MOLAA + LBUSD
Student Film Festival!
One Frame At A Time
May 31, 2026
Join us on Sunday, May 31st, for the film screening and panel discussion with industry experts!
2026 DAtes and Deadlines
March 1, 2026 - Submission Portal Opens
May 1, 2026 - Final submissions due for all applications
May 18, 2026 Finalists are notified this week by email
May 31, 2026 - Film Screening and Awards Ceremony at MOLAA
Program AT A GLANCE - Sunday May 31, 2026*
12:00PM Welcoming Remarks
12:30 PM Industry Panel
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Finalists Screenings
3:30PM Awards Ceremony and Reception
*Times subject to change
MOLAA Student Film Festival 2026: One Frame at a Time
Presented by MOLAA’s Department of Education and LBUSD’s Office of Pathways and Business Engagement
MOLAA and LBUSD’s Office of Pathways & Business Engagement are excited to invite LBUSD high school students grades 9-12, to participate in its 2nd annual One Frame at a Time Student Film Festival. The festival will take place, in person, at MOLAA’s Viva Event Center in Long Beach, CA on Sunday, May 31, 2026. Individuals or small teams of students are challenged to create a short two to three-minute video on one of our three proposed topics. Each student or group may submit one film into this contest. A student may submit one film as part of a group, and one as an individual.
Films can be in any style, whether that be a documentary, narrative, live action, animated, puppetry, poetry, or a silent movie. Films should be original, creative and connect the audience to the topic in a compelling way.
Art, social equity, and education content is a plus! Submission will require a short 200-500 word artist/group statement.
Rules and eligibility for submission coming soon!
Questions? For additional information, please contact us at Student_Film_Festival@molaa.org
This year’s theme is “ESCAPE”
MOLAA invites submissions that push creative boundaries, or “escape” from expected forms and ideas – whether that be through storytelling; choice of subject; cinematography or technique (sound, light, editing, animation, etc); or mise-en-scène (set design, props, costumes, performance). Give us your unexpected!
Category Topics:
Animation
Drama
Comedy
Documentary/Broadcast
Finalists Will Also Receive:
Film Festival Award certificate.
Mention in MOLAA newsletter and social media.
Potential use of film in future MOLAA events and programs.
A distinguished group of judges from the Hollywood film industry and local Long Beach Cultural Centers will determine the Award Winners based on storytelling, creativity, technical and art/educational content.
Finalists are required to attend the MOLAA Film Screening and Awards Ceremony on the afternoon of May 31st at the Museum to receive their recognition.
Last year’s 2025 Finalists and Judges Panel
(In No Particular Order)
Drama
“Snail Loves Slug,” Cinematographer, Editor, and Poet, Jaelyn Franklin of Renaissance High School for the Arts
“Untitled,” Directed by Stefano Jacobo of Wilson High School
“Person of Interest,” Written, Directed, and Edited by Brenden Prom of Long Beach Polytechnic High School.
Comedy
“The Classroom,” Directed by Leo Bauch of Wilson High School
“Bad Breaking,” Directed by Isaiah Moore of Renaissance High School for the Arts
“Dogs Forever: the Dogumentary,” Directed by Thomas Medel of Renaissance High School for the Arts
Animation
“Rex in the City,” Submitted by Jessica Villalobos of Wilson High School
“Star Crossed,” Submitted by Zeyn Kahwaji of Wilson High School
"The Selfless Sad Wolf,” Submitted by Cameron Clay of Cabrillo High School
Documentary/Broadcast
“Grandpa’s Interview,” Directed by Cameron Hinshaw from Renaissance High School
“Trans Joy,” Submitted by Maple Stewart from Educational Partnership High School and Magnus Burks from Wilson High School
“Urban Canvas” Directed by Quetzal Colunga from Renaissance High School
Special Balboa Prize for Silent Film: “Con and the Consequences” Submitted by Dylan Hamilton, Renaissance High School
MOLAA Staff Pick: "Stagnant," Directed by Paulina Cummings, Renaissance High School
Questions? For additional information, please contact us at Student_Film_Festival@molaa.org
Welcoming Remarks by Ligiah Villalobos
Ligiah Villalobos is a Writer, Producer, Consultant, Educator and Lecturer. She is best known for writing and executive producing the indie feature film Under the Same Moon, (La Misma Luna). Acquired by Fox Searchlight and The Weinstein Company at the Sundance Film Festival, the film became the highest sale for a Spanish-language film in the history of Sundance. Made for under $2M, the film earned over $23M worldwide. Villalobos has developed projects for multiple studios, networks, and streaming services including ABC, NBC, ABC/Family, Lifetime, Hallmark Hall of Fame, F/X, Showtime,BET, MAX and STARZ, among others. And she was a Cultural Consultant on the Academy Award winning Pixar movie, COCO and the Disney movie, Planes. Her most recent film, Koati, which she co-wrote, was released in 2021. Before becoming a writer/producer, Villalobos was a studio executive at The Walt Disney Company, where she oversaw television production in Latin America for five years, launching eight #1 children shows in seven countries. She then oversaw the Writing Fellowship Program and launched the Directors Training Program for the Studio.
