Bump! Crash! Thud! A young man in a wheelchair makes a chaotic backward descent down three flights of stairs — the only option left after a bomb threat shuts down both the elevator and his study date.

“Don’t eat that!” A laughing Peruvian family shouts in protest as grandpa playfully mimes taking a bite of raw meat at his birthday dinner.

“Atholton is like home.” A proud group of students share the story of their successful campaign to be the first four-year class at their beloved academy.

Eerie music plays as a young man runs in fear from the worst villain he can face: himself.

At the 2025 Sonscreen Film Festival, hosted at Loma Linda University Church in April, student filmmakers kept audiences on the edge of their seats, laughing out loud, wiping away tears, and feeling waves of nostalgia during the film block screenings. Behind the laughter, tears, and applause are the tales of young filmmakers such as those featured below who found the courage to share their stories — some on recent events and others about past eras and youthful memories — in a space where every voice is heard.

Spencer Sherwin: A Triumphant Return

Spencer Sherwin, in the film In Case of Fire, kept the audience in suspense, while comedic touches sprinkled throughout had them doubled over in laughter, just as he intended. 

“I have a very specific humor, and it can be off-putting sometimes,” Sherwin said. “But people were wonderfully receptive, and that really touched my heart.” 

On awards night, the jury reinforced the audience’s enthusiasm. “We were blown away by a voice and vision with so much energy and verve, so much excitement,” Ryan Dixon, lead juror and screenwriter, said. “This filmmaker is someone we’re all very excited to see more from.”

After winning both the Audience Choice and Emerging Filmmaker awards, Sherwin said, “I’m excited. I knew I had something with the film, but I didn’t think people would gravitate toward it that much.”

For Sherwin, Sonscreen meant more than potential awards; it was a triumphant return. A 2020 car accident left him paralyzed from the armpits down. Deeply depressed, grappling with the loss of mobility and the death of his close friend and classmate, Andre, he took a hiatus from school and filmmaking.

Three years later, he returned, encouraged by loved ones and inspired by the memory of Andre. When Andre’s cancer spread to his legs, and amputation became a real possibility, he had proposed that they get an accessible apartment together.

“[Andre] would have loved to be in the state I’m in,” Sherwin said. “He was excited to be in a wheelchair.” That perspective helped bring him back to the craft and community he loved. 

Sharing his work at Sonscreen was especially meaningful, fulfilling a dream he’d held since eighth grade, when he learned about the festival while accompanying his brother to college fairs. 

Sherwin plans to submit In Case of Fire to other festivals and begin Little Merman, a tribute to Andre about a punk rocker who becomes paralyzed and loses a bandmate.

“I don’t want to be the wheelchair guy forever,” he noted. “I feel like for the first few films, I gotta write what I know. But I have lots of plans for different projects going forward.”

Even In Case of Fire told a broader story. “Yes, it’s about accessibility,” he said. “But it’s also about anxiety, dating, connection — things people can relate to.”

He added, “I haven’t fully found my voice, but I feel like in this film, I’ve gone toward something that works for my type of storytelling. I really hope this is the first of many.”

Ashelen Rojas: Courage to Tell Stories that Matter

A graduating senior from Southern Adventist University, Ashelen Rojas had attended two prior Sonscreens but had never submitted a film. “It’s nerve-wracking, but I love it because people are gonna see what I do,” she said, planning to walk around the church to calm her nerves.

Moments later, the big screen filled with the rolling hills of her native Peru and an emotional interview with the elderly widower she considers her grandfather. The film’s tender scenes and closing dedication captured the beauty of chosen family: “Papaviejo: you taught us that blood does not matter when there is love.”

For Rojas, making the film was a deeply moving, full-circle moment. It was her first time home after an extended time away as a student and the first time she saw her grandfather cry.

Winning Best Documentary Short and Best in Show affirmed that her voice mattered.

“I’m gonna give this award to my grandpa because he’s always been very influential in my family — I love him so much — also, my family for supporting the entire thing. And my professors for pushing me to that idea,” Rojas said later.

