For Alexa Jeong ’25, storytelling is in her DNA. Inspired from a young age by her exposure to the entertainment industry, she has spent her Upper School years honing her craft as a filmmaker. Now, her latest film, “Crescendo,” is nominated for the California Student Young Filmmaker Award at the Burbank International Film Festival (BIFF), screening tonight at the AMC Burbank 16.

"Watching my dad in movies and TV shows always fascinated me, especially the behind-the-scenes work," Jeong said. "When I was younger, I made little iMovies, and once I realized Viewpoint offered film classes, I couldn’t wait to dive in."

Jeong has been a part of Viewpoint’s Film Program since the start of Upper School. During her Junior year, she had the opportunity to write, direct, produce, and edit her own film in her Film III course—a full-circle moment that brought her journey back to the inspiration behind it all: her father.

“My inspiration for ‘Crescendo’ came from my dad's story of wanting to be an actor, but his parents—like many immigrant parents—believed the American dream meant financial security and a stable career. The arts didn’t fit that ideal,” Jeong explained. “I’ve heard similar stories from other Asian Americans whose parents are hesitant about them pursuing creative fields. I wanted to give those voices a platform.”

“It was clear from the start that this story came from a deeply personal place," said Film Teacher Monica Hoenig. "The details reflected the experiences of growing up and transitioning from high school to the working world. What struck me most was that Alexa wasn’t telling her own story, but her father’s—drawing from her family’s history. It’s rare to see a student take that kind of approach.”

“Crescendo” has resonated far beyond the Viewpoint community, earning acceptance into seven film festivals and recently winning the Best Writing Award at the Calabasas Film Festival on September 22. Tonight, she’s hopeful that number will grow to two.

“I was thrilled to hear my film was nominated for the California Student Young Filmmaker Award,” Jeong said. “This is the first short film I’ve made at Viewpoint that’s been submitted to festivals, so it means a lot to me that it’s being recognized.”

Congratulations to Alexa Jeong ’25 on this remarkable achievement! We wish her continued success tonight and in all her future endeavors.