The 23rd annual Westflix Film Festival will take place at Paramount Pictures Studios on March 13. The event brings together high school filmmakers from across California for a student-run celebration of film. The festival is organized by Harvard-Westlake students with support from faculty advisors.
The event will include a red carpet, film screenings and an awards presentation. 14 short films, created by students from 13 different schools and programs across California, will be screened. Selected filmmakers will be invited to the upper school campus on March 14 to participate in a Filmmakers’ Workshop, where industry professionals will offer individualized feedback on their films. Each year, the festival features guest speakers to give students a glimpse into the professional film industry. Past speakers have included alumni Jake Gyllenhaal ‘98 and Jamie Lee Curtis ‘76.
Westflix advisor and Visual Arts Teacher Reb Limerick said she looks forward to the event every year.
“I love being an advisor because I love film, event planning and encouraging student leadership,” Limerick said. “Westflix combines all three of these features. It’s the most magical night of the year every year. This will be my seventh time dressing up for the Westflix red carpet and celebrating young filmmakers from all over California.”
Westlfix Director of Design Anika Norton ‘26 said a variety of awards are offered at the end of the festival.
“After the films are screened, we hand out awards for different categories,” Norton said. “The categories include Best Overall, Best Cinematography and many others. We also feature a Humanitarian Award given to a film that is related to social justice.”
Westflix Director of Submission and Judging Scout Manuel ‘26 said many factors contribute to creating a good film for the competition.
“The factors we consider include things like clear audio, interesting camera work, good acting and more,” Manuel said. “However, most important is an interesting plot with dialogue. A successful film should communicate a meaningful story with well-thought-out characters.”
Norton said she is excited for the award ceremony at the end of the festival.
“I am most looking forward to presenting the awards to student filmmakers,” Norton said. “At Westflix, you’re able to see the immense talent and dedication of student artists. When I first went in ninth grade, it made me realize the potential I myself as an aspiring filmmaker could have.”
