California Student Short Film Series FINE CUT Announces Top Emerging Finalists and Entertainment Industry Judges For New Season Premiering Sept. 24 on PBS SoCal Plus
Press Contact
Chelsea Grosbeck
cgrosbeck@pbssocal.org
747.201.5202
For downloadable artwork, please visit pbssocal.org/pressroom
Select programming will also be available to stream on PBS.org and the free PBS App. Members of PBS SoCal get extended access through PBS Passport.
Los Angeles, Calif. – Aug. 27, 2025 – PBS SoCal, Southern California’s flagship PBS organization, announced today the 33 student film finalists for the 26th season of the FINE CUT Festival of Films, a showcase of short films from California student filmmakers presented through a series of broadcast episodes. This year drew a record-breaking 430 films submissions from students representing more than 53 schools across the state. Over $45,000 in prizes will be awarded to the winners selected by a panel of nine esteemed industry judges. The program is made possible by a generous grant provided by the Bridges-Larson Foundation. This year’s series of six one-hour episodes will broadcast starting on Weds., Sept. 24 at 10 p.m. on PBS SoCal Plus with many FINE CUT films available for streaming at pbssocal.org/finecut and on the free PBS app.
Panel of Judges. Finalists and winners in each category were determined by an industry panel of nine esteemed individuals that included (in alphabetical order) two-time Los Angeles Emmy® award-winning Director Mary Lou Belli (“Elsbeth,” NCIS New Orleans,” “Monk”), Director of Photography Doug Emmett (“Sorry To Bother You,” “The Edge of Seventeen,” “Presumed Innocent”), Producers/Founders of Three Frame Media Jaye and Adam Fenderson (PBS’s “The Class,” “First Generation,” “Unlikely”), Writer/Director/Producer Liz W. Garcia (“Space Cadet,” “The Lifeguard,” “Cold Case”), Story Artist/Writer/Actor Michael Herrera (“Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical,” “Zootopia+”, “Encanto”), Starz Vice President Program Acquisitions & Co-Productions Michele Sanchez Arteaga (“This Changes Everything,” “Stranger Fruit,” “What Haunts Us”), Writer/Producer Eileen Shim (“The Acolyte,” “House of the Dragon,” “Light as a Feather”) and Writer/Director Echo Wu (“Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld,” “The Wishgranter”).
Awards Event. Winners in each of the three categories Documentary, Animation and Narrative along with the recipient of the prestigious Jack Larson Southern California Student Filmmaker Award, will be recognized at a public awards ceremony on Tues., Sept. 16 at the Eagle Theatre at Vidiots. The event, held for finalists and participating regional film schools will feature screenings of each winning film and clips of each of those nominated. For the third consecutive year, the event will be co-hosted by Variety Television Executive Editor Michael Schneider and his Variety colleague Senior Entertainment Writer Angelique Jackson.
Prizes. This year’s four winners will be recognized with prize packages valued to be worth over $45,000 with filmmaking resources such as rental equipment, animation software, design tools and more. Leading this year’s prize packages, each winner will receive a $2,500 savings deposit from First Entertainment Credit Union. Keslow Camera, will provide one winner with $10,000 in rental credit for a camera package. Geronimo Creek will provide a combined $10,000 in rental credits for grip and electric equipment, including access to a production vehicle along with expert guidance on logistics and studio lighting. Entertainment Partners will award three licenses for Movie Magic Budgeting 10 and Movie Magic Scheduling 6, together valued at nearly $3,000. TV Paint will provide a license for its Animation 12 Professional Edition, a premier 2D animation software package valued at $1,800.
