Film

Three outstanding films created by Viewpoint film students were showcased at the renowned All American High School Film Festival (AAHFF), with one earning a top award for Best Production Design. The event, which took place from October 17-19 in New York City, is recognized as the world’s largest high school film festival. The festival featured a selection of 700+ films out of 2,600 submissions, with only 200 films nominated for various awards. 

Viewpoint’s films selected for screening included:

• Chronicles of Peter and Sean – Samuel Green ’25 (Documentary)
• How It Should Be – Natalie Yerelekian ’25 (Drama)
• The Backseat – Ben Shore ’25 (Drama)

How It Should Be, written and directed by Natalie Yerelekian ’25, won Best Production Design and was selected for the festival’s exclusive “Best of Fest” showcase, a Saturday evening screening reserved for the top films of the event. The film also earned nominations for Best Drama and Female Rising Star, while The Backseat was nominated for Best Sound Design.

“The audience’s reaction was incredible,” said Monica Hoenig, Film Teacher at Viewpoint School. “To see our students’ work shown in front of hundreds of people and feel the laughter, clapping, and cheering was pure joy. We’re so proud of what our filmmakers are creating and how their work continues to stand out among thousands of submissions from around the world.”

Viewpoint has participated in the AAHFF since 2018 and has received awards for the past three years, a testament to the Viewpoint Film Program’s continued excellence in storytelling, technical skill, and collaboration. The festival also offers students the chance to connect with film schools, industry professionals, and peers.

“It was such a powerful experience for the students,” Hoenig said. “Being there together, seeing their work on the big screen, and celebrating their creativity. It’s something I hope even more of our students can experience in the years ahead.” 

Our student filmmakers won two of the top awards at the twelfth annual Calabasas Film Festival (CFF) on Sunday, September 21. The CFF, which ran from September 17-21, showcased major film premieres, documentaries, and four student films from Viewpoint. From more than 100 submissions, our students won:

• Outstanding Achievement for Film: “How It Should Be” by Film IV, Director Natalie Yerelekian’ 25. 
• Outstanding Achievement in Ensemble: “Period” by Film III, Director Daphne Huffman’ 26.

Film Teacher Monica Hoenig was thrilled by the students’ success in the competition and shared her thoughts on the importance of the CFF to her students:

“What makes me most proud is the standout, polished work our students presented at the festival. Their films are imaginative and thoughtful, crafted with a level of skill and artistry that rivals professional work. Year after year, I see how these highly complicated projects help them grow not only as filmmakers but also as confident young people ready to take on the world. Being recognized at the Calabasas Film Festival, an important part of their immediate community, is a true celebration of their artistry, talent, and dedication.”

The Student Films Shown at CFF:

• “How It Should Be” by Film IV, Director Natalie Yerelekian’ 25. “How It Should Be” Crew:

Writer & Director: Natalie Yerelekian

1st Assistant Director: Zooey Jeong

Producers: Zooey Jeong and Nathan Danese

Executive Producer: Monica Hoenig

Director of Photography: Samuel Green

Production Design & Costume: Alexa Jeong

Main Editors: Alexa Jeong and Samuel Green

Editing Assistants: Zooey Jeong, Natalie Yerelekian, Nathan Danese

Lighting and Sound Design: Clayton Collins

Script Supervisors: Nathan Danese & Daphne Huffman

 

• “Period” by Film III Writer and Director Daphne Huffman’ 26. “Period” Crew:

Writer & Director: Daphne Huffman

Director of Photography: Derek Kessler

Producer: Daphne Huffman , Wolfie Bikel 

Assistant Directors: Wolfie Bikel, Noah De Fanti, Max Zou

Editors: Derek Kessler, Mac Ladin, Daphne Huffman

Sound: Mac Ladin, Grant Coelen, Rachel Huang, Prerit Gore

Lighting: Andrew Neville

Key Cast: Riley Brown

 

