middle School Interactive Media Finalist

Nobel Middle School | Los Angeles USD

High School Film/Video Fiction Finalists

Freestyle Academy | Mountain View-Los Altos UHSD

Canyon Crest Academy Envision Cinema Conservatory | San Dieguito Union HSD

Grant High School | Los Angeles USD

High School Film/Video Non-Fiction Finalists

John F. Kennedy Architecture/Digital Design/Filmmaking Magnet HS | Los Angeles USD

Petaluma High School | Petaluma City Schools

Woodside Priory School

High School Animation Finalists

Menlo-Atherton High School | Sequoia UHSD

Canyon Crest Academy/Envision Cinema Conservatory | San Dieguito Union HSD

Burbank High School | Burbank USD

High School Photography Finalists

Carmel High School | Carmel USD

Buena Park High School | Fullerton Joint UHSD

Gretchen Whitney High School | ABC USD

High School Music Finalists

San Diego School of Creative & Performing Arts | San Diego USD

Mira Mesa High School | San Diego USD

Madison Park Academy High School | Oakland USD

High School Interactive Media Finalist

Millikan High School SEGA | Long Beach USD 

SPECIAL AWARD FINALISTS

The projects below are nominated for Special Awards and will be included in the Secondary Ceremony.

NOTE: This is not our program order - we like to mix it up!

John F. Kennedy Architecture/Digital Design/Filmmaking Magnet HS | Los Angeles USD

Laguna Beach High School | Laguna Beach USD

Petaluma High School | Petaluma City Schools

Nobel Middle School | Los Angeles USD

Canyon Crest Academy/Envision Cinema Conservatory | San Dieguito Union HSD

Freestyle Academy | Mountain View-Los Altos UHSD

Las Flores Middle School | Capistrano USD

St. Anne School

El Camino Creek | Encinitas Union SD

Desert Hot Springs HS | Palm Springs USD

Freestyle Academy | Mountain View-Los Altos UHSD

Valencia High School | William S. Hart UHSD

©2025 by California Student Media Festival, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. The festival depends entirely on donations and the tireless effort of volunteers. Please consider donating to support our continued efforts.

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