• Awards Show

    The Orange County Film Festival recognizes young filmakers for their excellence with a one-night-only award show.

  • Categories

    Filmmakers submit their films to a variety of categories including Short Film, Music Video, PSA, and Commercial. Individuals are also nominated to be honored for excellence in Directing, Producing, Cinematographer and more.

  • A Red Carpet Affair

    Upon arriving at the Orange County Film Festival Awards Show, attendees have an opportunity to socialize and network with a community of filmmakers on the red carpet.

  • Watch the Films

    Past OCFF winners and nominees are available to watch in our Viewing Room.

  • Dodgeball

    Another in a long line of impressive commercials from Capistrano Valley.

  • Alumni

    By creating a partnership with FilmEd Academy of the Arts, CAE has continued to collaborate on projects with alumni all over the country. Past OCFF nominees have landed jobs at NBC/Universal, CBS, BBC, Anonymous Content, The Sparkhouse, the Antfarm, and the list goes on.

  • Fundraising

    The OCFF needs your help to keep the magic alive. There are may ways to get involved. Click here to see our fundraising packet.

  • Home comes when we least expect it.

    A music video by filmmaker Brian Hart that took home awards for best Music Video, Graphics and Editing at OCFF 2013

  • Uh-Oh

    Re-watch the award winning short film from producer Jacqueline Donahue and Filmaker of the Year Nathan Rickard.

Founded in 2003, The Orange County Film Festival is designed to showcase the work of up and coming filmmakers throughout Orange County.

With over 700 people in attendance annually, OCFF has become a widely anticipated event in Southern California that has received recognition nationwide. CAE continues to support and sponsor this glamorous one night only experience that has brought students, families, and the community together to celebrate artistic excellence in filmmaking.

2022 Nominees

  • Broadcast
  • Commercial
  • Independent
  • Music Video
  • PSA
  • Short Film
  • Show Open
  • Spot Feature
  • Actor
  • Anchor
  • Cinematography
  • Director
  • Editing - Documentary
  • Editing - Narrative
  • Founders Award
  • Graphics
  • Producer
  • Production Design
  • Score
  • Sound Design
  • Story - Documentary
  • Story - Narrative

