Williston Film Festival

15th Annual Williston Film Festival

Williston is proud to announce our 15th annual high school student Film Festival will be screened in the Williston Theater on Friday, May 3rd, 2024 at 7pm! We can’t wait to see your student films. Please visit our NEW Film Freeway festival page for this year’s updated-and-improved submission process: https://filmfreeway.com/WillistonFilmFestival

For any student who wishes to submit a film and cannot use Film Freeway, please email us at filmfestival@williston.com and we will send you alternative submission instructions. Questions and other festival-related communications are also welcome at this email address. As always, there are zero fees to submit films, and the festival is free to attend and open to the public.


The annual Williston Northampton School Film Festival showcases the work of student filmmakers from Williston and high schools across New England. If you’re film-school-bound, you’ll find classes that deliver a solid foundation of film technique and history—and supportive environment so you can try out your ideas and run with what works.


  • Williston Film Festival 14 Winners (2023)

    Best Picture: Prayer of the Birds, Yevgeniya Regent, Milton Academy

    Best Editing: Bloodshed, Luke Witkowski, Milton Academy

    Best Screenplay: The Glass Box, Williston Northampton Film Making 2 Class

    Best Documentary: Love Cuts, Jhonni Dixon, Sacred Heart Greenwich

    Most Creative: In Order to Create Chaos, Lila Caruso, Sacred Heart Greenwich

    Best Music Video: I Want It That Way, Luke Richardson, Williston Northampton

    Best PSA: Recharge, Amy Walsh, Sacred Heart Greenwich

    Best Cinematography: In the Shadows, Spencer Parish, Avon Old Farms

    Best Williston Film: Library, Ronan McGurn, Williston Northampton

  • Williston Film Festival 13 Winners & Film Links (2022)

    Thanks to all who participated!

    Watch all the Williston Film Festival 13 winners in this Youtube playlist.

    Here are the winners of the 2022 Williston Film Festival:

    Best Picture
    Bento love
    Elisa Taylor Sacred heart
    Watch

    Best Documentary
    Talking Murals
    Joshua Alatriste
    Frank Sinatra School of the Arts
    Watch

    Best PSA
    Algorithm
    Jhonni Dixon and Advika Dushyanth
    Sacred Heart
    Watch

    Best Cinematography
    First National
    Nevin Conroy, Luke Richardson, Ronan Robinson
    Williston Northampton
    Watch

    Best Screenplay
    The Deep End
    Luke Richardson
    Williston Northampton
    Watch

    Best Editing
    Carter Cleary
    BBall (WNS vs. WMA)
    Williston Northampton
    Watch

    Most Creative
    Les Dangers des Commerages
    Zoe Jane McClelland
    PVPA
    Watch

    Best Williston Film
    The Missing Egg
    Owen Fu
    Watch

    Audience Choice
    Walter Solzak
    Williston Northampton

  • Past Film Festival Winners

    Williston Film Festival 13 Winners (2022)

    Thanks to all who participated! Here are the winners of the 2022 Williston Film Festival:

    Best Picture
    Bento love
    Elisa Taylor Sacred heart
    Watch

    Best Documentary
    Talking Murals
    Joshua Alatriste
    Frank Sinatra School of the Arts
    Watch

    Best PSA
    Algorithm
    Jhonni Dixon and Advika Dushyanth
    Sacred Heart
    Watch

    Best Cinematography
    First National
    Nevin Conroy, Luke Richardson, Ronan Robinson
    Williston Northampton
    Watch

    Best Screenplay
    The Deep End
    Luke Richardson
    Williston Northampton
    Watch

    Best Editing
    Carter Cleary
    BBall (WNS vs. WMA)
    Williston Northampton
    Watch

    Most Creative
    Les Dangers des Commerages
    Zoe Jane McClelland
    PVPA
    Watch

    Best Williston Film
    The Missing Egg
    Owen Fu
    Watch

    Audience Choice
    Walter Solzak
    Williston Northampton

    Williston Film Festival 12 Winners (2019)

    • Best Picture: Figment – Isabella Stewart – Sacred Heart
    • Best Editing: Unfortunate Tale of a School Girl – Brian Bowman /Madison Hackett – Milton Academy
    • Best Screenplay: Just Relax – Lorraine Rinaldi/ Roxanne Kassapidis – Scared Heart
    • Best Documentary: The Gatekeeper – Daniella Tocco – Sacred Heart
    • Most Creative: Special Day – Elisa Taylor – Sacred Heart
    • Best Music Video: Snowman – Kira Bixby – Williston Northampton
    • Best PSA: Deadzone – Sophia Georgas – Sacred Heart
    • Best Cinematography: Yo-Yo – Scarlett Wang – Miss Hall’s
    • Best Williston Film: Coffin – Kira Bixby – Williston Northampton
    • Audience Choice: Isolation – Minh Le – Williston Northampton