Rojas said Sonscreen also supported her as a Christian filmmaker. “Seeing so many films that are Christocentric and have a message reassures me of my faith, makes me feel a bit more connected to God.” She especially valued being surrounded by classmates “trying to share the gospel in the same way.”

Her passion for storytelling is undeniable. “I want to focus on being a director for documentaries. That’s something I love to do. Hopefully, one day I’ll get there.”

Alec O’Ffill, Moises Velazquez, Junyong Chung: Discovering the Power of Film

Atholton Academy seniors Alec O’Ffill, Moises Velazquez, and Junyong Chung had never made a film. Still, they gamely opted to use film to share their school’s journey and vision of expanding grades 11 and 12, currently offered through Griggs International Academy.  

Their 16-minute documentary, Blueprint for the Future, won Best High School Short for its heartfelt depiction of Atholton’s history and growth through personal sacrifice and unified effort.

“What we were trying to do is inspire the community with lessons about the importance of togetherness, sacrifice, leaving a legacy — shifting focus outside of self to invest in the future, even if that future doesn’t benefit us directly,” said O’Ffill.

Principal Mina Kim, who accompanied them, noted that they had pitched the idea for the film as freshmen, even though the school did not offer a film class, and they would not receive credit. They found their way over the next three years, relying on YouTube tutorials and guidance from filmmaker Mark Comberiate — an Atholton, Southern Adventist University, and Sonscreen alum.

Beyond the technical learning curve was the creative challenge of sorting through archival footage and images, interviews, and b-roll to uncover and shape a compelling story. “It was a journey where we kept on growing and finding new things, adjusting the dream, vision, and goals for the project,” said Velazquez. 

After weeks of little sleep, they submitted their film just after 1 a.m. to meet the deadline, already a victory. Their main goal had been to share their work with a wider Adventist audience before screening it at their May 31 graduation. “It’s too much to take in,” Velazquez said after their win. “Just the icing on the cake!”

None of the trio plans to major in film, but all hope to stay involved in filmmaking. “Filmmaking is a powerful tool. I plan on using those skills throughout my life, whether assisting in productions or telling stories on my own,” said Velazquez.

Jacob Capiña: Joining the Adventist Film Community

For another academy participant, Jacob Capiña, now a Pacific Union College freshman, Sonscreen shaped his trajectory even more directly. He first attended in 2024 as a self-taught senior from Hinsdale Academy.

Though his school lacked a film program, he discovered Sonscreen through film professor Nathan DeWild, whom he met in 2023 at Southern Adventist University’s film camp. Inspired, he threw himself into writing, directing, cinematography, music scoring, and editing.

In 2024, Capiña’s short film, Playplace — which tackled the dangers of mental isolation through color symbolism — earned him the Emerging Voice Award. His 2025 entry, Second Self, a visually striking exploration of identity and inner conflict, earned him the Special Jury Award: Achievement in Mise-En-Scène.

Reflecting on his first Sonscreen experience, Capiña emphasized the value of community. “Coming from a smaller school of around 40 high schoolers, I was one of the few who could do and was interested in video work.”

“I’ve loved being able to talk to people [at Sonscreen] who are more experienced but still within [my] age group and share thoughts and ideas,” he said, adding, “This kind of networking opportunity for people like us in the Adventist world has been impactful.”

At his first Sonscreen, Capiña had not yet chosen a college major and was unsure of his next steps. The affirmation and guidance he received there convinced him to double major in film and multimedia communications.

“Sonscreen really solidified my belief that film is something I can pursue and be successful in,” Capiña said upon returning in 2025.

For young creatives like Sherwin, Rojas, O’Ffill, Velazquez, Chung, and Capiña, Sonscreen is much more than a festival. It is a platform and safe space for sharing their voice.

On opening night, Julio C. Muñoz, Sonscreen executive producer and NAD associate communication director, aptly captured the power of communal storytelling:

“We are all part of one community, but we have different stories. We come from different places. We need to hear those different stories, those different voices. That’s why we’re here. That’s why Sonscreen exists — to create a space for those stories to be shared.”

Click here for more information about the Sonscreen Film Festival.

 Click here for a full recap of the 2025 Sonscreen Film Festival, including award winners.