The following 16 students have been named as semifinalists for the 2025 Artist of the Year in film and TV out of 61 nominees. The students were chosen by a panel of teachers based on written statements, sample films/reels and artistic résumés.
Students are placed into divisions based on the number of years they have been studying film and TV. Students with a combination of three years of film and TV training in middle school, high school and private training are placed into Division 1. Students with less than three years of combined training are placed into Division 2. A minimum of two Division 2 students are guaranteed to be invited to be a semifinalist.
Meet the other semifinalists
Dance
Theater
Instrumental music
Vocal music
Fine arts
Media arts
During the final round of adjudication, students are interviewed by a panel of distinguished artistic professionals and faculty members from Southern California colleges. Interviews include a live presentation by the student followed by a conversation with the student.
Five top students will be chosen in each discipline — four finalists plus the Artist of the Year. The finalists and Artists of the Year will be announced next Sunday, April 27 online and in print in a special section of The Orange County Register.
On Wednesday, May 7, an awards celebration will be held at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University and is free and open to the public. This event will include performances and presentations by the top students.
This program is generously sponsored by the Chapman University College of Performing Arts and Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Additional support is provided by Arts Orange County and individual donors.
If you would like to support Artist of the Year with a donation, you can contribute here. Donations will be made to Arts Orange County on behalf of Artist of the Year.
If you are interested in helping Artist of the Year grow by becoming a sponsor of this program, send an email to ocartistoftheyear@aoy.scng.com.
Aracely Aispuro Morales, junior, Buena Park High School
Division 2
Aracely Aispuro Morales of Buena Park, a junior studying at Buena Park High School, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Sophia Ortega)
“Art, to me, is storytelling — it’s how I express emotions, share experiences, and give a voice to important issues. Through film, I capture moments that connect people, challenge perspectives, and inspire change. Every project I create is a reflection of who I am and the stories I believe need to be told. … Each project has deepened my love for filmmaking, pushing me to tell meaningful stories, connect, amplify unheard voices, and inspire change.”
Chase W. Bennett, senior, Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts
Division 1
Chase W. Bennett of Huntington Beach, a senior studying at Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Jasyn Chiuppi)
“I immerse myself entirely in my art form, as my work extends beyond the frame of a camera. As a leader in my Academy for the Performing Arts student council, I have made it my mission to create ‘Pitch It To Win It’ movie competitions and icebreaker activities for new students at the annual arts barbeque. I connect with new creatives as people first and filmmakers second. I’ve toured students through the same school hallways which housed my creativity. I am a vocal force in council meetings, ensuring the media program is respected as an integral part of the academy.”
Nelan Castillo, senior, Orange County School of the Arts
Division 1
Nelan Castillo of Santa Ana, a senior studying at Orange County School of the Arts, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Timothy Okajima)
“I dedicate many of my films to capturing how I feel or what I have experienced in certain moments of my life. These films can be deeply emotional or serve as a way to cope, such as a project I am currently working on about dealing with the loss of my father. I personally struggle with physically expressing my emotions, which is why I turn to filmmaking to share my experiences, emotions, and life learning lessons. Many artists do the same. … (A)rt is our language, our voice and our way of being understood.”
JD Cavalluzzi, senior, El Dorado High School
Division 1
JD Cavalluzzi of Yorba Linda, a senior studying at El Dorado High School, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Owen Switzer)
“Frankly, I started directing to prove a point. I’ve been an active member of my school’s video program for all of high school, and, at some point last year, I picked up on the fact that most of the other filmmakers in the program didn’t think I took filmmaking seriously and didn’t think I was very good at it (I have been called El Dorado’s most underrated director). This past summer, I set out to change that perception. I wanted to have at least one high-quality project under my belt going into senior year, so, last August, I took everything I’d learned from being on sets and attending workshops and coming to class every day, and put it into a music video. I learned a lot about the kind of director I want to be from that project.”