    Williston Film Festival 11 Winners (2018)

    • Best Picture: For Sale, DJ Charles, Concord Academy
    • Best Editing: Quinn Meyerson and Hank Parker, Concord Academy
    • Best Screenplay: Bullet, Kira Bixby, Williston Northampton
    • Best Documentary: How Are the Boys Going to Learn Algebra? Erin Hanlon,Governor’s Academy
    • Most Creative: Gone, Xin Wang, Miss Hall’s School
    • Best Music Video: Jared, Mason Chiuli, Northampton High School
    • Best PSA: Mental Health, Minh Le, Williston Northampton
    • Best Cinematography: Catalyst, Charlie Tilney-Volk, Suffield Academy
    • Best Williston Film: Bullet, Kira Bixby

    Williston Film Festival 10 Award Winners (2017)

    • Thirty Films made the final selection for screening from nearly sixty entries. Award winners were selected by judges Alex Hacker ( Olive Productions), Bob Savage (Henchman Productions), and Jared Skolnick (Skolnick Films)
    • Best Picture-Letting Beatrice Go, Elle Rinaldi, Choate
    • Best Documentary-Lucien Avery: Vermont Blacksmith, Matthew Dailey Randy Putvain Jacob Edgerly, Isaiah Gaskell; Green Mountain Technology and Career Center
    • Best Screenplay- Foundations, Owen King Williston Northampton
    • Best Williston Film- Suitcase, Sitai Chen
    • Best Cinematography- Silent Suicide, Isaiah Gaskell Green Mountain Technology and Career Center
    • Best PSA- Save the Reefs, Christina DeConcini Sacred Heart
    • Best Music Video- Wildcard, Sophia Georgas, Sacred Heart
    • Most Creative- Lexi Paulin, Easthampton High School
    • Best Editing- Abstraction, Conor Greene, George Lou, & Joey Leung Milton Academy

    2016 WINNERS

    • Best Motion Picture: Flick, Brianna Zuniga, Walnut Hill School
    • Best Editing: Half Full, Trailer Luke Pinkham, Northampton High School
    • Best Screenplay: Frankpa, Georgina Cahill, Sacred Heart Greenwich
    • Best Documentary: Chasing Sharks, Jessie Swindel, Governor’s Academy
    • Most Creative: Reach for Me (Thisbedottie), Lexi Paulin , Easthampton High School
    • Best Music Video: Lucy Singleton Northampton High School
    • Best PSA: Sexual Assault PSA, Jada Goodrich, Williston Northampton School
    • Best Cinematography: Sketch, Carter Kratkiewicz, Concord Academy
    • Best Williston Film: Toxic, Verdi Degby, Williston Northampton School

    2015 WINNERS

    • Best Motion Picture: “The Frog Whisperer,” Will Harrington, Concord Academy
    • Best Editing: “De Dans en Dehors,” Jacob Bridgman, Northampton High School
    • Best Screenplay: “Bad Habits,” Karen Morey, Walnut Hill School
    • Best Cinematography: “Rembihnutur,” Mikaela Dillon, Walnut Hill School
    • Best Animated Feature: “War is Hell,” Forrester Menson, Northampton High School
    • Best Documentary: “Couture for a Cause,” Helen Luo, Dana Hall School
    • Best Music Video: “Emitime,” Oliver Holblitzelle, Vermont Academy
    • Best PSA: “Bike Helmet Safety,” Risa Tapanes, Williston Northampton
    • Most Creative: “Experimental,” Jen Carellas, Williston Northampton
    • Best Williston Film: “Ford Hall Syfu-r,”John Kay, Williston Northampton