Past Winners

  • Actor
    2021 | Requiem
    Nick Felix
    Irvine
    2020 | Hold On
    Falit Bakshi
    El Dorado
    2019 | Hothead
    Amrut Ayyala
    University
    2018 | Inside of Hope
    Alex Lee
    Yorba Linda
    2017 | As The Days Go By
    Saba Saghafi
    Northwood
    2016 | Butterfield Road
    Alex Wakely
    Canyon
    2015 | Below the Surface
    Joelle Kurzeja
    2014 | City Limits
    Bee Hudgins
    2013 | Uh-Oh
    Nathan Rickard
    Northwood
    2012 | I Carry Your Heart
    Naoime Kahnukayev
    University
    2011 | Jalopy
    Nick Birren
    2011 | Love Vigilantes
    Landon Jones
  • Anchor
    2021 | George on the Street
    Lucas Morgan
    Capistrano Valley
    2020 | Mustang Mix
    Julia Massey & Elyse Bell
    Yorba Linda
    2019 | NTV Life
    Danielle Smith
    Northwood
    2018 | Mustang Mix
    Alex Lee & Nick Murrell
    Yorba Linda
    2017 | iTV
    Ryan Lee & Peyton Schabilion
    Irvine
    2016 | Univision
    Austin Barber
    University
    2015 | Northwood Television
    Karen Yang
    Northwood
    2014 | Warrior TV
    Dan Lesser
    Woodbridge
    2013 | Hawk Talk
    Kristi Claes, Brian Dunn
    El Dorado
    2012 | Hawk Talk
    Katie Bell, Kyle Thornton
    El Dorado
    2011 | Capo.360
    Constantina Konugres
    Capistrano Valley
    2010 | Univision
    Michael Mittelman
    University
  • Cinematography
    2021 | end
    Jake Sanjongco
    Woodbridge
    2020 | Nanmen
    Peter Pan, Stephanie Tang
    Portola
    2019 | Faded Red
    Owen Solomon
    Capistrano Valley
    2018 | Bedhead
    Andy Martinez, Omeed Farsoni, Nicholas Franklyn
    Yorba Linda/Northwood
    2017 | Rough Waters
    Claire Imler, Troy Charbonnet
    Woodbridge/Northwood
    2016 | Summer Camp
    Calum Down-Jones, Aaron Bonnema
    El Toro
    2015 | Below the Surface
    Neema Sadeghi
    University
    2014 | City Limits
    Neema Sadeghi & Ryan Johnston
    University/Canyon
    2013 | Uh-Oh
    Joshua Nathan
    Northwood
    2012 | Forced Entry
    Joshua Nathan
    Northwood
    2011 | Sunny Side Up
    Mattan Cohen
    Northwood
    2010 | Big Brother
    Mattan Cohen
    Northwood
  • Director
    2021 | Requiem
    Samuel Lynch
    Irvine
    2020 | Hold On
    Aydan Reeve
    El Dorado
    2019 | Hothead
    Chris Lohmeyer
    University
    2018 | Endless Night
    Abigail Reese
    Canyon
    2017 | Uknighted
    Jessica Stossel
    Beckman
    2016 | Revolving
    Aaron Bonnema
    El Toro
    2015 | Below the Surface
    Neema Sadeghi & Rona Ahdout
    Director
    2014 | À Mon Pére
    Anita Foroughi
    Canyon
    2013 | Uh-Oh
    Nathan Rickard
    Northwood
    2012 | Lucy
    Libby Blood
    El Dorado
    2011 | The Thief and the Liar
    Kevin Clark
    Capistrano Valley
    2010 | Two Weeks
    Brian Tran
    University
  • Editing - Documentary
    2015 | Brad Valentine: Composer
    Dan Lesser
    Woodbridge
    2014 | The Fear of the Unknown
    Angel Ruiz
    El Dorado
    2013 | Rolling In
    Anita Foroughi
    Canyon
  • Editing - Narrative
    2021 | Requiem
    Aryan Sureen & Julian Smith
    Irvine
    2020 | Release
    Andrew Harker
    Woodbridge
    2019 | Hothead
    Vasiliy Bondarchuck
    University
    2018 | Where's Martin
    Kyle Reed
    El Dorado
    2017 | Troy Charbonnet
    Anonymous
    Northwood
    2017 | Behind the Closed Door
    Vasiliy Bondarchuk
    University
    2016 | Revolving
    Aaron Bonnema
    El Toro
    2015 | Below the Surface
    Neema Sadeghi
    University
    2014 | There Are No Limits
    Dominic Tierno
    Capistrano Valley
    2013 | Shake It Out
    Brian Hart
    Marina
    2012 | Forced Entry
    Nathan Rickard
    Northwood
    2011 | Dodgeball
    Sam Pepke
    Capistrano Valley
    2010 | Love Vigilantes
    Libby Blood
    El Dorado
  • Filmmaker of the Year
    2021
    Ryan Robinson
    Canyon
    2020 | iTV
    Zayd Ezzeline
    Irvine
    2019 | University High School
    May-Lynn Le
    2018 | Yorba Linda
    Alex Lee
    Mustang Mix
    2017 | Woodbridge
    Claire Imler
    Warrior TV
    2016 | El Toro
    Aaron Bonnema
    The Bull's Eye
    2015 | University High School
    Neema Sadeghi
    Univision
    2014 | Canyon High School
    Anita Foroughi
    Comanche Insider
    2013 | Northwood High School
    Nathan Rickard
    Northwood Television
    2012 | El Dorado High School
    Libby Blood
    Hawk Talk
    2011 | Northwood High School
    Mattan Cohen
    Northwood Television
    2010 | University High School
    Brian Tran
    Univision
    2009 | iTV
    Joe Sill
    Irvine High School
    2008 | NTV
    Chris Geukens
    Northwood High School
    2007 | Univision
    Christine Shepard
    University High School
    2006 | Woodbridge High School
    Joe Suzuki
    Woodbridge Live
  • Founders Award
    2021 | Kay Pham-Nguyen, Nicholas Pigeon, Natalie Ubert