James Conlee, senior, El Dorado High School
Division 1
James Conlee of Yorba Linda, a senior studying at El Dorado High School, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of James Conlee)
“I was diagnosed with ADHD in the 2nd grade and the idea of working in visual arts has always been a constant magnet. First it was illustration, then animation, now I want to be a cinematographer. Junior year I realized I am not always great at articulating my words and how I feel. It’s a common obstacle when having ADHD. Whenever timed writing prompts were assigned in class, I always noticed that my brain ran faster than the pen in my hand, so I never finished. However I found that visual arts like cinematography was an outlet. It was a way for me to communicate without my words and just purely through light and movement. That’s how I found my passion for cinematography.”
Bendicio Gonzalez, senior, Fairmont Preparatory Academy
Division 2
Bendicio Gonzalez of Orange, a senior studying at Fairmont Preparatory Academy, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Valentino Kitchen)
“Up until the point of my life (when I took my first film class), I never knew what I wanted to pursue. But when I first started making my own films for that intro class, I caught this spark. I always knew that I wanted to pursue some kind of art, and film is the most interesting one to me. Film is so interesting to me because it is a combination of many different artforms. In film, writers create scripts, musicians compose music, and actors perform as characters. All of these different forms of art come together to create one beautiful whole.”
Kyle Hero Kim, senior, Orange County School of the Arts
Division 1
Kyle Hero Kim of Irvine, a senior studying at Orange County School of the Arts, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Ethan Chu)
“We are all multifaceted, and no one is easily defined. In my films, I explore what lies beneath the surface. ‘Between the Bars’ follows a father who loses custody of his daughter — not just as an alcoholic but as a grieving husband. ‘Sweet 16’ tells the story of a teenage mother forced to give up her child. My documentary ‘Somewhere in Time’ began as a tribute to my great-grandmother but expanded into capturing countless seniors’ untold stories. (Making these films) reshaped my perspective on storytelling. I want my lens to challenge perceptions, showing that what we see at first glance is rarely the whole truth.”
Yeonwoo Kim, senior, Crean Lutheran High School
Division 1
Yeonwoo Kim of Irvine, a senior studying at Crean Lutheran High School, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Hyesun Lee)
“When I received my first camera, I finally had a way to express my creative world and ideas. I began recording everything that caught my eye, including journeys around the neighborhood and family events. Those early videos were imperfect, but they meant everything to me. They gave me a sense of control over time, preserving memories I didn’t want to forget. Moving to America was a crucial moment for developing my passion for Film and TV. All of a sudden, I couldn’t depend on my father’s presence or those weekend theater vacations to help me get through difficult times. The link that held us together was my camera. I sent videos of my life in a foreign nation to my dad so he could see how I lived here. During those times, I learned that filmmaking wasn’t just about telling a story — it was about maintaining connection, even across thousands of miles.”
Isabella Kira, senior, Los Alamitos High School
Division 1
Isabella Kira of Los Alamitos, a senior studying at Los Alamitos High School, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Luke Sanchez)
“My journey into film and TV began not in a traditional setting, but through the lens of gaming and content creation. At 14, I built my first gaming computer with the dream of creating a platform for something I loved — Minecraft. As I started streaming on Twitch, I found myself not only sharing gameplay but also creating a space for other women in the gaming world, a space that had often felt exclusionary. As my followers grew, I began creating content on TikTok, blending humor, creativity, and candid experiences of being a woman in a male-dominated scene. This content resonated deeply, transforming my online community into a supportive and empowering space.”
Micah Lai, senior, Orange County School of the Arts
Division 1
Micah Lai of Irvine, a senior studying at Orange County School of the Arts, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Timothy Okajima)
“What excites me most about VFX (visual effects) is its ability to transform the impossible into reality. Whether it’s enhancing a scene with subtle digital elements or creating entirely new worlds, I find joy in the process of problem-solving and innovation. My curiosity to explore different aspects of filmmaking stems from a desire to tell stories in unique and compelling ways. Unlike on-set production, where constraints can feel rigid, working in animation and VFX offers a space where experimentation comes with less risk, enabling me to push creative boundaries without limitations.”