Mentoring Workshop. Students across California will be invited to FINE CUT’s Annual Mentoring Workshop on Sat., Sept. 27 at Radford Studio Center. This interactive workshop features roundtable discussions with seasoned producers, directors, writers and animators. Students will have the chance to select from one of three mentoring tracks to customize their workshop experience. Mentors for the Directing/Cinematography track include Director Tessa Blake, Director Marcus Stokes and Cinematographer Felipe Vara De Rey. Mentors for the Writing/Producing track include writer/EP/ showrunner Vera Santamaria, writer/director Drew Hancock and showrunner/EP Dailyn Rodriguez. Mentors for the Animation track include Character Designer Elsa Chang, Art Director Miguel Gonzalez and Manager, Artist Management at Warner Bros. Animation & Cartoon Network Studios Jessie Juwono. For the final list of industry mentors attending and to apply by the deadline of Fri., Sept 5, visit pbssocal.org/finecut for more details.
This Year’s Submissions. Final films selected include themes focusing on isolation, culture and determination. 61% of the finalist’s films were female directors with 76% having at least one female producer and 6% of directors were transgender/non-binary. 74% of the finalist’s films had a lead character or main subject from an underrepresented racial/ethnic group and 67% of the directors were from an underrepresented racial/ethnic group.
The 2025 FINE CUT finalists are listed below and episodes will air as follows
(*schedule subject to change):
“Divine Play”- Wed., Sept. 24
A snail recounts lost love in USC short “Lovebugs.” Inspired by her grandmother's tradition, a lonely woman throws a party in “The Feast of Magical Small Things” from LMU. A culinary big bang erupts in CalArts animation “Soup!” After her brother's disappearance, a woman is transported to a magical land in “NOD” from Biola, followed by CalArts animated shorts “LAKAY” and “Lucky Penny.”
Filmmakers: “Lovebugs” – directed by Teddy Alvarez-Nissen – USC / “The Feast of Magical Small Things” – directed by Sarah Frasco, Marissa Chabria – LMU / “Soup!” – directed by Ava Azarmi – CalArts / “NOD” – directed by Tristan Baumgardner – Biola / “LAKAY” – directed by Amarise Zhané DeFranco – CalArts / “Lucky Penny” – directed by Jaimi Qiu – CalArts
“Heritage” - Wed., Oct. 1
Individuals share their experience with colorism in documentary “Stay Out of the Sun” from Chapman. A Chinese American teen struggles to fit in with her peers in “Spring” from LMU. Community leaders voice their concerns about gentrification in “Voices of Little Tokyo” from Chapman. Followed by Chapman drama “Farsi with Maman” and animated short “2392 Miles” from California College of the Arts.
Filmmakers: “Stay Out of the Sun” – directed by Zola Franchi, Vivienne Ayres, Nidhi Kumar – Chapman University / “Spring” – directed by Xiaoxi Qin – LMU / “Voices of Little Tokyo” – directed by Nana Nakano – Chapman University / “Farsi with Maman” – directed by Omid Iranikhah – Chapman / “2392 Miles” – directed by Kai Ho – California College of the Arts
“Invisible String”- Wed., Oct. 8
A girl is stranded after a man-made disaster decimates her island home in “Two Breaths” from USC. CSUN short “Invisible Symphony – CicLAvia: Heart of Los Angeles” follows a local non-profit's effort to create car-free days in LA. A child navigates divorce in CalArts’ animated short “Together Apart.” A father connects with his blind, nonverbal son through music in UCLA documentary “Found Frequency.”
Filmmakers: “Two Breaths” – directed by Kateryna Kurganska – USC / “Invisible Symphony - CicLAvia: Heart of Los Angeles” – directed by Briana Walden – CSUN / “Together Apart” – directed by Claire Seckler – CalArts / “Found Frequency” – directed by Jack Hillyer – UCLA
“Adversaries”- Wed., Oct. 15
An estranged mother shows up unexpectedly in drama short “Irma” from Chapman. On his last delivery of the night, a pizza boy must defend himself in “Roman Candle” from Biola. A Muslim US Army chaplain faces a choice between serving his country or his faith in CSUN drama short “Fitna.” Followed by animated shorts “Postmortem” from Art Center, “Escape the Kitchen!” from USC and “Passage” from CSULB.
