Righetti High students win Best Filmmaking Award at Central Coast Film Society competition
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – A group of Righetti High School students won the Best Filmmaking Award for their original film "Just Another Cheesy Teen Rom Com" alongside San Luis Obispo High School's Leo Gerd Eulate for "The Key to Fear" at the 4th Annual Central Coast Film Society Film and Media Arts Competition on Sunday.
The contest featured students from Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Monterey counties.
"Just Another Cheesy Teen Rom Com" was made by Righetti High's Isabella Sherfield, Colin Sherfield, Michaela Leedom, Brady Daniels, Saige Merrill, Haily Liles, and Susie Castellanos.
Students also had other work nominated for awards in multiple categories such as best film, photography, and screenplay.
“I'm very proud of my students. They have been doing fantastic work this year and I'm very happy to see them get recognition outside my classroom by a professional organization. It's not easy to get into this festival, many of my students submitted but only these students got in. Every year my students do great work and every year they get accepted to film festivals. They apply themselves, learn and grow throughout the year and it's a joy to see. I'm very fortunate to have such motivated, respectful, and fun students," said Righetti High School Teacher Jacob R. Gustafson.
The student film "Guns, Cards, and More Guns" was nominated for best film and was created by Asher Dedek, Cassidy Colli, Zephyr Delute, and Brandon Yazzie.
Sophia Laurel's "Spotlight" was nominated for photography and the student-written screenplay "It's Time To Drive" by Erolen Alvarez was nominated for best screenplay.
A full list of winners at the film festival are below:
FILMMAKING
“Just Another Cheesy Teen Rom Com”
Isabella and Colin Sherfield ERHS
“The Key to Fear”
Leo Gerd Eulate SLO High School
PHOTOGRAPHY
“Vroom Vroom”
Luke Konjoyan Morro Bay High School
SCREEN/CREATIVE WRITING
“McSpade’s Circus of Splendor"
Rae Elizabeth Ruane Morro Bay High School
TECHNICAL
“Cha Cha Ride”
Laslo S Estes & Eli Heck Central Coast New Tech High School
CENTRAL COAST SPIRIT AWARD
“Sandbox: Series”
Gavin Patrick Wren, Jenson Wright, Jackson Sitt SLO High School
"We would like to recognize all the students who participated in this year's competition and thank our teachers who encourage and mentor their students to lean in and express themselves through such high quality and enjoyable creative works," said Sarah Risley, President of Central Coast Film Society.
Last but certainly not least, the volunteer judge panel members are listed below:
- Chris Hite, Allan Hancock College, Film Department & Award Winning Filmmaker
- Cindy Kitagawa, SLO Film Festival Programmer, Filmmaker/Screenwriter
- Kevin Judge, Owner of Creative Judge Studio, Filmmaker
- Brian Schwarts, Director of the Central Coast Writers Conference, Author
- Carlos Plummer, Filmmaker, Sound Designer/Mixer- Writer/Director, Plummer also ran the Navigating Film School Q&A
- Jackson Perkins and Ashley Kang, Cal Poly Production Assistant Interns