• “Chronicles of Peter and Sean” Documentary, Director Sam Green’ 25

• “Sticks and Stones” by Film III, Director Noah Defanti.’ 26. Crew:

 

Director: Noah Defanti

Director of Photography: Derek Kessler

Assistant Camera: Charlie Grey

Assistant Director: Wolfie Bikel

Sound and Grip: Rachel Huang

 

Viewpoint School has built a strong relationship with the Calabasas Film Festival since it was established. The festival is a Calabasas City-sponsored event that provides the community an opportunity to connect. We were honored to be asked by founders and co-founders in 2014 to submit student films to the very first Calabasas Film Festival, and we have not missed a year since, proudly representing Viewpoint. Our students look forward to the festival every year as it is the first of their festival circuit that kicks off the school year with a great community-building event.

Viewpoint School’s Carlson Family Theater was buzzing with excitement on Friday, May 30, as the annual Film IV Symposium welcomed a full house of film fans—families, friends, faculty, and staff—for the highly anticipated premieres of How It Should Be and The Backseat. The evening featured red carpet arrivals, enthusiastic applause, and a thought-provoking panel discussion with the student filmmakers, moderated by Film IV teacher Monica Hoenig.

The Film IV Honors class operates as a full-fledged production company, where students collaborate throughout the year to create one original film. With Hoenig serving as executive producer, students take on every aspect of the filmmaking process—from scriptwriting and editing to casting and set design—while working within a $1,500 budget.

“Film IV is a testament to the senior students’ hard work, where they hone not only their technical and creative skills, but also soft skills such as communication and leadership,” said Hoenig. “It is a very important aspect of preparing the students for the real world, no matter what field they end up working in.”

Written and directed by future USC film student Natalie Yerelekian ’25, How It Should Be tells the story of Wendy, a determined 17-year-old who dreams of breaking free from a traditional “American housewife” life imposed by an omnipotent narrator. Set in a sci-fi 1950s world, Wendy challenges both her father and the narrator as she refuses to conform to social expectations—no matter the consequences.

Yerelekian, who began writing the script while applying to film school, shared, “The idea of entering an industry that is so hard for women to break into made me think of all the women in the past who paved the way for us."

Crew:

• Writer & Director: Natalie Yerelekian ’25
• 1st Assistant Director: Zooey Jeong ’25
• Producers: Zooey Jeong ’25 and Nathan Danese ’25
• Executive Producer: Monica Hoenig
• Director of Photography: Samuel Green ’25
• Production Design & Costume: Alexa Jeong ’25
• Main Editors: Alexa Jeong ’25 and Samuel Green ’25
• Editing Assistants: Zooey Jeong ’25, Natalie Yerelekian ’25, Nathan Danese ’25
• Lighting and Sound Design: Clayton Collins ’25
• Script Supervisors: Nathan Danese ’25 & Daphne Huffman ’26

 Watch the trailer for How It Should Be here.

Written and directed by Ben Shore, a future film student at LMU, The Backseat follows Barry, an anxious high school senior who faces a battle for control within his own subconscious. As he grapples with a more confident and assertive alter ego, Barry must confront the tension between who he is and who he wants to be.

“The idea for this film came from my own experiences and memories that I often replay like watching through a TV,” said Shore. “It’s been so exciting to see my vision come to life with the help of my classmates.”

Crew:

• Writer & Director: Ben Shore ’25
• 1st Assistant Director: Jackson Barth ’25
• Producer: Jackson Barth ’25
• Executive Producer: Monica Hoenig
• Director of Photography: Connor Wycoff ’25
• Production Design & Costume: KJ Paschall ’25
• Editor: Noah Fox ’25
• Lighting and Sound Design: Clayton Collins ’25
• Script Supervisors: Noah De Fanti ’26 and Mac Ladin ’26

Watch the trailer for The Backseat here.

Congratulations to the Film IV students for a remarkable evening of storytelling, creativity, and collaboration!