Filmmakers: “Irma” – directed by Roger Torres – Chapman / “Postmortem” – directed by Shayna Anela Reyes – Art Center / “Fitna” – directed by Musaid Abdullah – CSUN / “Roman Candle” – directed by Michael Banke and Max Horton – Biola / “Escape the Kitchen!” – directed by Isabelle Weiser – USC / “Passage” directed by Lilly Phan – CSULB
“Self Determination”- Wed., Oct. 22
An imminent threat sends two friends on a cross-country mission in “The Mixtape for The End of The World” from Art Center. Brain implant technology promises a perfect life in LMU sci fi thriller “Happy Wife.” A woman navigates the often-misunderstood world of exotic dancing in CSUN documentary “We are Dancers.” Followed by CalArts animated short “Dies Irae” and SDSU documentary “Yeux.”
Filmmakers: “The Mixtape for The End of The World” – directed by Fernanada Neu – Art Center / “Happy Wife” – directed by Grace Stromatt – LMU / “We are Dancers” – directed by Aung Kyaw – CSUN / “Dies Irae” – directed by Victoria Basadre – CalArts / “Yeux” – directed by Jeanne Taylor – San Diego State University
“How I See Myself”- Wed., Oct. 29
A self-conscious boy seeks the help of a famous wrestler in “Pepperoni” from LMU. Two souls make a dance floor connection in CalArts animation “Until Morning.” A receptionist in heaven takes revenge in “The Entrance” from USC. Followed by drama short “Indulge Me” from USC, Chapman documentary “Handwoven” and animations “Feathers and Fur” from Art Center and “Snug” from San José State.
Filmmakers: “Pepperoni” – directed by Jacob Staudenmaier – LMU / “Until Morning” – directed by Niq Ducote – CalArts / “The Entrance” – directed by Xinchi Wang – USC / “Indulge Me” – directed by Clarinda Louise Blais – USC / “Handwoven” directed by Dasha Levin, Mason Cazalet, Mihika Das and Matthew Wisdom – Chapman / “Feathers and Fur” directed by Francesca Mariñas – Art Center / “Snug” directed by Damian Orpustan – San José State University
This festival is a tribute to FINE CUT founder, Jack Larson. In the late 1990s, the actor, librettist, screenwriter and producer had the idea of creating a student film series that would provide talented students with the much-needed opportunity to have their short films selected for television broadcast. Larson understood how difficult it was for young filmmakers to get broad exposure for their work because, typically, student work is only seen at special screenings and film festivals. Larson thought that public television was an excellent platform for providing critical visibility to emerging filmmakers. PBS SoCal shares Larson’s enthusiasm for showcasing local student filmmaking and 26 years later, FINE CUT continues to be a flagship program for Southern California’s flagship PBS organization.
For more information, follow us on social at @pbssocal
Funding for Fine Cut is generously provided by The Bridges/Larson Foundation.
About PBS SoCal
PBS SoCal uses the power of public media for good, strengthening the civic fabric of Southern California and providing our community with an essential connection to a wider world. As a local, donor/member-supported non-profit organization, PBS SoCal is available to stream on the PBS app and the PBS Kids App and reaches nearly 19M viewers across 7 Broadcast channels — including 2 primary channels, PBS SoCal and PBS SoCal Plus and 5 digital subchannels. Select programming is also available on PBS SoCal’s YouTube channel. With a commitment to make content available anytime and anywhere for free, PBS SoCal offers programming that reflects the diversity of Southern California and showcases the full schedule of beloved and trusted PBS content spanning Education, News, Environment and Arts & Culture. PBS SoCal also sparks the sharing of ideas at in-person cultural events and community conversations as well as prepares children for kindergarten and beyond by bringing bilingual, hands-on learning experiences to the community for free.
About First Entertainment Credit Union
Since 1967, First Entertainment Credit Union has served creators in the entertainment industry. Headquartered in Hollywood, Calif., First Entertainment provides banking and financial services through its seven branches in Los Angeles County – including the Warner Bros., Sony, and Paramount studio lot locations – and manages $2 billion in assets with 221 team members. First Entertainment provides financial solutions to nearly 90,000 members through accessible 24/7 digital banking, unique entertainment-industry financial products, services, and ATMs. Visit FirstEnt.org.