Villalobos was then hired as a Current Programming Executive at The WB, where she oversaw six prime times shows, including the four highest rated shows on the network. Recently, Villalobos was the Creator and Executive Producer of the Sonoro/IHeart Media/Mi Cultura scripted podcast titled, Adelita: Changing the Key, which launched in January, 2023 on all platforms, both in English and in Spanish. The podcast is currently being developed as a TV series with Producers Reggie Rock Bythewood and Gina Prince Bythewood (Swagger, The Woman King) and Skydance. Villalobos was also the Executive Producer of the Spirit & Friends animated shorts for Dreamworks TV Animation, which can be seen on Peacock TV. And, she was a writer on the Annie nominated PBS/9 Story animated series Rosie’s Rules. Villalobos is currently attached to write the American adaptation of the South African feature film Sink. Villalobos is the recipient of the Humanitas Prize for the TV film, Firelight. She is a tenured Associate Professor at Cal State LA and has been an adjunct professor at USC School of Cinematic Arts and at LMU. Villalobos is on the Board of Immigrant Defenders Law Center and on the Honorary Board of The Point Foundation, the largest scholarship-granting organization for LGBTQ students of merit. She received her MFA from Antioch University in Creative Writing.
Meet Last Year’s Judges!
Justin L Raleigh is an Academy Award, BAFTA, Emmy and MUAHS Guild award-winning creative effects artist, as well as owner and CEO of Fractured FX Inc. With over 30 years in the special make-up effects industry. Justin has managed and art directed the creation of the special make-up effects, visual effects hybrid makeups, and specialty costumes for some of the most groundbreaking films and television series of recent years.
Joel Kazuo Knoernschild Joel's a half-Japanese, multi-hyphenate, 2x Emmy award winning and Producers Guild Award film and commercial director who seeks to give a voice to marginalized individuals.
Joel WON the 76th Emmy Creative Awards for "Shōgun: the Making of Shōgun," his 6th Emmy nomination and second Emmy win. Joel also WON the 36 Annual Producers Guild Awards for "Shōgun: the Making of Shōgun."
Vange Tapia is an Actress, Producer, VO talent and Host who initiated her career acting in TV commercials during her mid-teens in Mexico City where she was born and raised. Thanks to a 30 second monologue for national television with the role of a “preppy girl”, she was booked as female lead in roles for TV and radio commercials including working with both Academy Award Winners, Dir. Alfonso Cuarón and under the lens of Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki for the suspense series “Hora Marcada.” She’s fluent in Spanish, English & French, plus speaks conversational Italian.
For many years, she served as an on-camera host for the Travel Channel online for “Visit the USA” (Formerly Discover America) and she currently hosts social and travel videos with her husband as “Rolling Tworistas”.
Vange is the founder of “Actors S/ash”, a collective community of international and local talent in Hollywood where members not only perform but create opportunities as multi s/ash actors who also produce / direct / write..., in collaboration with other fellow filmmakers. She has starred in tons of TV commercials, series, films and plays.
Norma P. Sepulveda is the Story Editor and Head Writer of Disney Junior’s Ariel, currently airing on Disney platforms worldwide. Her writing credits span hit shows like Firebuds, Spirit Rangers, Mickey Mouse Funhouse, and Elena of Avalor, where she got her start as an apprentice writer. She has also developed original projects with Disney Junior and Netflix, and lent her storytelling eye to development teams at DreamWorks, Spin Master, and Moonbug—just to name a few. A proud Indigenous Chicana from Southern California, Norma brings heart, humor, and cultural depth to every world she builds—across genres, audiences, and formats. “ Handles: On IG and X: @npsepulveda Website: www.normapsepulveda.com
GASTRONOMY
Big Brian’s Meats In the pursuit of a lifelong passion for cooking that spans over 4 decades, chef & owner Brian Rodriguez founded Big Brian's Meats in August, 2022 with one goal in mind: to bring high quality, unique handcrafted cuisine to the hearts and appetites of foodies everywhere. After working 15 years in the film & TV industry as an editor, and another 8 years working in public education as a film instructor, including teaching online during the pandemic, Brian decided to take a leap of faith. In June 2022 Brian resigned from public education, cashed out his teaching pension for startup capital, and the foundation was set for Big Brian's Meats to take off. Drawing on inspirations from his Mom's traditional Mexican style cooking, Big Brian's Meats specializes in "BBQ + SoCal Mex Infusion" cuisine and offers many different dishes from traditional smoked BBQ to unique dishes dreamed up in our test kitchen.
Community Partner
The Youth Mindful Awareness Program helps teens (ages 12–17) feel less stressed, more focused, and better able to handle life’s challenges. Teens will be offered the opportunity to participate in one of three programs: one teaches mindfulness skills like breathing and practicing gratitude; another uses journaling to help teens understand themselves better; and the third helps teens keep track of their emotions and moods. After finishing, everyone gets access to the materials from all three programs. These tools can help teens feel calmer, sleep better, stay more focused in school, build stronger relationships, and be kinder to themselves and others.