From March 3-7, Viewpoint presented “World Ready Week 2025,” a transformative event fostering personal growth, social awareness, and stronger connections among its Middle and Upper School students. During the Belonging and Community Symposium, renowned director, producer, and storyteller Jon M. Chu led a moderated Q&A with student panelists, and GRAMMY® award-winning audio engineer Derek Ali spoke at a Middle School assembly. 

For the past nine years, Viewpoint School has provided its Middle and Upper School students  the unique opportunity to develop and lead workshops for their peers on topics that matter most to them. A testament to their future-ready skills, more than 150 students led World Ready Week sessions designed to inspire engagement with new ideas and help students build skills in leadership, citizenship, and civil discourse. 

“Nine years ago we started Diversity Leadership Day as an opportunity to focus on the great diversity of our School, Southern California, and our world, and as an opportunity for students and adults to bring special areas of knowledge to the rest of our community,” said Head of School Mark McKee. “Last year, we decided to reimagine it as World Ready Week to further expand its scope and impact.”

With the theme of Optimism * Allyship * Community, students led their peers in conversations about topics they care about, from mental health, foster care, cultural expression, and stereotypes, to conspiracy theories and coding for social change.

Middle School students explored the impact of book bans in an interactive session, while others examined how fashion has shaped culture over the past century. In the Upper School, students led discussions on diverse representation in the media, challenging common stereotypes, and facilitated hands-on activities to support children in the foster care system.  

In addition to attending sessions, all students in Grades 6-12 gathered for World Ready Week assemblies. Just two days after the Academy Awards, Jon M. Chu spoke to more than 700 Viewpoint Middle and Upper School students about “The Road to Belonging” in two consecutive assemblies, an event featured on ABC7 Los Angeles.

For the Upper School assembly, the panel featured Jake Sklar ’25, Luna Kuhn ’26, Natalie Yerelekian ’25, Nathan Danese ’25, Zooey Jeong ’25, and Connor Wycoff ’25. For the Middle School assembly, panelists included Morgan Taylor ’30, Colin Pan ’30, Sophie Kupper ’30, and Will Koonce ’28.

 

Jon M. Chu is a trailblazer in the entertainment industry, known for his directorial work on films like Wicked, Crazy Rich Asians, and In the Heights. With his unique vision and ability to bring diverse stories to life, his groundbreaking work has pushed boundaries and continues to redefine representation in film.  

“What I loved about bringing Wicked to the big screen was that I didn’t have to focus on politics—I could focus on humanity. That, to me, is the key. It’s about the choices we make every day about who we want to be,” shared Chu.

“We were overjoyed to have Jon M. Chu as our keynote speaker. His passion for telling authentic, diverse stories continues to make lasting impacts throughout the world,” shared Patricia Jackson, Chief Belonging and Community Officer. “Our students had the unique opportunity to hear firsthand from him about the importance of staying true to one’s voice, and the role of creative expression in shaping culture.”

On Wednesday, students gathered once again for an inspiring assembly that featured a special preview of Viewpoint: Our Stories. Our Voices. Our Stage (VOSOVOS), offering the community an exciting first look at this year’s highly anticipated production. Voices Now, our Upper School vocal ensemble, closed the session with a lively rendition of “I’ve Got the Music in Me.” 

The Middle School closed out the week with a visit by Grammy-winning music producer Derek Ali, who has worked with artists such as Nipsey Hussle and SZA. Ali reflected on his childhood struggles and how his curiosity ultimately shaped his career. Encouraging students to embrace their own curiosity, he emphasized how a single spark of interest can change the course of their lives.

Through optimism, allyship, and community, World Ready Week empowers students to embrace new perspectives, lead with empathy, and create lasting impact within and beyond Viewpoint.

“I want to thank our Student Diversity Council for lending their voices to this important project, and to the entire Viewpoint community for making this week a success,” added Jackson. “We look forward to building on this momentum and creating an even more impactful experience for next year.”