Winning Films
Thank you to all of the students and adult sponsors for participating in the GEG Chicagoland Student Film Festival! This film competition is a chance for K-12 students get empowered and flex their creative muscles. The goals of the fest are: Building student voice, Creating authentic audience, Empowering student agency
2023 - 2024 Winning / Recognized Films
Students were challenged to dream up and create a 2-minute film responding to the following prompt: "TELL YOUR STORY..."
Below are the winning and recognized entries for the 2023 film festival.
Middle School Grand Prize Winner
Best Middle School Connection to the 2023
"What Life is REALLY Like with ADHD"
Filmmakers: Sadie Strausss and Noa Blumberg
Middle School Grand Prize Winner
Best Middle School Connection to the 2023
"School and Swim: A Teens Journey"
Filmmakers: Milena Maksimovich
Future Filmmaker Award
"My Journey"
Filmmaker: Weston Mui
Best Use of Point-of-View Camera Techniques
"Life with OCD"
Filmmaker: Judah Kaplan
Best Use of Stop Motion Animation
"A Watchful Star"
Filmmaker: Katherine Cowperthwaite
High School Grand Prize Winner
Best Cinematography
"Eat, Sleep; Repeat
Filmmaker: Shea Holt
Best "Tell Your Story" Storytelling Award
"A Moment of Serenity"
Filmmaker: Rosemary Bullwinkel
Best Cinematography
"Broken"
Filmmaker: Simon Finke
Best Use of Art and Emotion to Represent the Theme "Tell Your Story"
"Listen Before I Go"
Filmmaker: Makahla Richie
2022 - 2023 Winning Films
Students were challenged to dream up and create a 2-minute film responding to the following prompt: "MY WORLD..."
Below are the winning entries for the 2022 film festival.
Elementary Grand Prize Winner
"Worlds"
Filmmakers: Julien Butchko, Jameson Fumagalli
Middle School Grand Prize Winner
"Boy on Wire"
Filmmakers: Julien Zoppe
High School Grand Prize Winner
"Home"
Filmmakers: Samuel Scoville
Best Personal Connetion to the Theme
"Vasi's Creative World"
Filmmakers: Vasisht Chilakala
Best Documentary
"Eyes on the Storm"
Filmmakers: Yunan Singara Kasi, Jack Leman, Sean Siwicki
Most Artistic
"Art is My World"
Filmmakers: Elle Baker
Most Inspirational
"My World of Sounds"
Filmmakers: Xander Karellas
Most Creative Connection to the Theme
"A Different "Paw"Spective"
Filmmakers: Nolan Mclean
Best Use of Visual Effects
"My Globe, My World"
Filmmakers: Christopher Devor, Yousef Abutaleb, and Connor Curry
Best Use of Animation
"The World We Live In"
Filmmakers: Paulina Gal
Best Storytelling
"Wish"
Filmmakers: Jacinta Diversiev
Best Comedy / Use of Humor
"Basketball"
Filmmakers: Alexander Fako
2021 - 2022 Winning Films
Students were challenged to dream up and create a 2-minute film responding to the following prompt: "IMAGINE"
Below are the winning entries for the 2021 film festival.
Elementary Grand Prize Winner
"My Unicorn World"
Filmmakers: Mihika Agarwal
Middle School Grand Prize Winner
"The Gift"
Filmmakers: Weston Mui
Aidan Kelly
Ella Radojkovic
High School Grand Prize Winner
"Imagine a World Without Covid-19"
Filmmakers: George Bilecki
Ben Detampel
Liam Ryan
Excellence in Storytelling
"The Treasure of Regnum"
Filmmakers: Katrina Marzuki
Melissa Rambissoon
Mia Willis
Ashley Robinson
Best Documentary
"Fourth Rock from the Sun"
Filmmakers: Margo Pagonis
Best Visual Effects
"Paused"
Filmmakers: Christopher Smith
Best Silent Film
"Your Imagination Can Take You Anywhere!"
Filmmakers: Molly Dignan
Payton Benoit
Gina Czochara
Most Imspirational Film
"Picture Yourself"
Filmmakers: Isabella Bernal
Best Sports Film
"Mya's Basketball Journey: Practice Makes Perfect"
Filmmakers: Mya Casler-Torres
Best Art Film
"If It Was You"
Filmmakers: Ezra Frazier
Best Use of Stop Motion
"A.L.I.E.N."
Filmmakers: Julien Butchko
Jameson Fumagalli
2019 - 2020 Winning Films
Students were challenged to dream up and create a 2-minute film responding to the following prompt: "Come Together!"
Below are the winning entries for the 2020 film festival.