Isabel Langer, senior, Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts
Division 1
Isabel Langer of Huntington Beach, a senior studying at Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Isabel Langer)
“Filmmaking has influenced every aspect of my life. I am eternally grateful to have not only worked with the members of the community of aspirational artists I have surrounded myself with but I also am able to call them some of my closest friends. … As I immersed myself in my after-school film program, I learned that there were others who felt the same way. There were other isolated storytellers looking for a sense of community. Through our time together huddled in libraries planning pre-production, on film sets collaborating towards a common goal, and crammed around one computer editing our art, we have forged unbreakable bonds.”
Jacob Pascual, senior, Beckman High School
Division 1
Jacob Pascual of Tustin, a senior studying at Beckman High School, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Jacob Pascual)
“Everyone leaves something on this earth, whether it’s just their bones in the grave, or a great legacy, everyone remembers. Especially as an artist, where something you do can quite literally change the way someone gets up in the morning, acts as a parent, or just how they live overall. As I look ahead into my blinding bright future I see my name under the A24 label, and when my name comes up in the credits people were left weeping, inspired, or distraught from a story I took months piecing together. Not only do I wish to provoke these feelings just to one person, but rather have my films act as a binding glue, that can form and piece communities together.”
Luke Sanchez, senior, Los Alamitos High School
Division 1
Luke Sanchez of Los Alamitos, a senior studying at Los Alamitos High School, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Lance Sanchez)
“My journey in film and TV has shaped me far beyond the creative process. Finding my editing style was never easy — it wasn’t a straightforward path like I had hoped. I spent years experimenting, feeling frustrated when things didn’t click. But over time, I learned patience. Growth takes time, and now I embrace the process rather than the rush to the result.”
Noah Villanueva, senior, Northwood High School
Division 1
Noah Villanueva of Irvine, a senior studying at Northwood High School, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Jane Wu)
“Dad told me that Abuela’s mind was deteriorating with age. I understood. At the same time, I felt a bit angry. Abuela, who held me as a baby, watched me open birthday presents — did those memories no longer matter? …Everyone has a story to tell. It’s up to me whether I discard or cherish it. As a filmmaker, I can show that Abuela likes to go on long rants, to debate and poke fun at Dad and Uncle. As a filmmaker, I can show that some days it takes a second for her to recognize me. But as a filmmaker, I can show how everyday, she loves me. And that’s the story that matters most.”
Kyan T. Whiten, senior, Los Alamitos High School
Division 1
Kyan T. Whiten of Seal Beach, a senior studying at Los Alamitos High School, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Luke Sanchez)
“I understand that as an artist, my goal is not always to change someone’s mind but often to open them up to new perspectives. In my work, I strive to encourage viewers to reflect introspectively on their own lives. By intentionally leaving certain aspects of my films vague or open-ended, I invite the audience to fill in the story themselves, connecting it to their personal experiences. This creative choice fosters a deeper sense of attachment and relevance.”
Abby Zidonis, senior, Los Alamitos High School
Division 1
Abby Zidonis of Seal Beach, a senior studying at Los Alamitos High School, is a film and TV semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Abby Zidonis)
“Historically, the entertainment industry has victimized underrepresented communities, reducing them either to injurious stereotypes or complete absence. … As I transition into my professional career, I hope to highlight more realistic situations of such struggles, especially by voicing diverse perspectives of young people navigating mental health and substance abuse. It is important to depict these issues with nuance and authenticity; multi-dimensional characters are used in order to refuse reductive stereotypes. To further involve underrepresented voices in each stage of the creative process, I will ensure inclusivity in casting and crew selection and maintain open-mindedness during pre-production.”