    2014 WINNERS

    • Best Picture: Jackpot, by Jordan Tse, The Hotchkiss School
    • Best Documentary: A to B, The Art of Parkour, by Ben Glass, Concord Academy
    • Best Screenplay: The Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Had To Do, by Oliver Demers / Ben Sarat, Williston Northampton
    • Best Editing: Oreos, by Alex Kozikowski, Williston Northampton
    • Best Cinematography: The Dancer, by William Huang, Williston Northampton
    • Best Animation: Snow White, by Mia Abel, Walnut Hill Best
    • Music Video: Music Video, by Mariya Kurguzkina, Walnut Hill
    • Best PSA: Smoking Gun, by Dylan Kenseth, Williston Northampton
    • Most Creative: Apple, by Queenie Zhang, Walnut Hill
    • Honorable Mention: The Leaf Sweeper, by Tom Greto, PVPA

    2013 WINNERS

    • Best Motion Picture: Kaleidoscope, Vivian Xiao, The Hotchkiss School
    • Best Documentary: Indomitable, Brian Ryu, The Hotchkiss School
    • Best Music Video: Tempus, Charles Frank, Williston Northampton
    • Best Animation: Laundry Rider, Tom Greto, PVPA
    • Best Screenplay: The Guilt, Jilly Lim, Williston Northampton Best
    • Cinematography: The Factory, Harry C.Manning Weston High School
    • Best Editing: Dynamic, Anthony Leung, Williston Northampton
    • Honorable Mention: Larry & Rick, Tom Greto, PVPA

    2012 WINNERS

    • Best Film: Breezeless, Charles Frank, The Williston Northampton School
    • Most Creative: Elise’s Dream, Nicholas Motyka, West Springfield High School
    • Best Documentary: The Harry Potter Phenomenon, Eva Araya, The Hotchkiss School
    • Best Editing: Dreamer, Daisuke Hosokawa, The Governor’s Academy
    • Best Screenplay: A Zombie Romance, Brian Ryu, The Hotchkiss School
    • Best Special Effects: Special Effects: The Movie, Cade Zawacki, The Williston Northampton School
    • Best Cinematography: Mark Spaulding, Alex Kozikowski, The Williston Northampton School

    2011 WINNERS

    • Best Picture: Elevate, Charles Frank, The Williston Northampton School
    • Best Documentary: JP Artist Profile, Tucker MacDonald, Pomfret School
    • Best Animated: Film What Happened to the KO Hyphen?, Justin Bram, Kingswood Oxford School
    • Honorable Mention: Alone, Lauren Grainger and Dylan Zamacona, Hotchkiss Academy
    • Best Cinematography: Walking, John Rawlins, Pingree School
    • Best Screenplay: Anstoss, Jack Benham, Lewis Xie, Will Rhodes, Stefan Guenther, Berkshire School
    • Best Editing: The Morning Beat, Jameson Everett, Suffield Academy
    • Most Creative: Earliest Memory, Alex Hacker, The Williston Northampton School

    2010 WINNERS

    • Honorable Mention: Audition, Alex Hacker, The Williston Northampton School
    • Most Creative: Oriental Woman, Jihyo Kim , The Walnut Hill School
    • Best Special Effects: Childhood, Catherine Fraser, The Walnut Hill School
    • Best Editing: Sucker Serve, Ben Smith, Alexandra Thornton, Stephen Langer, Dillon O’Connor, Chester Houwink, The Hotchkiss School
    • Best Screenplay: Dark Green, Izzy Kornblatt, The Loomis Chaffee School
    • Best Cinematography: TAG, Zachary Charren -Diehl, Charles Frank, The Williston Northampton School
    • Best Animated Film: Sketchbook, Soo Hyo Kim, The Walnut Hill School
    • Best Documentary: Overload of Manure, Chester Houwink, The Hotchkiss School
    • Best Picture: Tightrope, Yoshi Makishima, Milton Academy

    2009 WINNERS

    • Honorable Mention: Dead Enough, Izzy Kornblatt, The Williston Northampton School
    • Best Picture: Democracy Outside the Voting Booth, Ricki Reisner, Carla Frankenbach, The Hotchkiss School
    • Best Edited: The Snow Ball, Harvey Burrell, Tripp Clemens, Concord Academy
    • Best PSA: Use It Wisely, Jordan Strafer, The Williston Northampton School
    • Most Creative: The Warning, Kyle Zesiger, The Williston Northampton School

    2008 WINNERS

    • Honorable Mention: Stickers, Lizzy Steiner, Berkshire School
    • Most Creative: Hallway Racing, Theo Pravitz-Rosen, Zak Kennedy, Ally Kellogg, Jeff Powers, & Angus Fisher, Northampton High School
    • Best Edited: Made In Peril, Rafael Cortina, The Williston Northampton School
    • Best Film: Lamb to Slaughter, Harvey Burell, Concord Academy

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