MOST ARTISTIC
"Saving Art"
Filmmakers: Maggie McBrayer
Churchhill Elementary School
MOST INSPIRATIONAL
"Coming Together for Cancer"
Filmmakers: Sarah Condroski, Talah Goldfarb
Northwood Junior High School
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
"Come Together - Friendsgiving"
Filmmakers: Luke Mayer, Riley Barnacle, Mitchell Barnacle
Lemont High School
BEST CONNECTION
"Our Home Away from Home"
Filmmakers: Sadie Chodash, Jordyn Golding, Alex Karel
Caruso Middle School
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GRAND PRIZE
"The Sandwich"
Filmmakers: Isabella Oggenfuss, Gabrielle Smith
Graham Elementary School
MIDDLE SCHOOL GRAND PRIZE
"Flames of Notre Dame: Come Together"
Filmmakers: Ananya Swaminathan, Atif Mohamed, Laurie Sterzinger, Emily Schalk
Hill Middle School
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
EXCELLENT IN FILM MAKING
"Group 1"
Filmmakers: Weston Mui, Shayna Youkhana, AJ Haley, Kaya Luczkiewicz, Brady Soss
Countryside, North Barrington and Hannah Martin Elementary Schools
2019 - 2020 Other Featured Films
FILM MAKING ON A PHONE
"Change the Holiday"
Filmmakers: Ariana Rendon
2018 - 2019 Winning Films
Students were challenged to dream up and create a 2-minute film responding to the following prompt: "Make a Change!"
Below are the winning entries for 2019 film festival.
POWERFUL STORYTELLING PRIZE
"The Stomp Down"
Filmmakers: Riah Trevino, Jeremy Davis, Lupe Soto
Oswego High School
ACTIVATING GLOBAL CHANGE PRIZE
"Our World"
Filmmakers: Connor Kozlik, Ariel Schultz, Charitha Jyoti
Hill Middle School
ELEMENTARY GRAND PRIZE
"Stop Animal Abuse"
Filmmakers: Rebecca Gilbert, Carly Novack, Isabelle Mckee
Roosevelt Elementary School
MIDDLE SCHOOL GRAND PRIZE
"Helping the Homeless"
Filmmakers: Simone Criz, Sabrina Sale, Izzy Siegel
Caruso Middle School
2017-2018 Winning Films
Students were challenged to dream up and create a 3-minute film responding to the following prompt: "In Another's Shoes"
Below are the winning entries for 2018 film festival.
BEST BIOGRAPHY FILM
"Life in My Shoes"
Filmmaker: Mitch Metivier
Normal Community High School
BEST CONNECTION TO THEME
"Envy"
Filmmakers: Anthony Wang, Grace Lee, Heewon Ahn and Minjun Choi
KIS (Korea International School)
A DAY IN THE LIFE
"In Sarah's Shoes"
Filmmaker: Jake Weinstein and Giancarlo Guccione
GEMS World Academy- Chicago
MOST INSPIRATIONAL
"In Another's Skates"
Filmmakers: Samantha Smith and Shayna Goldberg
Caruso Middle School
BEST EARLY ELEMENTARY GRAND PRIZE
"A Day in Pete's Shoes"
Filmmakers: Weston Mui, Payton Kozlowski, Seneca Mohr and Kiran Patel
North Barrington Elementary School
LATE ELEMENTARY GRAND PRIZE
"A Toast To Friendship"
Filmmakers: Josie Kim, Angelina Sylvestri and William Wegner
Lincoln Elementary
MIDDLE SCHOOL GRAND PRIZE
"One Friend"
Filmmakers: Ilana Epshetsky, Leo Furr, Payton Gavaldon, Will Hale and Zavier Ramirez
Augustus H. Burley School
HIGH SCHOOL GRAND PRIZE
"Fifteen"
Filmmakers: Riah Trevino, Charlote Conkrite, Victoria Trevino, Lupe Soto, Julia Andersen, Londen Batts and Audrey Mikelson
Oswego High School
2016 - 2017 Winning Films
Students were challenged to dream up and create a 3-minute film responding to the following question: What’s Your Superpower? Tell us how you can change the world for the better.
Below are the winning entries for 2017 prompt.
MIDDLE SCHOOL GRAND PRIZE
"The Adventures of Eco-Dude"
Filmmakers: Thomas C., Hector B., Dipesh L., & Olaf C., Grade 8
Algonquin Middle School
HIGH SCHOOL GRAND PRIZE
"The Apple Tree: A Short Film"
Filmmakers: Zach G., Charlie R., Jackson B., & Natalie B., Grade 12
Homestead High School
BEST ADVICE
"Just Say Hi"
Filmmaker: John F., Grade 7
Caruso Middle School
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
"The Power of Filmmaking"
Filmmaker: Alex L, Grade 8
STEM Magnet Academy
MOST INSPIRATIONAL
"BeYOUtiful"
Filmmakers: Ava S. and Bella L., Grade 8
Caruso Middle School
Visit this site in the Fall of 2022 for information on the 2022 - 2023 GEG Film Festival!
Questions? Email gegfilmfest@gmail.com.