2025 SOUTH CAROLINA YOUNG FILMMAKERS PROJECT WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

The South Carolina Film Commission and Trident Technical College screened the finalist short films from the 2025 South Carolina Young Filmmakers Project on April 26 at Spotlight Cinemas Capital 8 Theater. The two-minute short films were created by South Carolina high school students and were shown on the big screen, with filmmaker Q&A and reception immediately following.

Over 90 films were entered into the annual statewide filmmaking competiton, and each was required to use a flashlight as a prop as the creative challenge. A panel of judges reviewed and scored all projects to determine the finalists and winners.

The winners were also announced at the event. Those were:

FIRST PLACE ($750 cash prize)
FLASHNIGHT
Ethan Lopez
Homeschool
Greenville, SC 

SECOND PLACE ($500 cash prize)
Master of Puppets
Whittaker Simon
South Carolina Governor’s School of Arts & Humanities
Greenville, SC 

THIRD PLACE ($250 cash prize)
Beacon
Hayes Gladden
Rock Hill High School
Rock Hill, SC

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
15 Minutes Later…Or Thank God It Swallowed the Flashlight
Calvin Landreth & Salvatore Biscotto
Anderson 1 & 2 Career & Technology Center
Anderson, SC

Shadow Puppets
Christian Young
Vines & Branches Home Educators
Myrtle Beach, SC 

The Secret Scratch
Enzo Leventis-Cox
St. Paul’s School
Irmo, SC 

OTHER FINALISTS:

All The Colors of Dreams
Aiden Kneece
Palmetto High School
Williamston, SC

Memory Reel
William Austin
Fine Arts Center/Wade Hampton High School
Greenville, SC 

Nightguard
Collin Allen
Homeschool
Florence, SC 

Revelation
Adrian Sanchez, Jaiden Casey, Layla Vicino
Fountain Inn High School
Fountain Inn, SC 

Sol Sisters
Dana Dueñas Tafur and Michael Fortkort
Pinewood Preparatory School
Summerville, SC

The Giraffe and the Monkey
Millie Grugan, Sarah Kelley, Tatum Rose Bronson
South Carolina Governor’s School of Arts & Humanities
Greenville, SC 

Wake Up              
Isaiah Hartzell
Anderson 1 & 2 Career & Technology Center
Anderson, SC