submissions are closed
the film fest for connecticut high schoolers since 2014
2026 festival info:
- Wednesday, May 27th
- Doors at 5:30pm, Screening at 6:15pm
- Killingly High School
- 226 Putnam Pike, Dayville CT
- Cash and Gear Prizes
- Walk the Red Carpet
- All selections receive free movie posters!
2026 Award Categories
- Best Performance
- Best Editing
- Best Cinematography
- Best Sound Design
- Audience Favorite
- 3rd Place Overall
- 2nd Place Overall
- Best Short Film
meet the 2026 judges
JOAN
CASSIN
Joan has worked in virtually every aspect of film, TV and video from producing both on the production and agency side to directing animation and shooting beautiful lifestyle mini-documentaries. When she’s not shooting projects for clients (or really, herself) she hikes, rock climbs, surfs and rounds out all that activity by reading lots and lots of comic books. Joan has done fun things for a mix of clients from big brands, startups, and indie producers to great networks like Discovery Science Channel, Animal Planet, History Channel, Cartoon Network, and many many more. She recently completed a successful fundraising round on Seed&Spark for her next short film WHY WE LEFT.
SOPHIE
MORGANSTERN
Sophie Morganstern is a Producer at the Hartford Film Company, which specializes in the production of narrative films, commercials, and more. the latest project she is producing at the company is a feature documentary about the teacher shortage. Sophie is committed to providing opportunities and education for the next generation of filmmakers, teaching every summer at Real Art Ways' youth film apprenticeship Eye on Video.
LIONEL R
JEFFRIES
Lionel R Jeffries is a Harlem-based filmmaker originally from northern Connecticut whose creative interests include history, introspection, the supernatural, and the strange. In November 2025, he premiered his debut feature WATERWICK -- a 96 minute psychological horror film made and set in Rhode Island that Jeffries and co. worked on for four years. WATERWICK is spiritually a direct descendent of Jeffries' Quiet Corner Film Festival entry COLD SWEAT, which won first place in 2016.
WILLIE
COLE
Willie Cole was born and raised in Pomfret, Connecticut. He grew up at Pomfret School, as his father was the art teacher and sports coach there for 47 years. After graduating at Pomfret, Willie went to film school at Ithaca College in upstate NY. While at college, he worked in NYC in the commercial film business making TV commercials. After college, Willie lived in NYC full time, working in the commercial business. In 1988 he moved to Los Angeles to broaden his knowledge by working not only on commercials but also music videos, movies and documentaries. In 1993 he was hired to direct an independent feature length film shot in Marrakech, Morocco. After the release of movie, he continued to focus on TV commercials and ran the art department as an art director/production designer. Willie's worked in the film business for over 32 years and now concentrates on architectural photography and painting in his studio which he has on his property in Brooklyn, CT which he shares with his wife and daughter.
2025 red carpet pix
