PUC Film Students Shine at Sonscreen

From April 9-12, students from the visual arts department at Pacific Union College attended the annual Sonscreen Film Festival in Loma Linda, CA, to celebrate their work with their department and other fellow filmmakers from Adventist colleges and universities throughout the country. This year, nine films by PUC students were showcased, with one student winning their category and another receiving film funding again.

Senior Kateryna Popravkina featured her film Albedo in the dramatic short category, which received financial support at last year’s Sonscreen through a pitch competition. As the North American Division hosts the festival, they have committed to funding Popravkina again for her film festival run. PUC visual arts alumnus Josue Hilario served as cinematographer on Albedo and had a great experience collaborating with Popravkina. “It was a project that pushed her in many different ways, and it took a lot of time and effort to get it ready for Sonscreen,” shared Hilario. “I'm glad I was able to be a part of this journey with her.”

Double major film and communication sophomore student Jacob Capiña won the Special Jury Award for Musical Storytelling for his short film, Phantom’s Lament, which focused on a lonely ghost who performs a tune haunted by time, until a young woman appears and shares the memory behind the melody. This is the third time that Capiña has been selected for a Jury Award, and he feels incredibly honored. He also had the opportunity to present two of his other films, Dying Garden and A (Not So Great) Christian Film. 

“I’m very grateful that my film resonated with so many people,” said Capiña. “I believe the story is much more important than its success, because if there are people there to be impacted by its message, then I’m happy. I’m so blessed to be able to work with such a talented group of individuals who took this idea and brought it to so many eyes.”

Alongside Hilario, PUC alumni Fabiola Ixcot, Malachi Dyson, and current student Sam Birky showcased their short 16mm black-and-white film, The Owl Man, which they created during their senior year analog film class. “It was such a cool challenge, being used to working with digital cameras, we had to approach lighting and exposure a little differently,” said Hilario. Dyson also presented his films Onyx: A Narrative EP and The Killing Tree, while alum Javad Karimabadi showed his films Father Time and Solomon, which he collaborated on with PUC film student Melaney Klinedinst, who produced Father Time and was the cinematographer on Solomon. PUC student Nils Anderson also had the opportunity to present his film Untitled Visual Poem.

“Watching my students create their films out of thin air over the last year, knowing the dedication and, sometimes, literal blood, sweat, and tears that it took them to bring their films to the big screen, made for a very rewarding experience watching them with the audience at Sonscreen,” expressed PUC Professor of Film Melissa Henry Pratt. “There were moments when the audience audibly gasped, talked back, or was visibly moved, which created a tangible lesson in how powerful a medium like film is and what kind of effect they can have on people as filmmakers and artists. Suffice to say, I was very proud!”

For PUC Film Instructor Nephtali Marin, seeing his students' films shown to a wider audience made him feel like a parent cheering his children at Little League, watching them enjoy what they love. “Award recognition and crowd reaction can be nice and feel rewarding, but we are just so proud of them for being vulnerable enough to share their stories,” he said.

After each student's film was shown, they were given time to speak to audience members to answer any questions. “I was impressed with each one of their composure and maturity as they allowed the audience a view into their process,” said Henry Pratt. “It takes a lot of effort to make a film, and then go share it with strangers, and jump up front to answer questions,” Marin added. “Those are challenging positions to be in, and we couldn’t be more proud of their maturity, vulnerability, humility, and growth as filmmakers and individuals.”

Through PUC’s College Early program for high school students who want to take a college course, PUC Preparatory student Ben Muhic was able to enroll in PUC’s Cinematic Storytelling course. From this, he had the chance to attend Sonscreen and present two of his films, The Phone Call and Herald!, leaving as an awardee of the Special Jury Award for Visual Storytelling for Herald! Sam Birky starred in and edited Herald!, and Capiña was the cinematographer.

A highlight for students during the festival was reuniting with former PUC Visual Arts Department Chair Rajeev Sigamoney, who presented his new film series, Normal. Since moving to the Midwest in 2024, it was great for him and his students to meet again and share their work. Although he is no longer at PUC, he remains in his former students' lives and continues to collaborate with them on projects. Hilario, a former student of Sigamoney, had the privilege of working with his former professor as the post-production colorist for Sigamoney’s series. “He screened the pilot episode that weekend, and hearing him talk about the project with so much transparency and vulnerability during his Q&A was so inspiring to us all,” shared Hilario. The relationship between Sigamoney and his former students is one example of how close-knit and supportive PUC’s visual arts department is, even beyond the walls of Fisher Hall.

While several of these PUC students had attended Sonscreen before, Leilani Aguilar had the chance to experience the event for the first time. A double major in English and education, she was asked to serve as a script supervisor for Popravkina’s film Albedo earlier this school year, and she also took Henry Pratt’s film history course, in which she contributed to the making of a short silent film. From her support and participation, the film department invited her to join them at the festival, which she honorably accepted.

“Sonscreen was filled with everything a creative would hope to see during these times, where it is becoming harder to come across human-made art,” said Aguilar. “I also picked up on an overarching message embedded throughout the film festival: God was the first creator, and we are products of that creative side. We must do our best to nurture the creativity found within us all and find ways to express ourselves without fear. I also picked up on encouragement to spread God’s message of love and hope through films without being too on-the-nose. There are ways to spread Christ-like messages in films without drowning a film with Bible verses and calling to the altar moments.” She continued to share that she enjoyed the film festival and would love to return to be “a witness to the artistic greatness found within our school and other Christian schools.”

After Sonscreen concluded, PUC’s film department stopped in Los Angeles to visit the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures to explore exhibits on film history, including films such as Barbie, Beauty and the Beast, and Jaws.

PUC students had their classmates' support every step of the way– from writing and starring to directing and editing their films. The department's faculty, staff, and students were a constant pillar as they brought their vision from paper to the big screen, applauding their work and creative process and giving these students the credit they so richly deserve. By presenting films and connecting with other student filmmakers, Henry Pratt hopes her students leave Sonscreen feeling rewarded and inspired to continue their craft.