    What’s Your Name?
    Beckman
    2020 | Rise Above
    Emily Sweet
    El Dorado
    2018 | Abigail Reese, Brandon Wee
    I’m Gonna Kill You
    Canyon
    2017 | Katie Ann O'Keefe
    Finding Me
    El Dorado
    2016 | Joshua Siegel
    The Fear of Disappearing
    Woodbridge
    2015 | Aaron Bonnema
    Our World
    El Toro
    2014 | Virginia Kennedy, Michelle Gilbertson
    Detention Tango
    Yorba Linda
    2013 | Home
    Kevin Munoz
    El Dorado
  • Graphics
    2021 | PNN
    Angela Kim
    Portola
    2020
    Julian DeView
    Edison
    2019 | Faded Red
    Julian DeView
    Edison
    2018 | Warrior TV
    Bianca Gomez
    Woodbridge
    2017
    Diego Sunico
    Capistrano Valley
    2016 | The Bull's Eye
    Robert Gordon
    El Toro
    2015 | The Comanche Insider
    Ennis Machta
    Canyon
    2014 | The Comanche Insider/Relapse
    Ennis Machta & Thomas Foroughi
    Canyon
    2013 | Shake it Out, MHStv
    Mark Estefanos
    Marina
    2012 | We Used to Wait, Capo.360
    Tanner Merrill
    Capistrano Valley
    2011 | Capo.360, Dodgeball
    Tanner Merrill
    Capistrano Valley
    2010 | Fall Sports Promo
    Peter Klemek
    Woodbridge
  • Mentor of the Year
    2020 | Northwood High School
    Steve Sellwood
    NTV
    2019 | Capistrano Valley High School
    Craig Landino
    Capo.360
    2018 | Woodbridge High School
    David Baker
    Warrior TV
    2017 | Yorba Linda High School
    Richard Cadra
    Mustang Mix
    2016 | Edison High School
    Ryan Hayes
    Bolt TV
    2015 | Irvine High School
    Rebeccah Phillips
    ITV
    2013 | El Toro High School
    Janet English
    The Bull's Eye
    2012 | Canyon High School
    Alex Graham
    Comanche Insider
    2011 | Irvine High School
    Peter Abe
    ITV
    2010 | University High School
    Hali Kessler
    Univision
  • Producer
    2021 | Tarof
    Sam Gharavi, Kian Agahi
    University
    2020 | ¿Ya Llegamos?
    Justin Hong
    Northwood
    2019 | A Night at Gatsby’s
    Aneska Smith, Liz Moerman
    Portola
    2018 | Je Suis Humain
    Adam Gorny, Dakoda Smith
    El Dorado
    2017 | Uknighted
    Jackie Lee
    Beckman
    2016 | Summer Camp
    Robert Gordon
    El Toro
    2015 | Pilotage
    Katie Maynard
    Canyon
    2014 | City Limits
    Kevin Munoz & Neema Sadeghi
    El Dorado/University
    2013 | Here's to the Misfits
    Lauren Meyering
    El Toro
    2012 | Lucy
    Libby Blood
    El Dorado
    2011 | Jalopy
    Libby Blood
    El Dorado
    2010 | Love Vigilantes
    Libby Blood, Todd Blood
    El Dorado
  • Production Design
    2021 | Requiem
    Julianna Morelli
    Irvine
    2020 | Eros
    Miranda Wang, Stephanie Tang
    Portola
    2019 | Alpha 9
    Joy Heller
    Capistrano Valley
    2018 | Je Suis Humain
    Maddy Spindler, Jarrett Porter
    El Dorado
    2017 | Uknighted
    Cassidy Johnson
    Beckman
    2016 | Air GuiTRON
    Wyatt Webb, Grayce Lee
    Capistrano Valley
  • Score
    2020 | Set Fight
    Nicholas Mao
    Irvine
    2019 | Faded Red
    Brendon Harb
    Capistrano Valley
    2018 | Bedhead
    David Michael Valdovinos
    Yorba Linda
    2017 | Finding Me
    Brad Valentine
    El Dorado
    2016 | The Truth
    Robert Guzman
    Beckman
    2015 | Below the Surface
    Brad Valentine
    Woodbridge
    2014 | City Limits
    Brad Valentine
    Woodbridge
    2013 | Happily Ever After
    Nadav Hollander, Ben Glasser
    Woodbridge
    2012 | Yours to Keep
    Miranda Kalagian
    Capistrano Valley
    2011 | Sunny Side Up
    Mattan Cohen
    Northwood
  • Sound Design
    2021 | UNO
    Ryan Robinson
    Canyon
    2020 | Release
    Andrew Harker
    Woodbridge
    2019 | Not So Scary Story
    Colette Grob
    Canyon
    2018 | Middleweight
    Jeremy Kemp
    Capistrano Valley
  • Story - Documentary
    2017 | Unconditional Love
    Amy Vandyken
    Irvine
    2016 | Ong
    Ally Nguyen
    University
    2013 | The Unspoken
    Kristen Lindner, Angel Ruiz, Brianna Devons
    El Dorado
    2010 | JJ Live
    Jackie Moser, Paige Shores
    University
  • Story - Narrative
    2021 | Tarof
    Sam Gharavi, Kian Agahi
    University
    2020 | Hold On
    Aydan Reeve, Natalie Henderson
    El Dorado
    2019 | The Admission Decision
    Ansley Stotelmyre
    Capistrano Valley
    2018 | Inside of Hope
    Alex Lee
    2017 | As the Days Go By
    Omeed Farsoni
    Northwood
    2016 | The Fear of Disappearing
    Joshua Siegel
    El Modena
    2015 | Emma-Rose
    Sydney Nathan
    Northwood
    2014 | The Puppeteer
    Sammi Rocco
    Edison
    2012 | Here's to the Misfits
    Lauren Meyering, Jaime Jackson
    El Toro
    2012 | I Carry Your Heart
    Jacqueline Donahue
    University
    2011 | Jalopy
    Libby Blood, Nick Birren
    El Dorado
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